YEAR IN REVIEW - Part Five

(Part 5)

By David W. Virtue

VIRTUOSITY

In the orthodox DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH, bishop Robert Duncan was called

evil at a special diocesan convention by pro-sodomite revisionist

forces with bleeding heart liberal laity writing letters saying that he

had stolen the church from them. Duncan had said he would allow

parishes who did not agree with General Convention election of

Robinson to choose their own pathway. In the DIOCESE OF ALBANY, a small faction of liberal priests unhappy with the way Bishops Dan Herzog and David Bena voted at GC2003 tried to pull off a coup d’etat hoping to turn the diocese towards sexual inclusion (read perversity) with an alternative vision for the

diocese. They tried and they failed.

And in the DIOCESE OF COLORADO the new bishop Robert J. ONeill who

came in on a ticket of moderation and inclusion to replace the

compromised Jerry Winterrowd asked two of the most revisionist bishops

in the Episcopal Church - Tom Shaw of Massachusetts and the former

suffragan Barbara Harris to co-consecrate with James Jelinck at his own

consecration.

Griswold threw down the gauntlet and told the ANGLICAN COMMUNION DROP DEAD! He told Associated Press that he openly supported Gene Robinsons

confirmation because Episcopalians in New Hampshire had overwhelmingly

chosen him in their local election and had the right to make that

choice. Griswold also argued that Scripture does not condemn same-sex

relationships, a position conservatives vehemently reject.

In the UK The Church Society, an evangelical organization within the

Church of England, called for the expulsion of the Episcopal Church

from the Anglican Communion for promoting a non-celibate homosexual to

the episcopate. In a letter addressed to the Primates of the Anglican

Communion dated September 15, the Church Society argued that the

recent action by the Episcopal Church of the USA in agreeing to

consecrate Gene Robinson is not an isolated incident but it serves to

show how that body acting corporately has set themselves outside

historic Christianity. The denomination has become a (North American)

sect.

Then news came that CANON JOHN PETERSON of the Anglican Consultative

Council was attempting to manipulate the agenda of the primates

October meeting in order to nullify conservative outcomes. Some

classified documents were inadvertently given to Dr. Paul Zahl, an

American orthodox Dean and a member of the International Anglican

Doctrinal and Theological Commission [IADTC]. This deep-sixed

Peterson control of the Primates meeting.

AMIA BISHOP John Rodgers said that two overlapping jurisdictions in the

ECUSA were untenable. There must be one Anglican Province in the

country-region in fellowship with Canterbury, not two the concept of

two overlapping jurisdictions is untenable for several reasons. For the

Archbishop of Canterbury to remain in communion with those bishops,

clergy and congregations that endorse the election and consecration of

Bishop elect Robinson would morally and doctrinally corrupt the

Anglican Communion itself.

SYDNEY ARCHBISHOP Peter Jensen weighed in suggesting that the American

arm of the worldwide church be expelled. He said time was running out

for the Archbishop of Canterbury to act on homosexual issues dividing

the worldwide Anglican Church.

A GATHERING OF NEARLY 3,000 ORTHODOX ESPICOPALIANS IN DALLAS still shell-shocked by GC2003 decision to confirm Robinson, heard the Rev. David Roseberry issue a clarion call, we are finally free and we know what is at stake. God still does change lives and that we declare. We declared our support at General Convention on August 5 and we stood up on the votes and we asked for the intervention of the Primates.

At Dallas, A PLACE TO STAND - A CALL TO ACTION was distributed to the

attendees. The statement upheld the Great Commission, repudiated the

actions of General Convention, repented for its part in the sins of the

Episcopal Church, and called upon the Episcopal Church to repent and to

reverse the unbiblical actions of the General Convention, stating its

objection to the consecration of Canon Robinson as a bishop of the

Church.

FORWARD IN FAITH LEADER Fr. David Moyer called for full cooperation

with Evangelical and Charismatic wings of the ECUSA, to achieve the

goal of cleansing the Church and working towards renewal and reform.

THE POPE SENT PRAYERS TO THE AAC meeting through Cardinal Ratzinger,

bypassing  815 and a rebuke to Frank Griswold, a pointed at that did

not go unnoticed by revisionists. A wrenching split in the fabric of

the Communion if the Primates did not act it was predicted. Courage

breeds courage, said the Bishop of Pittsburgh to the 2,700 attendees.

THE PRIMATES also said they would intervene in the Episcopal Church

then they met in Lambeth, and move to throw Frank Griswold and the

Episcopal Church out of the Anglican Communion.

THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE

Some 37 Primates were ready to act as they gathered in Lambeth. And act

they did. What emerged was the most honest, most difficult meeting

any could recall reflected Robert Duncan with reports of the power of

prayer and the falling of the Holy Spirit reported. Questions of law

and constitutionality nearly derailed the meeting. The Communions

center and its power shifted to the Global South. The Primates Meeting

replaced the Anglican Consultative Council as the Communion’s key

decision-making body (between Lambeth Conferences). Rowan Williams

achieved presidency on his terms and his turf and the imits of

Anglican diversity were clearly delineated. Scripture and Lambeth

Conference teaching were determinative and Provinces could break

communion with errant partners and Ecumenical and Inter-Faith

considerations mattered profoundly. It was also a time to organize

provincial responses to schism.

Midway into their deliberations an unscripted press conference was held

on the grounds of Lambeth Palace. Irish Archbishop Robin Eames told

reporters that the Primates were telling their stories representing the

cultural differences, while saying that there was a tremendous anxiety

to maintain the Anglican Communion on a basis of collegiality,

cooperation and the common faith.

The UK movement REFORM urged the Primates to stand firm.

A Statement at the conclusion of the meeting by the Primates said the

actions of New Westminster to authorize a Public Rite of Blessing for

those in committed same sex relationships, and by the 74th General

Convention of the Episcopal Church (USA) to confirm the election of a

priest in a committed same sex relationship to the office and work of a

Bishop, threatened the unity of the Communion as well as relationships

with other parts of Christ Church, as well as mission and witness,

and relations with other faiths, in a world already confused in areas

of sexuality, morality and theology, and polarize Christian opinion.

The Primates of the Communion were givenenhanced responsibility

entrusted to them by successive Lambeth Conferences, and they re-

affirmed their common understanding of the centrality and authority of

Scripture in determining the basis of their faith.

In a unanimously-agreed statement, they strongly reaffirmed the global

Anglican teaching on homosexuality, with the Primates concluding that

if this consecration proceeds, we recognize that we have reached a

crucial and critical point in the life of the Anglican Communion. They

said that the future of the Communion itself would, therefore, be put

in jeopardy. If Robinson is made a bishop, the statement said, his

ministry would not be recognized by most of the Anglican world, with

many provinces likely to consider themselves out of communion with the

U.S. Episcopal Church (ECUSA).

AMERICAN CONSERVATIVES SAW VICTORY AT LAMBETH with Frank Griswold being told in clear and blunt terms that if appeared at, and/or consecrated

Gene Robinson he would be declared anathema by the Archbishop of

Canterbury and in time expelled from the Anglican Communion. Lines

hardened and there was no way back for the leader of the theologically

liberal Episcopal Church if he went through with the consecration of

Gene Robinson.

In an effort to put the best spin on the Lambeth meeting the Diocese of

New Hampshire issued a statement saying, we echo their affirmation

that what we hold in common is much greater than that which divides us

in proclaiming Good News to the world. We commend their resolve to

follow the 1998 Lambeth resolution calling for the Church tolisten to

the experience of homosexual persons, and ... to assure them that they

are loved by God and that all baptized, believing and faithful persons,

regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of

Christ.

But the Coptic Orthodox Church at its Annual Clergy convention presided

by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of

the See of St. Mark formally condemned Homosexuality, the Ordination of

Homosexuals and Same-Sex Marriages.

In the meantime The AMERICAN ANGLICAN COUNCIL prepared for a

realignment. We are beginning the process of realignment of

Anglicanism in North America that the Primates laid out for us in their

statement. Our course is getting clearer each week, said the Rev.

Canon David Anderson, AAC President. With the Archbishop of

Canterbury encouragement, the AAC Bishops Committee on Adequate

Episcopal Oversight is coordinating requests for oversight, said Canon

Anderson. We are proceeding deliberately and carefully to insure that

this oversight is available sooner rather than later. The AAC Board

also moved forward with the establishment of a Network of Confessing

Dioceses and Parishes in the Episcopal Church.

In a separate note Archbishop Drexel Gomez who attended the

Extraordinary emergency meeting of primates said the appointment of

Robinson was  unacceptable by an overwhelming majority of Primates,

and said dreadful consequences of sodomy to a state, and on the extent

to which this abominable vice may be secretly carried on and spread, we

cannot, on the principles of sound policy, consider the punishment as

too severe.

