Central Florida Episcopalians vote to join conservative group By MIKE BRANOM Associated Press Writer January 24, 2004 WINTER PARK, Fla. Conservative Episcopalians from central Florida, disturbed by an openly gay bishop's consecration and other liberal trends, voted Saturday to join a new organization in its fight against church leaders. The Diocese of Central Florida is the state's first to align itself with the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, in existence only since Tuesday. The diocese consists of 48,000 members in 87 parishes across 15 counties. "We're going to network with like-minded dioceses ... to uphold and propagate the historic faith as we received it," Bishop John Howe said. Next week, the conservative Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida will consider at its convention affiliating itself with the network. Network officials insist that dioceses under their aegis would remain Episcopalian and join the group rather than strike out on their own. That was good, Howe said, because "a diocese simply cannot leave." Episcopalians have been debating homosexuality for years, but November's consecration of V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire sparked a crisis in the denomination. The network was created in response, and it was to little surprise that the20 central Florida diocese voted to join during its 35th annual convention. The diocese was among 12 nationwide that sent delegates to Plano, Texas, for the meetings that brought about the network. Those dioceses make up 10 percent of the church's 2.3 million members. Howe asked the church's national head to resign following Robinson's consecration. Also, the diocese's second-highest ranking official resigned in September to protest the church's direction over the ordination of gays, only to20 reconsider a month later. Reflecting the leaders' sentiments was Saturday's voice vote: 267 clergy and lay delegates in favor of joining to 108 against. Howe was among 11 abstentions. The balloting followed two lopsided votes against Howe's recommendation to delay a decision until the Diocesan Board could further study the network. Outgoing board member Leslie Poole said it was upsetting how the diocese rushed to join. "My mother always used to say, `In the Episcopal Church, you don't leave your brain at the door,'" Poole said. "You're expected to be thoughtful and have consideration of important issues. Today, I felt like we weren't given enough time." While the balloting at All Saints Episcopal Church went without incident, tears have been shed over the rights of gay Episcopalians. "Every diocese has lost some of its members and some of its money," Howe told the convention in his address on Friday. "And most of them, including central Florida, has lost some of their clergy." In Saturday's first vote, the convention almost unanimously passed an amendment to the diocese's canon allowing clergy members to officiate only marriages between a man and woman. "The clergy is not here to follow human opinion," said the Rev. Reinel Castro, the amendment's sponsor. "The clergy is here to follow Scripture." The Episcopal Church is the American branch of Anglicanism, a global body of churches stemming from the Church of England. A wide majority of overseas Anglican leaders insist on the traditional Christian teaching against same-sex activity, but that is a minority view among U .S. Episcopal leaders. The network wants to get recognition - and greater legitimacy - from those overseas Anglican leaders. Due to the U.S. dispute and another over same-sex blessings in the Anglican Church of Canada, the world Anglican leader, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, appointed a crisis committee to propose solutions by Sept. 30. Anglican Mainstream sets up Eames Commission Website Archbishop of Canterbury's Commission (Eames Commission) Website - Anglican Mainstream http://eames.anglican-mainstream.net/ On the 28th October 2003, Archbishop Rowan Williams announced the formation of a Commission to examine Anglican Communion life in the light of recent events. The Commission is to be chaired by Most Revd Robert Eames, Archbishop of Armagh, and will report by October 2004 to the Primates. The Commission is seeking and gathering input to its work from all members of the Communion. If you have a contribution to give to the Commission you can do it through this website. All contributions taken through Anglican Mainstream will be forwarded to the Commission. The first meeting of the Commission is on February 9th, so submissions received before the end of the first week of February will be read early on in the process. New - You can now read some of the contributions already submitted here: http://eames.anglican-mainstream.net/ A Prayer for the Commission Dear Heavenly Father, We thirst for godly hearts. We thirst for godly hearts so that the ungodly can see You in our hearts. We thirst for godly hearts so that we can give glory to Your name. We thirst for a godly Communion. May we become fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. May