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By FRANK MORRISS THE WANDERER   Anglicanism, that is, the religion of an English established church whose head on earth is the British monarch, began based on one of those monarchs   self-serving judgment that he could marry as many times as necessary to produce a male heir. Henry VIII at first veiled that seizure of authority from its legitimate possessor, the Bishop of Rome, in scruples about the validity of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.   He made a private interpretation of Scripture to argue his vows with the Spanish princess were invalid because she had been once married to his deceased brother, Arthur.  Rome rejected his petition for an annulment from Catherine on the grounds a dispensation had been granted from whatever impediment might be involved, and later, Catherine, defending her marriage to Henry, insisted the marriage to 16-year-old Arthur (even then sickly) had never been consummated. Her confessor, Bishop John Fisher, argued in her favor, and he above all others would have known if in fact the marriage to Henrys brother was complete ( ratum et consummatum).     For his several other marriages, Henry could find no other argument other than that he by his own declaration, approved by a supine Parliament, was head of the Church in England, and could do as he wished.     All of this defied the clear evidence in Scripture that putting ones wife away and taking another is adultery, as well as the fact that Christ made Peter, who became Bishop of Rome, as His Vicar on earth, and that the Church had recognized the Bishop of Rome and no other as having that title and authority to teach, govern, and bind and loose. In breaking with that authority, Henry and all who accepted his schism which rapidly evolved into full-blown heresy, reduced religion to being simply what its constituents, whether citizens, monarchs, or clerics or those pretending to be clerics, want it to be.     All of that must be kept in mind in considering the decision of the Episcopal Church, an offshoot or sprout of Anglicanism, that a man living in a feigned state of spousal relationship with another man, having split from his wife and children to do so, is fit to be a bishop.     Indeed, spokesmen for the majority that voted approval of this promotion  of an Episcopal cleric to hierarchical status have proclaimed him more than fit for the job ? they have praised him as deeply spiritual, exemplary in his ministry, a paragon of priesthood deserving the rank to which they have lifted him by his invisible halo, as it were.     That this is a step toward recognizing marriage of homosexuals is admitted by supporters of this decision, one of whom (the bishop of the Episcopal seminary) said it is just a matter of bringing along reluctant Episcopalians to accepting such a step. Approval for blessing such marriages awaits the community’s arrival at the point the homosexual activists and their supporters have planned ? the debauching of the marriage of man and woman by putting homosexual acts on its level.     The New Hampshire bishop-elect at the center of this parody of religion said Episcopalians are on a learning curve that will lead them to accept gays in every position of authority, which of course minimizes the real intention, that it will be an acceptance not only of their sexual appetites, but of their indulgence in those appetites by sodomy and other unmentionable sexual acts, none of which is in keeping with the decent and natural purpose of the sexual faculties given us by our Creator. The only learning curve Christians should be on is toward obeying, serving, and following Christ as closely and perfectly as possible, which includes being chaste.     Therefore, any genuine learning curve to be followed by Christians leads to Christs teaching, rather than away from it. And one of those teachings is that lust is forbidden to the Masters followers, and that sex is to be used to make man and woman one flesh. The Church has always accepted that Christ made this nuptial union analogous to His own union with His Church. It is therefore blasphemous to even consider equating the lustful acts of homosexual sex with marriage, and it is sacrilegious to attempt to dignify such unions with a blessing or liturgy, which the Episcopal Church is on it way toward doing.     Make no mistake, two major evils are involved here: lust and pride, the claim of autonomy in the matter of sexual use and the claim of righteousness in asserting lust is virtue rather than vice.     There is little chance the Anglican Church, the schismatic root of Episcopalianism, will intervene effectively in what its brash American offspring is doing. For one thing, there is no effective authority at hand to do it. Just as the formal head of that Church,  the British monarch is a figurehead, her primate-designate, the archbishop of Canterbury, is as well. Even if he had effective power, the present holder of that office is an earth, fire, and wind worshiper. It is not likely he would be overly shocked at the desire of some within the church he heads to appear costumed as fauns, frolicking after one another piping the music of the Lupercal.     After all, the Anglican Church has surrendered traditional opposition to contraception, abortion, female clergy, divorce. It would be naive to think it will now take a stand against its shepherds engaging in objectionable activities of all sorts, and even being admired for doing so. The argument that God loves everyone is attractive in an egalitarian age that insists what one does would never be counted against the good Gods desire to have all saved. Further, the revolt against the nature and meaning of human acts in favor of fides sola or even good intentions suggests that Heaven is guaranteed.     Indeed, the truth that God loves everyone is now taken as that very guarantee. That overlooks that the crucial question for God’s creatures is do they love God?     It’s easy to answer that question with of course! But then, what did Jesus mean when He said, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father in Heaven shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And what is the meaning of the parable that tells of seven foolish virgins denied entry to the wedding feast because they let the oil of their lanterns burn out?     There is not a hint of scriptural teaching, including that of Christ, that sexual satisfaction alone can provide the substance of marriage. But there is direct testimony aplenty that the use of sex to bring new lives into being is such substance. God makes woman to be man’s companion; the command to Adam is to increase and multiply. Jesus reminds His listeners that at the beginning the creation was of man and woman who can become one flesh, and for that reason any putting away of ones wife and remarriage involves adultery. The only nuptial blessing given by Christ was at Cana.     St. Paul condemns the desire of man for man, woman for woman in no uncertain terms. And thus for those who believe in the inerrancy of scriptural teaching, in the protection of the valid episcopal college from error, must surely accept that sodomy is a major departure from that teaching, and therefore a grave sin which, if not sincerely repented and resisted, would disqualify any candidate for that college.     The decline of sexual morality in the West, and even within what citadels of Christianity as remain, is the evil fruit of a totally personalist, subjective moral jurisdiction by each individual. The privacy claimed in matters of sex  even extending to reproduction is simply an assertion of autonomy of the individual in that area of life. It makes no matter if that is the case what any other authority says, even when it is the authority of Christs Church, headed by His Vicar on earth, or the recorded authority of God’s word.     Sexual sins amount to Adams choosing to eat of the fruit that God ordered him to forgo in Eden. Not all sexual sins are of equal malice, and there may be subjective mitigation of guilt in their regard. But if sodomy and other deviant sexual use are not seriously immoral, then surely no other sexual use can be condemned, either in or outside of marriage. Give in regarding homosexual sex, and every city becomes Sodom, every person becomes a potential citizen of Gomorrah.     None of the above is meant to insult or denigrate or even discourage sincere Anglicans or Episcopalians. And undoubtedly some may be ignorant of the issues involved in the origins and directions of their denominations. But most educated persons of those churches must recognize some facts of history. They must recognize how the Church of England drifted into a state of indifference to the meaning of apostolicity, entering a state of quasi-Protestantism and surrendered the full sacramentalism (most disastrously the Mass) that it kept at its very beginning (though for only a matter of months).     If they know anything about the revolt of the Non-Jurors against the acceptance of Protestant royal houses by the Church of England, and of the later Oxford Movement that attempted to revive Anglicanism’s historic link to the Church before Henrys schism and Elizabeths heresy, then they will know the direction of their church has been toward doctrinal and moral dissolution from the beginning.     The last serious chance for Anglicanism to choose either the substance of Catholic faith or the path to irrelevance was the issuance of John Henry Cardinal Newmans Tract 90 of the Oxford Movement. That attempted to establish a compatibility of Anglicanism’s 39 Articles of Faith with the ancient Creeds and interpretations of Catholicism. The Anglican authorities of the early 19th century used Newmans tract as an excuse to silence the Oxford Movement. Many Anglicans, especially Oxfordians, went to Rome with Newman; many, many more remained with an Anglicanism now revealed as determined to resist any challenge to its presumptions to be genuinely linked to the Church Christ founded.     