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Global South Leaders Hedge on Communique, Call on TEC and ACoC to Repent

Unity and Trinity. God is both one and three. He is the one God ... Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There can be no question of his unity. The Christian affirms this as strongly as any Jew or Muslim. 'The LORD our God is one LORD' (Dt. 6:4). He says, 'I am the LORD, and there is no other, beside me there is no God' (Is. 45:5). The unity of the Godhead is fundamental to all evangelism. It is because 'there is one God' that he demands and deserves the total allegiance of all mankind. Yet this one God revealed himself in three stages (first as the God of Israel, then as the incarnate Lord, then as the Holy Spirit) in such a way as to show that he exists eternally in these three personal modes of being. So the risen Jesus has commanded us to baptize converts 'in the name (note the singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' (Mt. 28:19) ---From "The Lausanne Covenant: An Exposition and Commentary"

Over the last 20 years we have been distracted by conflicts and controversies that have kept us from effectively fulfilling the Great Commission. While we have been so distracted, Christian heritage, identity and influence have continued to decline in the West. We believe that there is a need to review the entire Anglican Communion structure; especially the Instruments of Communion and the Anglican Communion office; in order to achieve an authentic expression of the current reality of our Anglican Communion. --- Global South to South Encounter Communique (April 23, 2010)

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
April 23, 2010

An historic event took place in Singapore this week that will forever shape the Anglican Communion for years to come.

Wheels have been set in motion that will, in time, see the coming together of an Anglican Ecumenical Council that will have the binding force of Holy Scripture and Early Church Councils. This was the 4th Trumpet call coming out of the Global South to South Encounter this week in Singapore. It was a powerful and engaging moment in the history of global Anglicanism. This reporter has not witnessed anything like it. I have reported on this at length in today's digest.

With this news came a much-heralded communiqué from the 130 assembled archbishops, bishops, clergy and laity. The primary purpose of this Encounter was to consider the proposed Anglican Covenant designed to bring us altogether. That is easier said than done. These Anglican leaders concluded with this statement: "We are currently reviewing the proposed Covenant to find ways to strengthen it in order for it to fulfill its purpose. For example, we believe that all those who adopt the Covenant must be in compliance with Lambeth 1.10. Meanwhile we recognize that the Primates Meeting, being responsible for Faith and Order, should be the body to oversee the Covenant in its implementation, not the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion."

They also made it clear that many of the provinces aew in impaired or broken communion with The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in Canada over those province's innovations, especially in the area of human sexuality. Homosexuality, homosexual marriage, homosexual priests and bishops and rites for same sex marriage are anathema to this crowd. They see these as sinful behaviors needing repentance not endorsement. The upcoming consecration of Mary Glasspool, an avowed lesbian to the episcopacy, is an abomination to these people. It is an act without historical or moral precedent. They are shocked and hurt by the actions of TEC as well as their northern neighbor the Anglican Church of Canada for its sexual innovations.

The delegates concluded with this statement. "We believe that there is a need to review the entire Anglican Communion structure; especially the Instruments of Communion and the Anglican Communion office; in order to achieve an authentic expression of the current reality of our Anglican Communion."

One very important sight was to see two Communion Partner bishops from TEC, John Howe of Central Florida and Mark Lawrence of South Carolina present as well as ACNA Archbishop Bob Duncan.

On a personal note, this was one of the most open conferences I have ever attended. I have detailed this in a personal Notebook I kept and am sharing with you. At the end of the six days of deliberation, I was approached by Archbishop Kolini and invited to attend the All Africa Bishops Conference in Kampala in August. I have been asked to attend as a delegate of the Province of Rwanda.

I am posting a number of stories on this historic meeting in Singapore in today's digest. More will follow.

BLOGGERS. Dear VOL readers. There is significant misinformation coming out of Singapore by conservative Episcopal/Anglican bloggers in the US who are not here. They are floating information that is misleading and inaccurate. It is coming from blogs like SFIF, T19, MCJ, CEN and quite possibly others I have yet to discover. I regret having to write this but the integrity of what went on here must be preserved. For the record, these bloggers never attend any Anglican events, and one blogger, SFIF, was denied press credentials to cover General Convention at Anaheim last summer. None of these bloggers have any standing with the Global South or Dr. Rowan Williams and should not be read for facts only opinion.

Here is what they are saying:

1. That the Global South will walk away from Rowan Williams. Not true. It will be Williams' choice whether or not he decides to attend the Ecumenical Council called for by Rwandan Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini.

2. It is being said that following Rowan Williams' video speech, eyes rolled and people made various ugly sounds directed at the screen. Not true. As everyone (including myself) was facing the screen, one would not know who rolled their eyes or didn't. Furthermore, there was light applause for the ABC. Whatever the Primates and bishops think of Dr. Williams' theology, they are not impolite or rude enough to do this. They have put up with his prevarications and theology for more than a dozen years and many still respect the office of the ABC even if they publicly and privately disagree with him. They would never act this rudely towards the leader of the Anglican Communion.

3. These so-called facts have led to a snowball effect of misinformation leading to the Church of England Newspaper repeating these errors in print.

4. For the record, ONLY VOL reported on an Anglican Ecumenical Council. While we do not expect these largely noisy blogs, who regularly use information from VOL, to recognize that fact, it remains true.

Other media present were Anglican-TV, The Living Church and Anglicans United.

*****

TEC has a protocol for dealing with rectors and parishes leaving TEC. Here is what is happening in the Diocese of Oregon to the parish of St. Matthew's that left TEC and turned over the keys to the diocese. A former parishioner told VOL that Bishop Joseph Hanley's storm troopers blitzed through the church and seized books, records, financial records, bank accounts, endowment account and other church property.

The bishop inhibited poor Fr. David L. Humphrey on his birthday. The departing congregation has made plans to have their last service this Sunday. Hanley said Humphrey could not preside at the last service because he has been inhibited/deposed-UNLESS he would put in writing that he renounced his ministry. Humphrey wisely chose not to do so.

I wrote in my original story that this was supposed to be a smooth transition. The last I heard, Fr. Humphrey was trying to meet with them to reach some kind of agreement about the last Sunday. You can read my original story here: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12371

*****

From Bishop Jack Iker and the Diocese of Ft. Worth comes this word: Make April 27 a day of fasting and prayer. "I am calling the Diocese to observe Tuesday, April 27, as a Day of Fasting and Prayer for the special intention of the oral arguments to be heard that day by the Fort Worth Second Court of Appeals. The hearing will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the 9th-floor courtroom of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center at 401 W. Belknap Street and is open to the public. Our attorneys will have 15 minutes to state our case, and the other side will have 15 minutes to respond. We then have 5 minutes for closing statements.

"Scott Brister, Kendall Gray, and Shelby Sharpe will represent us. The justices hearing the case are Lee Ann Dauphinot, Anne Gardner and Bill Meier. If our appeal is successful, the Court will direct that the parties bringing a lawsuit against us cannot do so in the name of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth or of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. It is not expected that a decision will be made that day, but will be released at a later time."

All Blessings,

David in Singapore

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