we and the members of the Archbishop's Commission anchor our hearts in the cornerstone of Christ Jesus. May we and the Commission build on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. May the Anglican Communion, being joined together, grow into a holy temple in the Lord. Spirit, build the Anglican Communion into a dwelling place for God. Amen Ephesians 2:18-22 Members of the Commission Archbishop Robin Eames, Primate of All Ireland, Chairman The Revd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Director of Faith, Worship and Ministry, the Anglican Church of Canada Bishop David Beetge, Dean of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa Professor Norman Doe, Director of the Centre for Law and Religion, Cardiff University, Wales Bishop Mark Dyer, Director of Spiritual Formation, Virginia Theological Seminary, USA Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies Archbishop Josiah Iduwo-Fearon, Archbishop of Kaduna, the Anglican Church of Nigeria The Revd Dorothy Lau, Director of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Ms Anne McGavin, Advocate, formerly Legal Adviser to the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church Archbishop Bernard Malango, Primate of Central Africa Dr Esther Mombo, Academic Dean of St Paul's United Theological Seminary, Limuru, Kenya Archbishop Barry Morgan, Primate of Wales Chancellor Rubie Nottage, Chancellor of the West Indies Bishop John Paterson, Primate of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, and Chairman of the Anglican Consultative Council Dr Jenny Te Paa, Principal of College of Saint John the Evangelist, Auckland, New Zealand Bishop James Terom, Moderator, the Church of North India Bishop N Thomas Wright, Bishop of Durham, the Church of England. The Revd Canon John Rees, Legal Adviser to the Anglican Consultative Council, will act as Legal Consultant to the Commission. The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron, Director of Ecumenical Affairs and Studies, Anglican Communion Office, will act as Secretary to the Commission. Mandate of the Commission The Archbishop of Canterbury requests the Commission: 1. To examine and report to him by 30th September 2004, in preparation for the ensuing meetings of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council, on the legal and theological implications flowing from the decisions of the Episcopal Church (USA) to appoint a priest in a committed same sex relationship as one of its bishops, and of the Diocese of New Westminster to authorise services for use in connection with same sex unions, and specifically on the canonical understandings of communion, impaired and broken communion, and the ways in which provinces of the Anglican Communion may relate to one another in situations where the ecclesiastical authorities of one province feel unable to maintain the fullness of communion with another part of the Anglican Communion. 2. Within their report, to include practical recommendations (including reflection on emerging patterns of provision for episcopal oversight for those Anglicans within a particular jurisdiction, where full communion within a province is under threat) for maintaining the highest degree of communion that may be possible in the circumstances resulting from these decisions, both within and between the churches of the Anglican Communion. 3. Thereafter, as soon as practicable, and with particular reference to the issues raised in Section IV of the Report of the Lambeth Conference 1998, to make recommendations to the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council, as to the exceptional circumstances and conditions under which, and the means by which, it would be appropriate for the Archbishop of Canterbury to exercise an extraordinary ministry of episcope (pastoral oversight), support and reconciliation with regard to the internal affairs of a province other than his own for the sake of maintaining communion with the said province and between the said province and the rest of the Anglican Communion. 4. In its deliberations, to take due account of the work already undertaken on issues of communion by the Lambeth Conferences of 1988 and 1998, as well as the views expressed by the Primates of the Anglican Communion in the communiqués and pastoral letters arising from their meetings since 2000. END