That has led to the present moment, when it is clear the congregational idea of being whatever members of the community want it to be puts the Anglican and Episcopalian Churches on the edge of total religious irrelevance. Gradually, if those churches do not step back from that possibility, they will merge with the prevailing culture no matter how pagan, indecent, perverted, or diabolic that culture might become.     Other Protestant churches have already become pale shadows of Christianity, even the Christianity of their Reformation founders. A few islands of resistance to that fate remain, but it is unlikely these can remain long above the tides of secular morality (more properly, immorality).     In attempting to be relevant to such culture, Christian churches become more and more irrelevant. That is proving itself true even within some areas of the Catholic Church. Modernist theology and thought are becoming more and more unattractive, more and more like a senile nonagenarian who has lost his memory along with his recognizability as something meaningful to the following of Christ. What is prospering is traditional Catholicism faithful to the Church’s beginnings and the ongoing stream of Tradition as a parallel Revelation to Scripture.     That will be a bulwark for the Catholic Church as it rejects such enormities as gay unions, women clergy, trial marriage, legalized adultery, vice converted to virtue, sin mutated into sanctity. And reject it will, for the promise was made to the Church built upon the Rock who was Peter and now is each of his Successors, . . . and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.     It should be clear to all who have the purity of heart that enables them to have a true religious vision that such protection was not given any other church, as those gates prevail more and more over the purely human claim to hold divine credentials. END

By Juliet Williams Associated Press MILWAUKEE - A Roman Catholic bishop who waded into politics with a decree that lawmakers who support abortion rights can no longer receive Holy Communion has ignited a debate over the separation of church and state.     Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse cited Vatican doctrine, canon law and teachings by the U.S. bishops in an announcement telling diocesan priests to withhold communion from such lawmakers until they ``publicly renounce their support of abortion rights. This is about as stark a decree to come down against Catholic politicians as we’ve seen in recent history, said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.     “The problem with it is that elected officials have to represent people of all faiths and none, and not adhere to one religious demand like the bishops, he said.     Pope John Paul II appointed Burke, 55, archbishop of St. Louis in December. Burke signed the decree in November, when he still had the authority to do so, but it was not made public until Thursday.     Burke is to be installed in St. Louis on Jan. 26.   The Vatican and U.S. bishops have for years urged Catholic legislators to consider their faith when they vote, and a task force of bishops is weighing whether to recommend sanctions for Catholic politicians who support policies contrary to church teachings.     In November, Burke wrote letters to at least three Catholic lawmakers, telling them they risked being forbidden from taking the sacrament by continuing to vote for measures he termed anti-life, including abortion and euthanasia.     Democratic U.S. Rep. David Obey, who received a letter from Burke, said Friday that he respects the sacred oath he took to uphold the U.S. Constitution.     Obey said Burke can instruct him on faith and morals in his private life, but should use ``persuasion, not dictation to affect his political votes.     State Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach, a Democrat who was raised Catholic, expressed a similar view.     Dictating public policy for people of all faiths by holding sacraments hostage from those who believe does not sound right, Erpenbach said.     Dan Maguire, a professor of theology at the Jesuit Marquette University in Milwaukee, called Burke a ``fanatic who has embarrassed the Catholic Church by using bullying tactics.     “He is not a theologian and he is making terrible mistakes that have been addressed in theology in the past, Maguire said. “He’s making a fool of himself. And the politicians are absolutely within their Catholic rights to ignore him.     END

By Cara Eastwood Wyoming Tribune-Eagle     CHEYENNE - Episcopalians seeking a more conservative church might find refuge in a new, as of yet unaffiliated group founded by a veteran in the Episcopal denomination. The Church of St. Peter, Apostle and Confessor will begin meeting Jan. 18, and the Rev. H. W. Skip Reeves is eager to plow new ground with his congregation. Initial attendance, estimated between 75 and 150 people, will be comprised mainly of Episcopalians who stopped going to church after last year’s controversial appointment of a gay bishop.     I’m the last person on Earth that many people would think to do this, Reeves said. I’ve always been what you would call a company man.     Reeves served as rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church for over 10 years and retired last year. His problems are not with St. Marks or any of the parishioners there, he insists, but instead with the national church.     After the General Convention, when church leaders decided to confirm openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson and recognized that bishops are allowing blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples, Reeves said he began to feel the church moving away from his beliefs.     I strongly feel that I am not leaving the Episcopal Church, it has left me, he said in a recent letter to the Tribune-Eagle.     Reeves departure from his 34-year connection to the Episcopal Church comes after weathering several major storms like the altering of the prayerbook and the ordination of women.     But the confirmation of Robinson, however, was the last straw for Reeves and many other conservative Anglicans.     The perception of conservatives is that this is a gross violation of interpretation of scripture, Reeves said.     The Episcopal Church’s lack of official doctrine or statement of faith is part of the problem, Reeves said.     The Church of St. Peter, Apostle and Confessor, however, will be what Reeves calls a confessing church meaning that the congregation will be guided by a statement of faith and will not hesitate to state what it believes.     St. Mark’s lost 40 percent of attendance after Bishop Robinson’s confirmation, Reeves said.     Although he made a point to not stir up dissention because of his personal view of the issue, Reeves said many dissatisfied parishioners came to him for help and advice on where to go. He waited until he officially retired before founding a new church.     Episcopalians generally don’t change denominations, he said. They just stop going to church.     Reeves said the new church would welcome homosexual people into the congregation, so long as they are celibate or have the desire to try and convert to heterosexuality.     It’s the behavior that contradicts scripture, Reeves said. Not the individuals.     END

A network of Anglican Churches, congregations and Christian Service Organisations Sept. 2, 2025   Introduction : The establishment and work of Anglican Mission in America and the Anglican Mission in Europe has inspired church leaders in India committed to an orthodox Anglican theology and practice to launch a network of churches and congregations’ eager to identify with a Reformed Anglican/Catholic tradition and become part of the Global Anglican family.   GROWTH OF INDEPENDENT CHURCHES IN INDIA: In the past forty years there is a very significant growth of “independent” churches in India. Such growth is rapid in urban centres and is also accelerating in rural India.  Church growth in India is largely among such churches that have membership of between 50 to 100 families in a congregation, meeting in homes or rented halls. Less than 1% have grown into large churches with membership of 500 to 2000 families. The membership is mostly of low-income families (the “Anawim” of the Bible) and is often home to Christian families who no longer feel at home with large upwardly mobile urban churches of established denominations to which they once belonged. Some of them call themselves ex-Anglican.   NEED FOR TRAINING: Such independent churches are usually enterprises started by a gifted and even charismatic lay leader who is self-trained and with no formal theological or pastoral training. Some of us have been involved in offering training programmes for such pastors for 30 years. Leaders of the AMISA network in South India are in touch with over 2000 such churches in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Independent Churches have many more first generation Christians than historic, established churches as they grow through Christian mission and witness that is their dominant concern. They are at the cutting edge of church growth in South Asia. Similarly, leaders in North India, Sril Lanka and Nepal are in touch with several hundred similar independent churches who work with first generation believers.   CHALLENGES FACED BY INDEPENDENT CHURCHES: Training of Pastors in understanding the nature of the church, its ministry and its role in India today where there is greater hostility to such independent churches.   