ROBINSON CONSECRATED

Amidst much hoopla Robinson was consecrated on an ice hockey rink in

Durham, NH Nov. 2, 2003.  First came the objectors. The Rev. Dr. Earle

Fox launched into a statement about the high percentage of homosexuals

who engage in anal and oral sex. After he began to talk about rimming

he was interrupted by Griswold who asked him to get to the main point

of his speech. Fox then talked about the physical and spiritual

consequences of homosexual behavior and that God would never bless such

a behavior. Next up was a woman parishioner from the parish of St.

Mark Episcopal Church in Ashland, NH. Meredith Harwood read a

prepared statement that said to press forward with this consecration

was to turn one back on almighty God, and the clear teaching that

sexual activity outside of marriage was wrong. Inclusivity without

transformation is not the gospel of Jesus Christ, she said. Finally

the Suffragan Bishop of Albany, David Bena stood up and read a

statement on behalf of 38 ECUSA and Canadian bishops, and said the

chosen lifestyle of Robinson was incompatible with Scripture and that

to proceed with this consecration stands at odds with that teaching.

Krister Stendahl read a letter from the Archbishop of Uppsala commending the occasion. In his speech Robinson spoke of those who find themselves on the margins and who have not known the year of the Lord’s favor.

Following the objections a group of dissenters left the ice rink and attended an alternate Eucharist at Durham Evangelical Free Church.

Worldwide outrage reached fervor pitch.

The AMERICAN ANGLICAN COUNCIL protested the consecration and twenty

Anglican primates who opposed the ordination of homosexuals announced

that they would split from their North American counterparts. The

primates made public their decision to break away from the Episcopal

Church of the USA.

THIRTY-EIGHT BISHOPS signed a letter of objection to the consecration.

Their statement read in part said, In keeping with our consecration

pledge to guard the faith, we, the undersigned bishops are registering

our objection to the consecration of a person whose chosen lifestyle

is incompatible with Scripture and the teaching of this church. We

endorse the assessment of the Primates of the Communion who wrote that

as a result of this consecration...The future of the Communion itself

will be put in jeopardy. In this case, the ministry of this one bishop

will not be recognised by most of the Anglican world, and many

provinces are likely to consider themselves to be out of Communion with

the Episcopal Church (USA).

A number of Primates of the Global South responded to the consecration

of Gene Robinson saying, It is with profound sadness and pain that we

have arrived at this moment in the history of the Anglican Communion.

We are appalled that the authorities within the Episcopal Church USA

(ECUSA) have ignored the heartfelt plea of the Communion not to proceed

with the scheduled consecration of Canon Gene Robinson. They have

ignored the clear and strong warning of its detrimental consequences

for the unity of the Communion...

CENTRAL FLORIDA BISHOP JOHN W. HOWE blasted Griswold saying he should  resign.  My heart is breaking over yesterday consecration of the

Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire, he wrote. By virtue of this

action, we in the Episcopal Church, USA have ignored the counsel of the

Archbishop of Canterbury, the Meeting of the Anglican Primates (as

recently as two and a half weeks ago, which you yourself signed!), the

Anglican Communion Council, the most recent Lambeth Conference (in

1998), and the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops.

IN THE DIOCESE OF NEW JERSEY a pregnant lesbian priest who runs

Diocesan happenings, a sort of Cursillo for youth was exposed by

Virtuosity with both bishops approving her position, seeing nothing

contrary to Scripture or even common sense, to allow this awful role

model to run a youth program.

WHILE IN CANADA the New Westminster Bishop came down hard on seven

orthodox parish priests and said he was bringing them up on charges.

The bully of Vancouver, Michael Ingham, officially charged all seven

clergy with disobedience.

AND IN THE DIOCESE OF PUERTO RICO, The Rev. David Alvarez was

inhibited, one of three orthodox priests including a university

professor for standing up to the bishop there, a bishop who supported

ECUSA same-sex blessings and the ordination of an avowed sodomite.

MEANWHILE ECUSA LEADERS WRESTLED OVER the meaning of Episcopal oversight. The first view, that of adequate episcopal oversight, was

being pushed by the American Anglican Council with the blessing of the

Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates. ECUSA Presiding Bishop had

a different take on what that means. He argued for alternative

Episcopal care, a different notion altogether. What the orthodox

wanted was a flying bishop arrangement not unlike that in the Church of

England. The AAC created an application process for congregations

seeking adequate episcopal oversight.