By the Rev. Dr. C. FitzSimons Allison 1/25/2004 (Submitted by David W. Virtue) The Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner's strategy for the Conservative Network of Dioceses and Parishes, which seeks to maintain Christian integrity within the Episcopal Church, was the topic of the last and culminating address at the SEAD-ACI Conference in Charleston, SC recently. Dr. Ephraim was at his scholarly and eloquent best. He gave us a vivid and poignant view of the Roman Catholic Church during the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror and the Napoleonic years. It was a salutary lesson. Faithful Christians were persecuted, divided among themselves, harassed and slaughtered. Nothing in our recent times can compare with those unimaginable horrors. All the while they had to make decisions about strategy and obedience which divided them not only from their oppressors but from each other. Radner's lesson, however, seems to be that we, too, are called to endure, to suffer, to be humiliated but not to disobey or separate. We must not rebel but quietly and humbly remain faithful in spite of unfaithful authorities. He has long insisted that the Christian's duty is to obey and endure without rebellion, without separation. In previous SEAD conferences Dr. Radner had acknowledge that his strategy entails dismissing the Anglican Reformation as a mistake that should not have happened. He conceded, in answer to a question posed by Dr. Robert Sanders, that it would mean that Cranmer was correct in his early submissions/recantations but wrong in the last one. I should like to offer a quite different model to help us with our current issues. The turmoil of 17th century Anglicanism, I believe, provides a better lesson that Dr. Radner's French Roman Catholic model. The English monarchy, under James I and Charles I, was one with that of Frances's Louis XIV in their claim to Divine Right of Kings and absolute powers of monarchy. James' response to Anglican puritan objections was that they must "conform or I will harry them out of the land or else do worse." Charles I, paralleling Louis XIV's absolutism, dissolved Parliament rater than acquiesce in the historic parliamentary right to have grievances addresses before granting taxes. The use of the Star Chamber by Archbishop Laud to enforce tyranny was almost as cruel as the French Catholics against the Huguenots. Ears were severed, noses sliced, and tongues cropped when the Divine Right claims were not obeyed. Fortunately for Anglicanism Laud's political ineptness had none of the Machiavellian sagacity of Cardinal Richelieu. After the fall of New Rochelle in 1629 and the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, France lost a significant portion of Bible believing middle class artisans and scholars. They were dispersed over the world but in large part, seeking religious freedom, they settled in the American colonies and the Episcopal Church. Many, in subsequent generations, became outstanding leaders and bishops: Dr. William Porcher DuBose, Bishops Guerry, Dehon, Quintard, Gadsden, Huger and Provoost. If I understand Dr. Radner correctly, the Huguenots should not have separated from France and Roman Catholicism, but instead should have abjured and returned to Roman Catholicism. England, unlike France, enjoyed the outstanding genius of Oliver Cromwell and his New Model Army. They violated Ephraim's strategy by rebelling and disobeying ecclesiastical and royal authority and, in doing so, made possible a constitutional monarchy and subsequent constitutional republics all over the word. The great constitutional scholar William Haller, used to pound his lectern insisting that if his students were to understand constitutional history, they must study the Putney debates. These were discussion among the victorious soldiers of the New Model Army who, with open Bibles and wet thumbs, debated what to do with the power they had in their hands. Professor Haller says that of all the victories of that Army none was as significant as its victory over itself as they voted, though yet unpaid by the Rump Parliament, to disband and go home. (Cf. Liberty and Reformation in the Puritan Revolution) The examples of English victory over ecclesiastical and royal absolutism were accomplished by actions that Professor Radner seems to urge us to forego and resist. The failure in France to defeat the Royal Absolution of the "Sun King," Louis XIV, resulted inevitably in the cataclysmic and horrifying reaction in revolution and the Reign of Terror, so ably described in Radner's lecture. His lesson for us is not to disobey or separate from apostasy and tyranny but to repent our Anglican Reformation and meet our current issues with acquiescence and obedience. This seems more like masochism than humility. We have a serious disagreement and I pray that I have misunderstood my friend, Ephraim, and will be corrected. I was so dismayed by the content and funereal tome of Dr. Radner's lecture that I asked Professor Philip Turner if I had misunderstood Radner's contention in effect that the Anglican reformation was a mistake. To my consternation he firmly agreed with the implication concerning the Reformation and cited the innumerable protestant divisions in America as justification for remaining Roman Catholic. Dr. Turner had just delivered a brilliant lecture showing the central figure in Anglicanism to be Thomas Cranmer, who has provided us with the way to live out our life and ministry in corporate worship, which would not be an option had we remained with the Pope. Fortunately, we had an eloquent presentation from the evangelical British scholar, Dr. Christopher Green, who pointed out citations from St. Cyprian and Origen that the early church knew orthodox teaching to be of such paramount importance, since it