They are the main targets of persecution and have few friends and assets to help them face this challenge. They have few local, national and international connections unlike recognised, established and historic churches like the Catholics, Church of South India, Methodists etc.   Few of them have proper legal identities, management and administrative structures and procedures.   Their understanding of the current social, political and religious context of India is very inadequate and is likely to create major problems for them if they are investigated by state agencies or organisations hostile to the Christian faith. And yet they not only survive but grow.   Their need to be in recognised structures, with accountability for ministry, mission and resources requires them to be part of a national network that has global connections and recognitions.   Existing Historic Protestant and Catholic Churches appear not to be interested in the welfare and future of these independent churches.       THE NEED: The Network of Anglican Mission in South Asia meets the need providing a historic Episcopal system and structures, will provide Theological and Pastoral Training drawing on the resources of the Global Orthodox Anglican Churches and Organisations and a recognition by state authorities that these churches are not little independent actors but part of a globally recognised entity and drawing on the traditions, knowledge & fellowships of the global church.   ANGLICAN MISSION IN SOUTH ASIA: Theological Educators and Anglican Episcopal Leaders are part of AMISA leadership. It has the support of retired bishops of historic protestant churches who cherish their Anglican heritage and are deeply committed to the churches mission in South Asia and the future of independent churches. There is enthusiastic response from several hundred independent churches eager to be part of AMISA and train their pastors and develop systems and structures of accountability.   The main work of AMISA will be: Provide accredited training of pastors in a biblical and Anglican understanding of the church, the nature of its ministry and its mission. Youth and Children’s ministry. Recognised training is needed in securing state recognition where required.   Providing Episcopal oversight, ordinations and confirmations. Congregations/pastors will be self-governing and self-sustaining.   Assist in relating to the state authorities and equipping them to deal with hostility.   AMISA’s own administrative structure will be simple and minimal.  At the appropriate time groups of churches who seek a structure will be assisted in forming into deaneries and dioceses and will be self-governing and self-supporting. AMISA will remain a training and resourcing network.   OUR REQUESTS: Churches and organisations in the rest of the world to be our partners and provide resources of training, and finance. Support our modest start up budget with an initial grant and be open to supporting us for three years.   G. Team Convener: Canon Vinay K Samuel, Oxford and Bangalore Secretary: Rev Dr. David Selvaraj, Founder of Visthar Bangalore Episcopal Member: Bishop Daniel Premkumar, Anglican Union. Dr Richard Howell of Caleb Seminary, Rev Vijayesh Lal General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India and Dr Samuel Richmond of Caleb and Northeast Christian University will coordinate work in North India. Bishop Samantaroy retired Moderator of the Church of North India will provide episcopal oversight. Rev Dr Sunil Caleb, Principal of Bishops College Calcutta will be invited to participate.   Senior Leaders of Episcopal Churches in India have been informed of this initiative. We are encouraged at the very positive response of some retired and serving bishops and theological leaders of the Church of North India and the Church of South India. Some have agreed to assist us with episcopal services.   The Evangelical Fellowship of India that is in contact with many networks of independent churches in North India is keen to partner with AMISA. Roman Catholic Church leaders who know us well have also been informed and are supportive.   Gifts can be made through Anglican Mainstream tagged for AMISA here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/anglican-mainstream-fundraiser

Anglo-Catholics appalling condescension towards Evangelicals and the Reformation tradition cited   By C. FitzSimons Allison www.virtueonline.org Sept. 3, 2025   VOL: Former Bishop of South Carolina, the Rt. Rev. Dr. C. FitzSimons Allison, believes that Anglo Catholics do not take Reformation soteriology seriously by showing that without justification by faith dogma loosens their Gospel proclamation and become doctrines that must be believed, a law deprived of its grace. He has tried to build up on the virtues of Anglo-Catholics, their concern for doctrine, their love of the church and their witness to metaphysics and the numinous reality beneath the rational reductionism of mere physics and mere phenomenon. He wants them to know about how concerned he is about the distortions and foibles of the Anglo-Catholic tradition.   BISHOP ALLISON WRITES:   First is the appalling condescension towards Evangelicals and the Reformation tradition. A good example of this is Rowan Greer's book ‘ Anglican Approaches to Scripture ’ (2006). In which he never mentions ANY Evangelical but gives sympathetic attention to Maurice Wiles, Dennis Nineham, Michael Goulder, and Don Cupitt who range from heterodoxy to atheism. At the same time, he never mentions in a book entitled ‘Anglican Approaches to Scripture’ John Stott, Tony Thiselton, Stephen Neill, Charles Moule, I.J. Packer, Leon Morris or J.B. Lightfoot (whose ‘Commentary on Philippians’ is still available in its 12th edition and 16th printing.) Here he eliminates scholars whose works are virtually the only ones in the Anglican tradition which makes converts globally while leaving his view of Anglican tradition populated by those paralyzed by their own skepticism.   Greer taught Anglicanism to Chris Seitz, Ephraim Radnor and George Sumner at Yale. Unfortunately, he is not alone in defining Anglicanism by eliminating the Evangelical tradition. Bishop John Fenwick in his ‘Anglican Ecclesiology and the Gospel’ writes “Arthur Middleton in 'Restoring the Anglican Mind’ leaps from 17th century to the rise of Tractarianism, missing out entirely the Evangelical Revival; where such a chapter should come chronically is a picture of John Keble. … (Page 464)   The irony is that the commendable concern by Anglo-Catholics for Christology and Trinity is creedally and coherently dependent upon justification by faith but that doctrine has largely been scorned. When I first arrived at Oxford, I was interviewed by the Anglo-Catholic Chaplain Eric Mascall who asked me what I was going to do. I replied: “I'm working on the doctrine of justification in the Carolina divines.” After repeating the phrase, he replied: “What if the doctrine of justification has any meaning at all it's denied by the opening sentences in Evening Prayer: ‘When a wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul.’” (Ezekiel 17:27) Fortunately I had enough sense not to ask him how he was doing in saving his soul alive.   At the General Convention in New Orleans the ‘Final Report’ from the Anglican/Roman Catholic Council was given I asked why it was called the ‘Final Report' when we had yet to deal with justification that Richard Hooker called “the grand question that hangeth yet between us and the Church of Rome.” Bishop Art Vogel rose to his feet and said: “There has never been any difference between Anglicanism and Roman Catholics on the question of justification.” (I should have corrected him publicly but did privately remind him that Richard Hooker was an Anglican and named a dozen Anglican and Roman Catholic scholars who know there to be a serious divide between the 39 Articles and the Council of Trent on this doctrine of justification.)   The point here is that a bishop, then regarded as the leading scholar in the House of Bishops and Dean of Nashotah House, could be so arrogantly ignorant of the “grand question that lyeth yet” between our two communions.   The Anglo-Catholic ignoring of soteriology goes back to William Laud, whose book ‘ Conference with Fisher the Jesuit' dealing with the differences between the Church of England and Rome, never in 327 pages mentions the doctrine of justification (and this coming only shortly after Hooker's careful claim about justification.)   Bishop Stephen Sykes shows this Anglo-Catholic animosity toward the Reformation in the 19th century: “It is probably unwise to underestimate the degree to which Cranmer's reputation has popularly suffered at the hands of 19th century Anglo-Catholics anxious to dissociate Anglicanism from the 16th century English Reformation.” (‘This Sacred History, Anglican Reflections for John Booty’ Cowley 1990). James Hedstrom similarly states: “It is one of the tragedies of modern ecclesiastical history that the Oxford Movement felt it necessary to despise the Reformation to achieve catholicity.” (Quoted in Webber and Bloesch, 'Orthodox Evangelicals', Page 25).   For this tradition credentials became a preoccupation in the 19th century. Newman's first tract stated: “Hard Master He would not be to bid us oppose the world and not give us the credentials to do so.” But He has given us the credentials in the apostolic succession of bishops since the apostles. From this claim Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, etc., are not true churches and their adherents are consigned to the uncovenanted mercies of God. These claims began a long-lasting debate into this century between the advocates of the ‘ esse ’ position by which the church cannot exist without bishops in the apostolic succession and a ‘ bene esse’ position that held that it was good but not necessary for a church to be a church. (Later, a ‘ plene esse’ position was suggested as bishops in succession of the apostles would be the fullness of the church.)   