involved the salvation of souls (not mere academic difference), that the church must disobey and replace heretical bishops. This has been amply demonstrated by Professor Werner Elert in Eucharist and Church fellowship in the First Four Centuries (Concordia, 1966) in which he shows that, contrary to Radner's lesson, the early church demanded that heretical bishops be repudiated and replaced by orthodox teachers. Certainly we have reason to thank God that Athanasius did not acquiesce in the Arian establishment of his day. The endeavors of such SEAD-ACI scholars as Ephraim Radner and Philip Turner, with Christopher Seitz, Kendall Harmon and others, under the leadership of Anglican Primate Drexel Gomez, have produced three excellent pamphlets on the present dilemma caused by ECUSA and New Westminster's departure from the Anglican faith. To Mend the Net, Claiming our Anglican Identity: The Case against the Episcopal Church, USA, True Union in the Body: A contribution to the Discussion Within the Anglican Communion Concerning the Public Blessing of Same-Sex Unions. These short publications are marvels of profundity, simplicity and clarity. Only gifted and orthodox scholar could have produced such timely and eloquent works. It is, therefore, exceedingly important that the strategy for orthodox Anglicanism be established on a solid and truly Anglican foundation. Dr. Ephraim Radner's abilities are unquestionably awesome. He certainly is not lacking in courage having criticized the actions of the Presiding Bishop and his own bishops with unmistakable candor. He was a Swahili speaking missionary in Burundi. His ability with the violin can evoke tears, he is too orthodox to be acceptable at culturally accommodating academic institutions and is especially respected by his contemporary academic colleagues. Phil Turner, one of these colleagues, makes it clear what is his hope: If the Primates and Rowan Williams are prepared to exercise some discipline on the American Episcopal Church and the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada, then we will continue to have an Anglican Communion" And if not? Archbishop Drexel Wellington Gomez must be given enormous credit in his endeavors for this Communion in bringing together such able scholars and in the production of the excellent publications. However, his and all our endeavors will be aborted if the strategy implied by Radner and Turner prevails. It would mean that Cranmer was mistaken to issue the Prayer Books, Articles, and Homilies. Elizabeth was wrong in not submitting to Rome and the Council of Trent. Englishmen should not have rebelled against Stuart tyranny and the claims of an absolute monarchy, which rejected constitutional qualification on absolute power. Huguenots should have abjured and returned to Richelieu's Roman Catholicism and Louis XIV's absolutism, and the three of us should either be married or priests but not both. I am reminded of something Archbishop William Temple said in the middle of the Second World War: "I thank God for pacifists, And I thank God there are so few of them." The Rt. Rev. Dr. C. FitzSimons Allison is the retired Bishop of South Carolina NOTE: If you are not receiving this from VIRTUOSITY, the Anglican Communion's largest biblically orthodox Episcopal/Anglican Online News Service, then you may subscribe FREE by going to: www.virtuosityonline.org. Virtuosity's website has been accessed by more than 700,000 readers in 45 countries on six continents. This story is copyrighted but may be forwarded electronically with reference to VIRTUOSITY and the author. No changes are permitted in the text. END

By David W. Virtue Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Bonfire of the Episcopal Vanities continues. Wait-and-see mode. That's how the Rev. Don Hickman, rector at St. Matthias' Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia, describes the attitudes of his congregants lately. But the fallout continues from the national church's consecration of an active homoerotic bishop. Talk of split and schism, of creating a "church within a church" and more are all signs of growing orthodox opposition to The Episcopal Church's hostility to the 'faith once' delivered and to biblical morality. As a small symbol of that fallout, money is now being used or withheld as a protest to the ECUSA's growing apostasy. One example, (and there are dozens more like it), St. Phillip's Cathedral in Atlanta is having all kinds of financial problems since General Convention 2003. A Virtuosity reader sent their 12/22/2003 church bulletin, which revealed they were down $500,000 on pledges for 2003 and down a $1 million for 2004! But cathedrals are generally having a hard time staying financially afloat. Multiply it all out and the picture is not good. Downtown parishes in most major cities are generally having a tough time staying afloat. There are always exceptions to test that rule. But money and the threat to withhold it lies at the heart of revisionist fears to perceived orthodox action. Witness what happened with St. John's parish in Versailles, Kentucky when