The Tractarian followers insisted for years that the ‘ esse ’ position was the position of the 18th century Anglican leader, in spite of evidence to the contrary, while ignoring the admission of John Keble.   “It might have been expected that the defenders of the English Hierarchy against the first Puritans should take the highest ground, and challenge for the bishops the same unreserved submission, on the same plea of  exclusive Apostolic prerogative, which their adversaries feared not to insist on for their elders and deacons. It is notorious, however, that such was not in general the line preferred by Jewel, Whitgift, Bishop Cooper, and others to whom the management of that controversy was entrusted during the early part of Elizabeth’s reign – It is enough with them to show that the government by Archbishops and Bishops is ancient and allowable. They never venture to urge its exclusive claims, or to connect the succession with the validity of the Sacraments.” John Keble, ‘Preface to Hooker's Works’ Page 59   The irony is that no one has done more to lead the Episcopal Church into apostasy than bishops in succession, not to the apostles but to the world.   It is not a flattering fact that for more than a century Anglo-Catholics insisted on the ‘ esse ’ position as being grounded in the 16th and 17th centuries while ignoring Keble’s admission.   The ignorance of, and the hostility towards, the doctrine of justification by Anglo-Catholic scholars can hardly be exaggerated. The editor of ‘The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.’   F.L. Cross, described justification in the following way: IMPUTATION In theology the ascription to a person, by deliberate substitution, of the righteousness or guilt of another. The idea plays an important part in the Lutheran doctrine of Justification by Faith, which asserts that a man is formally justified by the imputation of the obedience and righteousness of Christ, without becoming possessed of any personal righteousness of his own. By a legal fiction God is thus held to regard the sinner’s misdeeds as covered by the imputation of the sanctity of Christ. This doctrine seeks support in certain passages of St. Paul (notably Rom. 3:21-30; Gal. 3.21 f.) and also from St. Augustine. It is opposed both to the traditional Catholic teaching, according to which the merits of Christ are not imputed but imparted to man and produce a real change from the state of sin to the state of Grace, and to the doctrine of liberal theologians to the effect that our highest vocation consists in the following of Christ who is our supreme example.   This article that describes the doctrine of imputation as ‘seeking support’ as being a ‘legal fiction,’ misrepresents Lutheran teaching, erroneously claiming the word comes from Rom. 3:21-30 where it does not appear at all (but it does appear 11 times in Chapter 4). This error remained unchanged until 40 years later in the 3rd edition in 1997.   The new editor, E.A. Livingston, writes in the preface (p. vi) of the third edition a tribute to ‘Revd Dr. A.E. McGrath's, the Revd Dr. Diamaid MacMulloch, and Dr. Richard Rex, who taught me about the Reformation…’   Her correction of the article on ‘Imputation’ among many others is as follows: “Imputation (from Latin ‘imputare’). A central aspect of classical Protestant theologies of justification, according to which the righteousness of Christ is imputed or reckoned to the believer, despite being extrinsic to his person, in order that he may be justified on its basis. This is contrasted with the teaching of the Council of Trent, that the believer is justified on the basis of an imparted or infused righteousness, intrinsic to his person. Acc. to classic Protestant theology, the justification of the believer on account of the ‘alien righteousness of Christ’ is followed immediately by a process of renewal and growth in personal righteousness. Support for this doctrine is found in certain passages of St. Paul (notably Rom. 4; Gal. 3:21 f).   For the concept in Anglican theology, see C.F. Allison, ‘ The Rise of Moralism: The Proclamation of the Gospel from Hooker to Baxter's (1966) passism.   There are some excellent people at Nashotah, especially Garwood Anderson but Professor Thomas Holtzen is committed to establishing an Anglican doctrine of justification on Newman's 'Lectures on Justification, 1838’ in spite of Alistair McGrath's repudiation of this view. One of my friends described the following experience at Nashotah: For these reasons, when I meet today with Tractarian seminarians at Nashotah House, who intend to teach their flocks to pray to saints; who intend to offer the sacrifice of the Mass propitiatory for the quick and the dead; and who reject the Gospel of atonement through Christ's blood and justification by faith as 'silafidianism,' and instead favor either or Eastern Orthodox theology or salvation – when I meet with them, I am aware that we are discussing matters of life and death. What am I to say to these men? ‘To the teaching and to the testimony!’ (Isa 8:20) I do my best to lead them back into the Scriptures for that is of course the most important thing to do.   Among the many virtues of Anglo-Catholicism are serious flaws: The most important is the self-destructive attempt to repudiate or ignore the Reformation and often bring in Roman Catholic teachings repudiated at the Reformation.   The use of the King James flawed translation of ‘Christ our Passover’ together with removal of the manual acts where they have been in every prayer book since the 16th century in order to bring back the medieval teaching that the priest is again offering Jesus to God ignoring both the Epistle to the Hebrews and all Anglican Prayer Books insisting that, ‘who made THERE (by His ONE oblation of Himself ONCE offered) a full satisfaction, perfect self-offering and sufficient sacrifice … (or synonyms to that effect). It is not without moral significance that to make the re-sacrifice by the priest cogent with the translation was brought in by stands as the only use of King James in Rite 2 in the entire Prayer Book.   Bishop John Fenwick points to a further irony that in modern dialogues the Roman Catholic Church has expressed “... regret [for] any impression they may have given of a repetition of Christ's sacrifice in the Mass and affirmed the unrepeatability of the sacrifice in other dialogues. For Anglicans perhaps the clearest Roman Catholic statement is in the context of ARCIC:”   There can be no repetition or addition to what was then [at Calvary] accomplished once for all by Christ. Any attempt to express a nexus between the sacrifice of Christ and the Eucharist must not obscure this fundamental fact. (Ibid, p. 346)   Many Evangelicals have a gift for self-criticism. Jim Packer expresses these weaknesses in losing the awesomeness of worship that characterized Charles Simeon’s conversion: Our stress on text and talking has marginalized and dumbed down the Sacraments, so that their message about the crucified and living Lord as the life of the church is muffled, and the Eucharist becomes an extra, tacked onto a preaching service, rather than the congregation’s chief act of worship, as Calvin and Luther  and Cranmer thought it should be. The word-sacrament antithesis, most certainly, is also false, but Evangelicals’ disproportionate word-centeredness is a fact, and is a further facet of a stunted churchliness. (Ibid, Fenwick, p. 447.)   One would be hard pressed to find a similar confession by an Anglo-Catholic of their particular weaknesses. Instead, Archbishop Rowan Williams described Evangelicals as people who band tambourines and sing Blessed Assurance, and let it be known that every once in a while, he too feels the urge to join in! One would like to know precisely when he last felt that urge, and even more where he went to find it, since there are precious few evangelical churches which match his description of them, but the tone of thinly-veiled contempt which lies behind such remarks comes across loud and clear. Gerald Bray (‘The Churchman’ page 296, Autumn 2002).   Another troubling aspect of Anglo-Catholicism is the uncritical adulation of such 17th century figures as William Laud and Charles I at the expense of the forces that finally succeeded in denying the victory of absolutism on the part of the Stuarts and saving us from the success of Louis XIV and the subsequent horror of the French Revolution. Someone once observed that high churchmen write not church history but ‘temple history,’ where much more attention is given to the ecclesiastical institution. (cf Addleshaw and Etches, ‘The Architectural Setting of Anglican Worship’) rather than the development of the British constitution and a constitutional monarchy which is largely left to secular scholars.   On a more positive note, Bishop John Fenwick’s new book ‘ Anglican Ecclesiology and the Gospel ’ deserves the praise of Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali … “It should be seen as a charter for Anglicanism, around which orthodox-minded people might gather.” (from cover of book)   Fortunately, all Anglo-Catholics are not biased against the Reformation. The Maritime Provinces in Canada have shown a commendable concern for continuing education conferences that include such Evangelical figures as Roger Beckwith, Philip Edgecome Hughes, and Peter Toon. Having been a grateful recipient and participant in these conferences I am convinced we owe a tremendous debt to Fr. Robert Crouse for his scholarly and judicious influence on a Catholicism embracing the Reformation.   Bishop C. FitzSimons Allison (SC ret.) lives in Georgetown, SC with his wife Martha.