the bishop grabbed the parish and its endowment because Stacy Sauls and his executive council feared that St. John's vestry would leave the Episcopal Church and attempt to take property and bank accounts worth nearly $1.9 million. But Tom Thornbury, the vestry's top-elected official, said there was never any plan to take the property away. And he noted that he had written a letter promising that the property would be left "entirely intact" if he and others departed to form a new church. So paranoia lies at the root of revisionist bishops like Sauls, paranoia and fears that property might be taken and their power diminished or lost. None of this has anything to do with reality or the gospel. Nothing. But the pain is also being felt in biblically orthodox parishes. Trinity Church, Vero Beach, Florida, the second largest parish in the Diocese of Central Florida with 1,600 members, and strongly evangelical is going through tough times. The Rev. Lorne Coyle told Virtuosity that they ended the year with a $150,000 deficit for the first time in 12 years and are $200,000 short for 2004. "We are going back to the parish to ask them to revise their pledges or face cutbacks. I was shocked when we ended the year with that deficit. It's the first time in my 28 years as a parish priest that I have experienced a deficit." And you also see it in statements made by Kevin Jones on Every Voice Network, a liberal Episcopal online spin machine. He said this: "The AAC [American Anglican Council] does not have the power. It has no access to the billions in the pension fund or the property and is just as foreign to the Anglican culture. This is an attempt at conquest that seems doomed to fail." Such language begs many questions, wrote one thoughtful layman. "Is Kevin Jones simply the first to voice a new revisionist strategy to threaten the pensions of those who support the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, the AAC or the Orthodox in ECUSA? Could it be that active clergy who do not support the Revisionists agenda will have their Pensions threatened or confiscated? Does the new make up of the Pension Fund Board, now including Gene Robinson, seeking to use the Pension Fund to further its agenda?" There can be little doubt that with billions of dollars of property at stake and American Anglicanism deeply divided over the ordination of V. Gene Robinson's consecration, it is guaranteed that there will be further face-offs in the church and in the courts. IN THE DIOCESE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA the 35th convention of the Diocese meeting in Winter Park, Florida, voting overwhelmingly to affiliate itself with the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes. But it wasn't without a fight. At the request of revisionist members of the diocese, a roll call vote was conducted on an amended resolution to refer the question of membership to the Diocesan board (council). By Clergy Order the (unofficial) vote in favor of affiliation was 101 to 42. By Lay Order the (unofficial) vote in favor of affiliation was 166 to 66. Both the bishop, the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe and his Canon to the Ordinary, the Very Rev. Ernest L. Bennett abstained from the vote. Questioned on why he voted in favor of joining the NACDP, Bishop Howe "clarified" his position saying that his signature on the NACDP Charter was as an individual and not on behalf of the Diocese. At one point Bishop Howe requested that the Rev. H. David Wilson, Rector of All Saints' Winter Park, revise his resolution calling for Diocesan affiliation with NACDP to, instead, refer the question to the Diocesan Board. While the Board would have met on February 19 and, presumably, considered the question, revisionists within the Diocese were urging further study and parish approval and would have wanted the issue deferred to the 36th convention on January 28 and 29, 2005. It never happened. The diocese voted to join and affiliate with the NACDP. When the deal in Plano was struck, Howe had asked the delegation going to Plano to support him in deferring action until after the convention had met and to report at the diocesan board meeting Feb. 19th. "We knew we had the votes to win the diocesan board election and we were confident that the board would choose to affiliate. The numbers were 2 to 1 (70/30 percent)", a source told Virtuosity. Something called "The Joshua Team" a group of a dozen orthodox rectors had been formed during last year's General Convention. This group's goal was to support the bishop in leading the diocese in an orthodox direction. "We had to make that happen at the special Convention in Sept. 2003 and again in Jan. 2004. Some of the liberals wanted to go with the bishop's recommendation and defer the action." "What happened that night was that we had a meeting of all the AAC clergy and lay Leadership after the convention was open and we went through the legislative strategy. In the end it was the lay leadership who said "no, we want to vote tomorrow." The diocese's reaction to the American Anglican Council is