COMMENTARY   By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org Sept 2, 2025   The real question now, as the Church of England remains rudderless, is, what if Lambeth Palace decided to throw a party and nobody came.   What if the Primates of Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Egypt and the Republic of the Congo, all of whom had been offered invitations, simply decided not to come, even with the possibility of meeting King Charles and downing Canapes on Lambeth lawns.   Nigeria, the largest Anglican province in the communion and the most robustly evangelical, had already sent divorce papers to the Episcopal Church over the scandalous consecration of the homosexual Gene Robinson and they recently sent similar divorce papers to the Church in Wales for ordaining an avowed lesbian to be their next archbishop!   You simply can’t go against Scriptural prohibitions on homoerotic behavior, believing God has changed His mind to fit post-modern sensibilities for sophisticated 21 st century bishops who have managed to twist the Bible into a sexual pretzel for a handful of their parishioners. And there is absolutely no doubt that the next Archbishop of Canterbury will continue down the same progressive pathway on pansexuality whether it be a male or female archbishop. (The odds of it being female are pretty good as Gulnar Eleanor "Guli" Francis-Dehqani the Iranian-born Bishop of Chelmsford is a top candidate for the job.) She holds progressive views on sexuality and while she herself is straight, her views will be treated with disappointment and dismay by Global South Primates when the news breaks.   Of course, it will raise even deeper questions as to whether another Lambeth Conference is even possible or necessary as both GAFCON and the GSFA will signal their displeasure with the occupant of Lambeth Palace.   If you thought Justin Welby was a disaster, and just about everybody concedes that he was, even liberals, what will “Guli” of Chelmsford look like! The notion that the Archbishop of Canterbury acting as a unique focus of unity is laughably gone.   But the deeper question now is the sheer relevancy of the Church of England and the role it still plays in the communion.   Western Anglicanism (Global North) is in moral retreat, theologically and demographically. Boomers, who have run and paid for the show are dying and there are no replacements coming along. The next generation has walked away from the Church of England and, short of a revival, they are not coming back. Even an uptick in Gen Z interest in the faith cannot replace the dearly departed.   The “bonds of affection” among primates and their 42 autonomous provinces has been strained to the limit. Many believe they are now irreversibly shattered, the fabric of the communion torn beyond repair.  The “shared heritage” looks less and less shared and more like a battle ground of conflicting theologies and morals that seem irreversible in today’s ever-changing moral climate.   Tim Wyatt, writing in The New Statesman asks can the Church of England be saved? whoever the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be, they face a legacy of scandal, doctrinal division and dwindling congregations.   On who should be the next ABC, Wyatt opines, “Make the right choice, and there may still be a way back for the Church, albeit to a smaller and humbler version of what it once was. But choose the wrong shepherd, and the flock may be lost for good.”   But who is the right choice?  Bishop Philip North is the only orthodox voice and he is Anglo-Catholic and stands in opposition to the ordination of women: he has about as much chance of winning as bringing Lord Michael Ramsey back from the dead.   Sadly, there is no other orthodox voice among the contenders. To the minds of the Global South, the Church of England is done for; it is about as relevant as yesterday’s fish-n-chips newspaper wrap.   It only remains to be seen what a united Global South will do. In today’s post-colonial world where friendships have frayed to breaking point, it might be a case of “wiping the dust off of one’s feet” (Mt. 10:14) and moving on to the next village where the gospel is open to reception.   END

August 25, 2025   From the Standing Committee, Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic   To the leadership and people of Incarnation Anglican Church, Williamsburg, VA   We greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.   The Standing Committee of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic has been closely following recent events at Incarnation Anglican Church. Our hearts go out to you as we continue to pray for a successful outcome to your unsettling turmoil. We were grateful to hear a report at our meeting this week from a Sunday morning visitor who described a joyful, Christ-filled and energetic worship service. We were most encouraged!   We are aware of several reports circulating rather publicly about recent events at your congregation and want to clarify a few things. First, we have been assured by the Provincial Office that there are no disciplinary actions of any sort pending against Bishop Warner, nor is he the subject of any investigation.  We are grateful for the gentle and godly way he pastorally cares for our diocese and particularly the care he has provided to Incarnation Anglican Church.   Second, we emphasize that although DOMA as a diocese supports ordination of women to the priesthood, there is not, nor has there ever been, any movement to impose that view on any of our congregations or clergy. In 2017, the ACNA College of Bishops affirmed that there is room for differences of conviction and practice regarding women and Holy Orders: there is space for each perspective, and “we commit to move forward in unity” (9/8/2017 statement). Obedience to their decision to commit to move forward in unity is part of our life in DOMA, and this shared commitment enables us to remain one body even amid differing convictions. We are blessed with many gifted women serving in leadership across DOMA, and we give thanks for their presence among us. At the same time, we recognize and honor clergy and laity who hold differing views on women's ordination, knowing that faithful Christians may disagree on this matter. Bishop Warner has never sought to place a female rector in any congregation against its will, nor do we have any reason to believe he would do so.   Many distorted and misleading allegations have been leveled against both Incarnation and our Bishop, whose integrity has been impugned. As much as this grieves us, however, we choose not to refute them point by point in this letter. Instead, in the conciliatory and hope-filled work of the cross, we seek to move forward with you to what the Lord has in store for Incarnation. We celebrate both what He has done and what He will do in your dear part of the Body of Christ. We will continue to pray for you as you search for a permanent rector. Please be assured of our prayers and affection for you as you continue this journey of transition.   In Christ, The Standing Committee Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic

Statement to the Parishioners of St. Johns Church in Versailles, Kentucky   In August, 2002 our previous rector Alan Hansen left the parish. The bishop met with the vestry and recommended that the vestry be frozen until a new rector was called. We have remained in place in an effort to keep the wheels on and I think we have been successful in doing so. When Alan left, we were in a critical financial crunch, and the effects of 9/11 added to the crisis. The vestry worked diligently to reduce operating costs, and with the involvement of our dedicated parishioners, we were able to turn things around. Our year-end balance sheet shows assets of:     $246,165.48 in checking, money market, and investment accounts $1,056,972.58 in buildings and property $561,383.59 in restricted funds/trusts Total Assets of $1,864,521.65.     In December, the vestry made the following charitable contributions to   various, deserving, outreach ministries:     Salvation Army - $2,000.00 Food For The Poor - $5,000.00 St. Agnes House – 3,000.00 Shoes For Kenya - $1,500.00 10 Scholarships for Youth Quake - $1,800.00 ACTS 29 Ministry - $1,000.00 Woodford Ministerial Association (Food Pantry) - $1,200.00 Woodford Educational Endowment Fund - $1,000.00 Woodford Project Graduation - $500.00 Tuition to Asbury Seminary for Youth Minister Ron Garner - $2,500.00 For a total of $19,500.00     The budgetary surplus for 2003, after meeting our entire diocesan pledge amounts to $39,961.66. This alone should indicate how seriously this vestry has taken its stewardship responsibility. There can be very few churches in this diocese able to make a similar claim.     In August, 2003 after the National Convention, a letter was written to the bishop, stating clearly that the vestry was in disagreement with his vote in favor of the consecration of an openly gay bishop and the blessing of same-sex unions. We subsequently had four meetings in our church regarding differing viewpoints on what had transpired at the Convention, including one at which the bishop shared his opinions. In November, the vestry sent out surveys to see how each parishioner felt on the issues and in what direction they wanted our church to move. Of the 300+ surveys sent out, over 170 were completed and returned. A compilation of results told us that over 75% of St. John's parishioners were in disagreement, that they would not be pledging as in the past, and that over 60% were in favor of aligning with an orthodox bishop within ECUSA, if it were a possibility.     A small group of parishioners went to the bishop to complain about what the vestry was doing. They clearly thought that we were planning on bringing in a new rector who would take us out of the diocese and the Episcopal Church. We were, in fact, searching for a rector who fit our parish profile, and we had hoped that eventually there would be adequate alternative oversight available. Never have we considered taking St. Johns out of the Episcopal Church. In fact, I wrote to one of this small group to explain that in a worst-case scenario, what would likely happen was that the vestry would resign at some point, leave St. Johns, and form a new mission church under an orthodox, biblically centered, Anglican affiliation. I further stated that we were not interested in seizing the property of St. Johns, and were certain to leave the church in better financial condition than that in which we had found it. I defy anyone to demonstrate where this vestry has been anything other than completely devoted to the care of our congregation, deliberate and honorable in our search, true to the majority opinion of our congregation, and above reproach in the administration of our fiduciary duties to this parish.     On December 9, 2003, the vestry submitted the name of our chosen candidate for rector. The bishop replied December 9 that he was happy to give consideration to our candidate. On December 13, the bishop convened a meeting of the Executive Council to request that St. Johns be reduced to mission status. The vestry was not made aware of this meeting, and in fact, was hopeful that the bishop would initiate his background check and plan meetings with our candidate. On December 18, the bishop contacted our candidate and suggested that they meet January 5th and 6th, 2004. After cordial, but fruitless meetings, we awaited the bishops answer. On the evening of January 6th, records of the Executive Council meeting of December 13 were found, quite by accident, having been posted on the diocesan website. Vestry member, Judge Wilson met immediately the next day with the bishop, and was invited to the Executive Council meeting held that same evening, January 7. At this meeting, Judge pleaded with the bishop and the Executive Council to reconsider their actions. After facing a grueling session of questioning and intimidation, Judge left completely devastated. The Executive Council ended having granted the bishops request to reduce St. Johns to mission status. The vestry is to be removed, and the bishop is to take control of this church.     For 156 years, St. Johns has been aligned with the Protestant Episcopal Church. St. Johns is a corporation registered in the state of Kentucky. All property is titled to the senior warden and vestry of St. Johns Church. We have been asked repeatedly over the years to hand over the deed to this church to the bishop, but we have never done so. We have never borrowed money from the diocese. Clearly, the only way that the bishop can take over the property is by removing us from our elected positions and putting in place those persons who would be willing to turn the property over to him. The only concern the bishop has had throughout the process of the Executive Council meeting was in regard to the property and assets of St. Johns. In explaining the outcome of the meeting to me, Fr. Jay Pierce said those words to me verbatim.     Under the administration of this bishop, within this diocese, you can find 5 churches without rectors. Having bought a huge, old house in Lexington for use as an office, at a cost to the diocese of over a million dollars and restoring it at an additional cost of another half million dollars, this bishop now finds it necessary to extend his credit line from $100,000 in 2003 to $500,000 in 2004. He is taking money from trust funds to pay operating expenses, and is finding that pledges have diminished, making a budget impossible. As a result, he has enacted Canon 28, calling for an assessment of 18% of annual parish revenues. Based on our 2002 revenues, this assessment would total $64,213. An initial, adjusted assessment (to make it more palatable) brings our bill to $33,404 this year.     You now have the facts before you. I urge you to consider them carefully, before you allow this bishop to take control of your church. There is so much at stake here. The actions of this bishop toward St. Johns have been destructive to individual families within our parish, to the unity of the parish family, and the diocese as a whole. Our fate is to serve as an example for all the other parishes in this diocese. As a bishop, this man is expected to lead his flock, not beat it into submission.     We have asked for alternative Episcopal oversight as set forth by the Primates of the Anglican Communion. We are not, nor have we ever sought to be anything other than faithful, orthodox Anglicans. One of many examples is that for a decade, we have been a primary advocate of the Alpha Course throughout the state. Alpha is a uniquely Anglican approach to evangelization enthusiastically endorsed by the past and current Archbishops of Canterbury. The only reason we can imagine why this bishop would act in such an uncanonical and unethical manner towards us is his deep animosity towards evangelical and orthodox Anglicans.     I am saddened by the prospects for my church. Serving this church alongside such dedicated people has been a great honor. However, the effort has become a heavy burden. Our lives have been filled with fear, pain, anger, and ultimately, great sadness. That is not what God intended for his people. We will continue to pray for each of you, and always for our beloved St. Johns Church.     In His service,     Mr. Thomas J. Thornbury Sr. Warden, St. Johns Church, Versailles, Kentucky     A Stormy Week in the Episcopal Church – by David Virtue     Dear Brothers and Sisters,     It was another stormy week in the life of The Episcopal Church as the ship tossed and turned, the timbers of the Communion boat creaked, the winds showed little sign of calming. The Communion, as one theologian put it, has been hit by a tsunami, and we are salvaging what we can and hoping things have not gone beyond the possibility of repair.     One can but hope. Another rally drew 3,000 orthodox Episcopalians at what was billed as Plano East, following the highly successful Dallas meeting last year, and the troops were once again fired up to hold fast the faith and not abandon the ECUSA ship, as help was on the way. There was no battle plan; no strategy was laid out, just a giant pep rally, and a promise of good things to come. A new strategy will be revealed unto us on January 19-21 when the deep thinkers in The Network of Anglican Dioceses and Parishes within the Episcopal Church, (and approved by the Archbishop of Canterbury) will meet in Plano, Texas. A public statement of major proportions affecting all the orthodox in the Episcopal Church will be forthcoming. Conclusion - There must be a realignment in Anglicanism.     In the meantime nothing will really change until two events occur: The first is the willingness of a substantial number of priests to stand up to their diocesan bishops and refuse to recognize their sacramental authority, and secondly that biblically orthodox Diocesan bishops are willing to enter the Dioceses of revisionist Bishops and perform sacramental acts without the permission of Bennison et al.     Put another way, nothing will happen unless the orthodox bishops and priests move from speech to action. D-Day approaches.     IN ANOTHER CONFERENCE with the eerie title, Does the Anglican Communion have a Future, and attended by Virtuosity in Charleston, SC  saw several hundred conferees listen to an array of theologians attack the subject.   Dr. Chris Seitz, president of the Anglican Communion Institute said that any talk of a federation must be rejected. We are a Communion, unlike the Lutheran World Federation, which consists of independent national churches. Anglicanism has found its life and mission in a genuine Communion of accountability and interdependence. Within the US, we have tried to emphasize this with the language for a network now forming: Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes.     While the American Anglican Council focused exclusively on The Episcopal Church’s problems, the ACI sought to set the conflict in the larger context of the Anglican Communion, arguing that splitting up was also not the answer and sticking together through thick and thin, with the help of the Holy Spirit was the way to go.     In the midst of their deliberations and papers, the parish of ALL SAINTS CHURCH, WACCAMAW announced it was pulling out of the DIOCESE OF SOUTH CAROLINA and the Episcopal Church and aligning itself with the Anglican Mission in America (AMIA), provoking anguish from the Bishop Ed Salmon and the parish of St. Philips where the ACI conference was being held.   They issued a statement, which you can read in today’s digest.   The bishop had previously fired the vestry and put in his own forcing a confrontation and a vote in the parish as to what they should do. It was a slam dunk for the parish. By an overwhelming vote the All Saints, parish comprising 507 eligible voters, voted 468 voted to leave with 38 voting no and one abstention. The Standing Committee promptly urged Salmon to drop the appeal to the lawsuit, recommend that seat, voice and vote be given to All Saints at the upcoming Diocesan Convention, that the Vestry be reinstated and the parish restored. At this time of writing no one knows what Salmon will do. He has said if the national church ever voted to legitimize homosexual behavior he would take the diocese out of ECUSA, but he has backed down from that position. Uncertainty reigns.     In the meantime the Anglican Mission in America goes from strength to strength, scooping up plum Episcopal parishes around the country. They meet in Destin, Florida this Thursday for four days. Virtuosity (who will be there) was told that more than 1,000 have so far signed up to attend, significantly more than last year.     BUT THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER UNEXPECTED TURN this week when two orthodox ECUSA parishes in the DIOCESE OF ATLANTA announced they were seeking episcopal oversight from the Province of the Southern Cone and its Primate Greg Venables.     This is a first. To date Episcopal parishes wishing to stay in ECUSA have sought cover from African Primates, but this time they turned to the Bishop of Bolivia, Frank Lyons for help. One reason is that one of the parishes has a large number of Hispanics. One parish split almost down the middle with the rector staying and more than half the parish leaving; the other rector announced he was leaving ECUSA over its bankrupt morality and theology and taking three-quarters of the parish with him. Needless to say the bishop, one Neil Alexander is not amused.     The financial loss to the diocese will run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can read those stories in todays digest.   BUT FINANCIAL LOSSES TO REVISIONIST DIOCESE are increasing at a rapid pace. Following my story on one parish in Americas heartland, I got a note from a parishioner in an ultraliberal parish in Annapolis, MD. In Timeline, the parish newsletter for St. Annes, pledges for 2004 are only $500,000 against a goal of $800,000 and last years numbers of $710,000. So its not just affecting orthodox parishes who leave and take their people, it is going on in revisionist parishes where, it was thought, the dyke would hold. Not so. VIRTUOSITY has repeatedly said that Episcopalians are far more conservative than their liberal priests and revisionist bishops. And now these bishops will learn a bitter hard truth - no money, no mission. We will see more and more parishes being reduced to mission status and, over time, many closing their doors. It IS only a matter of time. Oh see what Vickie Gene hath wrought...and the fun has only just begun.     BUT NOT TO BE OUTDONE REVISIONISTS ARE CLAWING THEIR way up diocesan ladders looking to take over the reigns of power wherever they can in order to push their sodomite agenda.     