also mixed, a source told Virtuosity. Three days ago Karen Howe (the wife of the bishop) joined the AAC, and two days later the bishop himself asked to be the on the mailing list. The diocese generally supports the AAC, said the source. But a vocal revisionist minority calling themselves, Episcopal Voices of Central Florida, and taking orders from Louie Crew, the church's First Sodomite, tried to derail the whole thing. They sent out a petition to every rector in the diocese and asked people to sign it. "They called a roll call vote twice, all 400 people had to be polled. As it turned out it gave us a perfect list of who supports the bishop and the direction some would like to see the diocese go," said the source. Diocesan membership in the AAC was not discussed at this convention. BUT THE BIG NEWS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, is that one parish is ready to defect to the AMIA; St. John's in Melbourne a 600-member orthodox parish has had it with the ECUSA and is moving over to the Anglican Mission. The question is how will Bishop Howe react to this? Can he show a more excellent way? Will he tell them to "go in peace to love and serve the Lord" or will he fight them for the properties, endowment and then depose the three clergy? If he lets them go it would send a clear signal that Evangelicals like himself will not follow in the footsteps of revisionist bishops who have taken a scorched earth policy with those who depart the church. This is a Kairos moment in which he could take the high road. We shall see. Virtuosity has learned that at least two other parishes, both large, in Central Florida are ready to pull the plug on the diocese and ECUSA and go to the AMIA. Meanwhile, in the DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER, a small group of Episcopalians in Friendship, NY (where else) gathered to worship together in the traditional way. A letter was sent out inviting others to join them. Probably not a smart idea. A recipient of that letter alerted Bishop Jack McKelvey, who put the ki-bosh on that very quickly. Apparently the bishop has a different understanding of the meaning of the word "friendship". It will come as no surprise that McKelvey served as Suffragan Bishop in Newark under Jack Spong before going to Rochester. Need we say more! Reflecting on the recent consecration of V. Gene Robinson, one wag observed, "the next "Robinson" will not divorce his wife. Instead he will bring home his male lover and declare himself a bisexual." THE LAST DIGEST you received contained only half the stories I posted and they arrived in a jumbled format with two parts of one story not following the other. There was a cyber glitch at the LISTSERV. My apologies. I am posting the balance of those stories plus some new ones in today's digest. THE NEWS IS BREAKING SO FAST THAT IT IS BEING POSTED DIRECTLY TO THE WEBSITE. If you want up to the minute breaking news it can all be found at www.virtuosityonline.org. Past digests can be reached by going to the DIGESTS and ARCHIVES. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS MINISTRY. Virtuosity needs your support. January is a low month. Without your support Virtuosity would not exist. There is no one in the Anglican Communion that brings you the news in a more timely, accurate way as Virtuosity. No one. There are two ways you can help. You can make a donation through PAYPAL at the website, or you can send a check by snail mail to David W. Virtue, VIRTUOSITY, 1236 Waterford Road, West Chester, PA 19380. Please be generous. Thank you. All Blessings, David W. Virtue DD END

By Vanessa Walker and James Murray THE AUSTRALIAN 19 January 2004 Peter Carnley's surprise resignation as head of the Anglican Church will prompt a fierce 15-month leadership struggle between conservative and progressive Anglicans. For the first time in history, the nation's 23 bishops will join the five archbishops as real contenders to be titular head of the nation's 3.8million Anglicans. The 47 members of a board to elect the new primate will be chosen at the General Synod meeting in October. The result of their deliberations is impossible to predict. But authoritative sources have told The Australian there are three main candidates for primate. These are the evangelical Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, whose conservative theology is at odds with many of the Australian dioceses; the Archbishop of Brisbane, Phillip Aspinall; and the bishop of Newcastle, Roger Herft. Reflecting the views of several sources who would not go on the record, church historian Muriel Porter said Dr Jensen's "extreme views" on homosexuality and opposition to women priests would make it difficult for him to garner support. "Peter Jensen's Sydney style of Anglicanism is far too narrow and centralist for the rest of Australia," Dr Porter said. "Roger Herft is an outstanding bishop and should not be overlooked. He is highly respected in the international Anglican community." Bishop Herft, who is considered a theologian equal to Dr Carnley, gained prominence at the 1998 Lambeth conference when he was appointed chaplain to the worldwide meeting of primates. Dr Porter said Archbishop Aspinall had acquitted himself well in the wake of the scandal that forced his predecessor, Peter Hollingworth, to quit as governor-general. "He also has knowledge of Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and now Brisbane. He is running the diocese admirably," she said. Traditionally, the job of primate has been filled by one of five archbishops, whose diocesan bureaucracy can cope with their absence. However, the looming retirements of the Archbishop of Adelaide, Ian George, and the Archbishop of Melbourne, Peter Watson, has ruled them out and opened up the field to ordinary bishops. END