In the orthodox DIOCESE OF THE RIO GRANDE where the biblically orthodox bishop Terence Kelshaw has announced plans to retire, the process of replacing him, and the politics have already started.     The rector of an Albuquerque church obtained the confidential mailing list of the Diocesan newspaper, and did a mailing under the Via Media label (the new tactic of revisionists to position themselves in the middle). As a result Kelshaw wrote every member in every parish a letter explaining what had happened, telling them in no uncertain terms that the Via Media mailing was not official and not from the diocese. The revisionists will stop at nothing to get power even as the ship sinks.     And in the DIOCESE OF NORTH DAKOTA, recently vacated by the godly Bishop Andy Fairfield the revisionists are trying to wedge one of their people n their as well. But voters in that diocese will now have six candidates instead of five to choose from when they select a new bishop next month, angering the liberal selection committee who had stacked it with five liberals. Three clergy and three lay persons nominated the Rev. Henry Thompson III of Coraopolis, Pa., through a petition process.   He joins five others picked by a selection committee. None of the five candidates had directly expressed their views on the recent confirmation of the openly gay New Hampshire bishop.   And in the DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH, Bishop Robert Duncan withdrew a measure that would have left each church in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in control of its own property and buildings in a rift over the consecration of a gay bishop in New Hampshire. The resolution introduced by Bishop Robert Duncan, leader of the diocese, prompted a lawsuit by a revisionist Episcopal parish in Pittsburgh against Duncan and the dioceses board of trustees to prevent the transfer of any church property. A headline in a local newspaper screamed: Attorneys withdraw Episcopal land-grab resolution. You can read that story today.     And in the DIOCESE OF WESTERN NEW YORK, the Bishop there, Michael Garrison told an orthodox congregation to go pound sand, declaring, you have your opinion, you will not change mine. These were the words spoken repeatedly by the revisionist Garrison as he visited St. Bartholomew’s in Tonawanda, NY. on January 8th. It was a bitter cold snowy evening when members of all ages (from babies in arms to those in their late 80s) filled the sanctuary for a scheduled meeting to tell the Bishop of their concerns regarding his vote in favor of the consecration of V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. St. Bartholomew’s, a godly parish of over 1100 members, with a godly rector has long been known as a faithful congregation who both know and love Holy Scripture. You can read what that vicious bishop said to these People then he demanded more money from them. You can read that story today as well...and weep.     HARVEST U.S.A. is a ministry to a hurt and sexually broken world.  HARVEST has been ministering to men and women afflicted by pornography, same sex attraction, and other forms of sexual brokenness. There are countless, wonderful witnesses to the healing power of Christ for those who have been healed from their sexual problems and are now living in the light of Christ. If you live in or near Philadelphia and would like to attend a luncheon and hear about this ministry then call 610 944-4040 at Church of the Good Samaritan, Paoli, PA. Luncheon is set for Thursday, January 22 at 12 noon.     I AM POSTING A NUMBER OF STORIES including an exclusive interview with the Primate of the West Indies, Drexel Gomez who publicly blasted Frank Griswold, ECUSAs presiding bishop, calling him duplicitous. There are a number of stories coming out of the ACI conference in Charleston.   WEBSITE. Most of you are aware of the new VIRTUOSITY website that can be accessed at www.virtuosityonline.org . New stories are posted daily.   Register for a user account on the website and you can configure it to be notified when news stories are posted. Up to 30 people are visiting the website at any given time. More than 2,000 people are visiting the website every day.     VIRTUOSITY depends totally on the support of its readers for this vital news service. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to VIRTUOSITY you may do so in one of two ways. The first is through PAYPAL at the website: www.virtuosityonline.org or by snail mail: David W. Virtue, VIRTUOSITY 1236 Waterford Rd West Chester, PA 19380. Thank you for your support.     All blessings,   David W. Virtue DD

BY DAVE MUNDAY Of The Post and Courier Staff     The decision of a South Carolina parish to leave the Episcopal Church has left many in the Diocese of South Carolina confused and hurt, according to the chairman of a committee that tried to work out a compromise.     I think there’s a lot of hurt, the Rev. Craige Borrett, rector of Christ St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish of Yonges Island, said Sunday. We are breaking with family. Theres a tear in the family. Borrett and other members of the diocesan standing committee met for several hours Jan. 5 with the vestry of All Saints Church of Pawleys Island to try to find a way to keep the parish from voting to leave the denomination, which it did Thursday, he said.     The majority in the diocese, and those at All Saints, are deeply concerned about the crisis in the Episcopal Church, Borrett said in a report after the meeting. We strongly believe that our working together is the best witness in this struggle.     The committee asked the parish to delay its vote for a year to allow time for leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church’s parent group, to come up with a plan to discipline the Episcopal Church for approving an openly gay bishop last summer.     In return for All Saints delaying the vote, the standing committee offered to ask S.C. Bishop Ed Salmon to:     -- Drop an ongoing lawsuit over the diocese asserting a legal interest in the property (should the congregation decide to leave the denomination).     -- Give All Saints a seat, voice and vote at the next diocesan convention (privileges lost three years ago after All Saints sued the diocese over a public notice stating its interest in the property).     -- Reinstate All Saints vestry (which Salmon declared ineligible for office last month after the vestry voted to recommend that the congregation leave the Episcopal Church).     -- Restore All Saints to a parish (Salmon demoted the congregation to a mission after the vestry’s vote).     -- Cancel a scheduled meeting to appoint a new vestry.   Salmon agreed to all the recommendations except dropping the lawsuit.   In light of the fact that the appeal of the lawsuit has already been heard, and the ruling from the court is still pending, the bishop's discernment was to wait for the court’s ruling, Borrett said in his report.     All Saints leaders said that if Salmon was not willing to drop the lawsuit, they would proceed with the vote to leave the denomination. The congregation voted Thursday to cut its ties with the Episcopal Church USA and come under the oversight of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, an African member of the Anglican Communion.     The decision was a big disappointment, Borrett said.   There was no imminent threat of the bishop coming up there and forcing them to do anything, he said. Everybody said, Please, don’t do it, and they went right ahead and did it.   Salmon could not be reached for comment Sunday.   Salmon appointed a new vestry Friday, but there are no immediate plans for an alternate service for those remaining loyal to the Episcopal Church, which is usual denominational policy, said the Rev. Kendall Harmon, the dioceses communications officer.     It’s still our hope that cooler heads will prevail and there might be  way for this decision to be reconsidered, he said.     That’s the hope of many in the diocese, according to the Rev. Marc Boutan, associate rector at St. Philips Church in Charleston.   We need your voice along with ours to stand for the historic Christian faith against the tide of revisionism, Boutan said in a letter sent to All Saints leaders this weekend.   The diocese and All Saints agree that the Episcopal Church went beyond the boundaries of acceptable Anglican practice in approving an openly gay bishop. But All Saints can no longer hope to reform the Episcopal Church, Rwandan Bishop Chuck Murphy, a former rector who is the church’s main leader, said before last Thursdays vote.     All Saints is home to the Anglican Mission in America, a network of churches that have left the Episcopal Church but maintain ties to the Anglican Communion through the primates of Rwanda and Southeast Asia.     The diocese, on the other hand, plans to join an emerging network of Episcopalians who publicly oppose the denominations actions on sexuality. Those in the network hope the majority of the primates (the 38 provincial leaders of the Anglican Communion) will recognize them as the legitimate expression of the Anglican faith in America.     The vote puts the congregation of All Saints at risk of losing the use of the property, which includes the historic chapel and $10 million worth of new buildings on 50 acres. Episcopal Church laws state that individuals can quit the Episcopal Church, but the property must remain for the use of those loyal to the denomination.   Its a risk were willing to take, the Rev. David Bryan, one of the church’s pastors, said in a Sunday sermon in the historic chapel that’s used for traditional services. We believe the truth is more important than property.     Many of the 38 votes against leaving the denomination Thursday came from those who attend services in the old chapel, said longtime member George Saussy.     I’m still an Episcopalian, he said. I guess I’m a visitor here this morning.   He planned to keep attending services in the old chapel as usual. Most of those in the old church don’t pay much attention to what goes on in the newer buildings across the street, he said.   Most of the 468 members who voted to leave the denomination attend more contemporary services in the newer complex, which includes a much bigger auditorium with projection screens for praise and worship songs.     END

Midwest Conservative Journal Webster Groves, Missouri - Copyright 2004,  by Christopher S. Johnson 1/15/2004     Last Sunday at Washington's National Cathedral, on the occasion of the celebration of the Baptism of Our Lord, Frank Griswold delivered a sermon that demonstrated once again that whatever his religion is, it isn’t Christianity:     North Dakota nominates one bishop candidate by petition     N.D. EPISCOPAL DIOCESE: Candidate for bishop draws opposition   Associated Press   FARGO - Voters in North Dakotas Episcopal Diocese will have six candidates instead of five to choose from when they select a new bishop next month.     Three clergy and three lay persons nominated the Rev. Henry Thompson III of Coraopolis, Pa., through a petition process. He joins five others picked by a selection committee. None of those five candidates has directly expressed his views on the recent confirmation of the openly gay New Hampshire bishop, the Rev. Gene Robinson. Thompson disagrees with the confirmation of homosexual clergy but said it is important to work together.     The search committees lack of direct questions regarding homosexuality angered some members of the diocese, who used the petition process to nominate Thompson. Thompson had been rejected by the search committee.     I think he’s a very well-rounded candidate, said the Rev. John Floberg, of Thompson. Floberg said he led the petition drive to give the diocese a broader range of candidates.     Donna Pettit, the search committee chairwoman, said she believes the committee came up with a list of qualified candidates.     I’m disappointed, she said. The committee worked very hard.     North Dakota Bishop Andy Fairfield, who strongly opposed the election of Robinson, retired in August.     The other five candidates to succeed him are the Rev. Christopher Chornyak, of Ellsworth, Maine; the Rev. George Martin, of Edina, Minn.; the Rev. Michael Smith, of White Earth, Minn.; the Rev. John Shepard of Spokane, Wash.; and the Rev. Peter Stebinger, of Bethany, Conn.     The election of the next bishop for the North Dakota diocese will be Feb. 7 at Fargo’s Gethsemane Cathedral. One candidate must receive a majority of votes, or the nomination and election process will start over.       END

Jan. 27 PBS by Louis Victor Priebe Washington Correspondent     WASH., DC,  Jan. 13 An upcoming Public Broadcasting System (PBS)  program featuring a debate on gay marriage with ECUSA gay Bishop Gene  Robinson taking the pro position was assessed by a panel of concerned  Christians last week at the National Press Club.  Participants concluded  that, with cautious optimism, the program, narrated by Bryant Gumbel,  could be expected to reflect a balanced and fair assessment of the  controversial subject. The January 27 program is scheduled to air at 9:00 pm EST on local PBS  affiliates and to feature excerpts from a debate taped on January 4 at  historic Christ Church in Philadelphia, founded in 1695 and site of  Benjamin Franklin’s grave.  The debate was between newly elected  homosexual ECUSA Bishop Vickie Eugene Robinson and Dr. Bob Wenz, vice  president for National Ministries of the National Association of  Evangelicals.     Dr. Wenz reported that the hour-long program, Flashpoints USA, will  include three segments on the national motto One Nation Under God, public display of the Ten Commandments and gay marriage. The other  segments were taped in Philadelphia at nearby Independence Hall  featuring Alabama Judge Roy Moore and Constitution Hall.  These  religious issues are certain to be raised during the 2004 Presidential  campaign, in the debate over the Federal Marriage Amendment Act and in  prominent court tests.     During the fast-moving 25-minute taping, Dr. Wenz said he was able to  make three important points: Homosexual sex is a counterfeit of what  God intended for human sexuality Homosexual behavior is outside of God’s  created order for procreation Marriage is a sacred institution between a  man and a woman, ordained by Almighty God and not to be altered Robinson, Dr. Wenz reported, maintained the deviant liberal position  that the Bible is always open to interpretation by each generation.  Robinson studiously evaded such central topics as the nature homosexual  behavior with regard to actual practices and their consequences.   Dr.  Wenz observed that If you are not truly objective, you can come up with  any conclusion you want depending on your revisionist bias at the outset  of an analysis.     Dr. Wenz said that he sought to convey what Biblically faithful  Christians are for, more than what we are against..  He underscored  that God’s word is definitive on the subject on homosexuality and that  homosexual behavior affronts reason and Gods intended role for humankind.     The assessing panel meeting at Washingtons eminent National Press Club  included Rev. Martin H. Granger, president of Faith in the Family  International, Rev. Ralph Weitz, a pastor at Immanuel Bible Church in  Springfield, Virginia, Rev. Earle Fox, founder and president of Emmaus  Ministries and Allan D. Dobras, a diversely published Christian  researcher and author. They had initially expressed skepticism at the  hands of moderator Gumbel, whose broadcasting career has placed him in  an adversarial relationship with many biblical positions.     There’s no question about it,  Dr. Wenz observed, Robinson is being  positioned as the national ‘gay Bishop spokesman, not just the  Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire. He said tolerance of anyone’s  behavior  regardless of its morality or its consequences  –  has  become the supreme value in the religion of revisionist religious  figures who advocate conformity to the secular culture.     Many questions were left unasked in Philadelphia due to limited time.  A transcript of the entire proceedings will be provided.  The assessment  panels participants said they hoped ‘set-ups for questions wouldn’t  reflect liberal bias and that editing would not juxtapose altered  questions with responses.     he group concluded that the macro issue being debated was Biblical  veracity and authority and that gay ordination and marriage were subsets  to it.   Participants concluded that, despite ECUSAs dramatically  declining membership, what the denomination does has an important impact  on contemporary culture and all of Christendom.  The PBS program, they  felt, should help enlighten people on the importance of the topic.   Dr. Wenz had entered the debate well-prepared with Ten Principal  Messages as talking points. Although he did not have time to make all of  these points, they follow this article to help expand and amplify  important topics related to the issue of gay marriage, ordination and  other issues relevant to homosexuality.     Dr. Wenz said he plans to author an article entitled If I Were Your  Pastoral focusing on Robinsons behavior and his divisive role in the  Christian community and advising repentance and return to Biblical  standards.   Website for the National Association of Evangelicals is http://www.nae.net

Anglican Mainstreams leadership have given a fulsome welcome to the announcement that Canon Stephen Cottrell is to be the next Bishop of Reading, but is it not odd that they are welcoming the appointment of a man who is reported as holding a completely contrary view to theirs on the very issue which led to the formation of Anglican Mainstream, namely his support for the attempt to appoint Jeffrey John It is true that the new bishop designate has a high-profile commitment to evangelism and accepts the practical boundaries laid down by the House of Bishops Report Issues in Human Sexuality, but he has not committed himself to maintaining orthodox and biblical teaching on homosexuality. Indeed, his reported comments make it clear that he regards this as provisional: We need to listen to what God is saying, what the scriptures are saying. We need to listen to gay and lesbian people in our church - we need to listen to what the world says.     The substantive theological differences between Stephen Cottrell and Jeffrey John ? both of whom are members of the liberal Affirming Catholicism group, do not seem to be of any great significance, yet the one is warmly welcomed while the  other triggers the formation of an unprecedented international coalition.     Why should this be? Perhaps the reason why evangelicals managed to came together over the Jeffrey John episode was that it was a remarkably unsubtle appointment the attempt to prefer a man with a track record as proponent of the gay/lesbian cause in a diocese with a strong evangelical presence. Stephen Cottrell represents a much more institutionally savvy way of doing things because he is theologically of a similar mould to Jeffrey John, but sails under an orthodox flag of convenience which has misled some into thinking he is actually an evangelical.     Anglican Mainstream has therefore got itself into an incoherent position. It claims to be upholding biblical truth, but in practice has shown that what really matters is the appearance of orthodoxy rather than the substance. It does not seem to matter what a bishop teaches, or fails to teach, so long as he observes the current institutional rules.   This is a view of Christian leadership which is clearly at variance with the New Testament requirement that those who exercise oversight should have the personal integrity of  holding on to faith and a good conscience (1 Tim 1:19). In fact, this failure to follow through the biblical logic of their opposition to Jeffrey Johns appointment has left Anglican Mainstream vulnerable to the revisionist accusation of homophobia. Much has been made of the fact that Stephen Cottrell is a family man so it would seem that what you teach does not matter very much, but who you chose to share your bed with does.     That Anglican Mainstream has come ? intentionally or not - to split off biblical teaching from biblical practice should not be a total surprise.   There seems never to have been a recognition on their part that the Archbishop of Canterbury is himself a significant part of the problem because this is exactly what he has done ? sought to separate his ecclesiological practice from his personal (yet well publicised) views.   The bitter consequence for him was that he had to publicly abandon Jeffery John, a longstanding friend, for the sake of institutional unity; the bitter consequence for Anglican Mainstream will be that it loses its way in a marshland of ecclesiastical compromise unless it can quickly put its house in order.     The church I now lead, Christ Church Kidderminster, came into being as the outcome of a principled decision to disassociate from the spiritual authority of the current Bishop of Worcester, albeit a family man, who actively and openly supported the gay lesbian agenda and therefore rejected the authority of Gods Word which is the basis of his office.   Despite pressure to compromise from certain senior evangelicals, I have never regretted taking that stand and I am convinced that it is only when we take action on issues of belief and are willing to put issues of   faith before order that the Church of England will see the deep change it so urgently needs.     The Rev Charles Raven is the former vicar of St John the Baptist, Kidderminster, Worcestershire. He is now the vicar of Christ Church, Kidderminster.