Boston Archbishop Says Pro-Abortion Politicians "Shouldn't Dare Come to Communion" LifeSite Daily News January 24, 2004 WASHINGTON, DC, January 23, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an interview with LifeSiteNews.com following the Vigil for Life Mass in Washington Wednesday, Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley expressed his great desire for a renewal of faith among Catholics. Asked about the problem of Catholic politicians promoting abortion, the Archbishop noted that the problem "is not only politicians but those (Catholics) who vote for them." He stressed repeatedly the "great need for adult catechesis among our people." "These politicians should know that if they're not voting correctly on these life issues that they shouldn't dare come to communion," the Archbishop told LifeSiteNews.com. Archbishop O'Malley noted that beyond pro-abortion politicians, that reception of Holy Communion by those not in a state of grace is sadly commonplace. "I think it's in the context of a greater problem - Catholics feel that everyone is entitled to go to communion all the time. That has to be addressed. You know if a (pro-abortion) politician asked me I would say you shouldn't go to communion, I wouldn't go to communion. They don't understand why." He explained, "At a funeral sometimes they will announce that communion is for Catholics and people get all offended, so we've lost the notion of the sacredness of communion and the kind of disposition we need to have." Aside from his stressing the "great need" for adult catechesis, the Boston Archbishop said the solution lies in holiness. Catholics must "be willing to live their faith heroically, the testimony of holiness is the only thing that's going to be able to convince people. Mother Teresa could speak about life issues in a way, because of the ethos of her life, that was much more powerful than the most eloquent preacher or teacher. We have to live our faith very deeply in order to draw people." END

Episcopal dispute on the front line VERSAILLES CASE COULD SET EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS IN U.S. By Frank E. Lockwood HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER The dispute between the leadership of a conservative Episcopal church in Versailles and Lexington Bishop Stacy Sauls could be one of the first of many such skirmishes across the country, church observers say. The showdown between Sauls and the governing board of St. John's Episcopal Church is drawing praise and condemnation from national Episcopalian leaders. In a letter to fellow bishops throughout the southeast, a leading Episcopal bishop praised Sauls' "even-handed" handling of the dispute. But the leader of a conservative Anglican group said the battle in the Lexington diocese represents "a clear threat" to hundreds of other conservative parishes in liberal dioceses across the country. In Plano, Texas, this week, the leaders of 12 conservative dioceses formed the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes to challenge the denomination's national leadership. And the Rev. Canon David Anderson, president of the conservative American Anglican Council (AAC), said yesterday it may be necessary to disobey church law as conservatives push for a re-alignment of the Episcopal Church USA. With billions of dollars of property at stake and American Anglicanism deeply divided over the ordination of openly gay bishop and Lexington native Gene Robinson, it's likely there will be further face-offs in the church and in the courts. "I think there'll be a lot of ... groups in churches or whole congregations pull out," said Walter Wink, professor of biblical interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York. The leadership of St. John's Episcopal Church in Versailles was removed by the diocese's executive council on Jan. 7 after St. John's selected a new minister without getting the bishop's prior approval. The Versailles leaders and a large portion of the congregation left the Episcopal Church and formed a new congregation, St. Andrew's Anglican Church, four days later. The parish had been highly critical of Sauls' support for Robinson and had chosen a minister who would not promise to remain in the Episcopal Church. Sauls and executive council members say they feared that St. John's governing board, called a vestry, would leave the Episcopal church and attempt to take property and bank accounts worth nearly $1.9 million. But Tom Thornbury, the vestry's top-elected official, said there was never any plan to take the property away. And he noted that he had written a letter promising that the property would be left "entirely intact" if he and others departed to form a new church. Rev. Charles Jenkins, president of the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice and Bishop of Louisiana, recently sent a letter to his fellow bishops in the southeastern United States praising Sauls' handling of the dispute. Jenkins, who opposed Robinson's ordination, says Sauls went to great lengths to work with St. John's leadership, but that they repeatedly snubbed their bishop. Sauls had supported allowing St. John's to place restrictions on how its annual pledges to the diocese would be spent in the wake of Robinson's ordination. And he had offered to allow a more conservative bishop to participate in confirmations at the parish. "I think Stacy proceeded with generosity, care for process, sensitivity, integrity and in a very even-handed fashion," Jenkins wrote. J. Robert Wright, the Episcopal Church's official historian and a professor at General Theological Seminary in New York, also sympathizes with Sauls. "Bishop Sauls within the Episcopal Church is known to be a very fair-minded bishop," he said. But AAC's Anderson accused Sauls of "decimating" a successful church and of sending "a clear threat" to hundreds of other conservative parishes in liberal dioceses across the country. "The bishop can take away their building and property, but what he cannot take away is their spirit and their souls," he said. Other congregations are also weighing how to respond. On Jan. 8, in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, the members of All Saints Church voted 468 to 38 in favor of leaving the denomination. As the future of the Episcopal Church is being decided, Anderson suggests there may be other clashes over church rules -- called canon law -- rules that he labeled "oppressive." "We've got some canons that are immoral, that are wrong," Anderson said in an interview yesterday, comparing the Episcopal Church's laws to Virginia's past segregation laws. "We want to remain within the canons, but we cannot promise that we'll obey all the canons all the time." END

By Jayson Larson Athens Daily Review Wait-and-see mode. That's how the Rev. Don Hickman, rector at St. Matthias' Episcopal Church in Athens, describes the attitudes of his congregants lately. "I think there's still a feeling that that's (all happening) back east and we're here in East Texas," the Rev. Hickman said. "We'll see what happens." The fallout continues from the national church's election last summer of an openly homosexual clergyman. A conservative branch of the church has expressed opposition over the election of Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, leaving in its wake talk of a split in the church. On Tuesday, an orthodox faction of the church created the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes. Leaders of the faction say the network does not represent a split, but in fact will be a part of the Episcopal Church operating in communion with the Anglican Communion and with the Archbishop of Canterbury. The network will operate within the constitution of the Episcopal Church. "At no time was the suggestion made or considered that the network would work outside the constitution of the Episcopal Church," Bishop James Stanton said in a statement released Wednesday on the Dallas Diocese Web site. "My hope is that the network will become a resource to all of us as we seek to move forward as the church we are and which our constitution proclaims us to be." Essentially, the network will give orthodox church members another branch of Anglicanism to which they can turn if they don't agree with the ordination of the Rev. Robinson. Gay bishops will not be allowed in the network. The Dallas Diocese is a co-founder of the network and St. Matthias' is a member of that diocese. The Rev. Hickman says he would guess a majority of members of his congregation are supportive of the conservative stance that states homosexuality and sodomy are condemned by Holy Scripture. However, he said there are a few homosexuals in the congregation and also some families with homosexual members. Talk surrounding the controversy has remained just that here. "We have some people supporting what was done with the ordination of the gay bishop, and we have some people who have expressed total opposition," the Rev. Hickman said. "There's been no movement either way."

Faced with church's stand, member walks A man from Wilsonville makes the difficult decision to leave the Episcopalian Church after it consecrates an openly gay bishop 01/24/04 By NANCY HAUGHT The Marine Corps has left its mark on Robert W. Hawkins. He stands, even sits, straight and tall. His graying hair is trimmed close to his head. When he speaks, it is with an abiding sense of authority and that, he'll tell you, is the root of the problem. Hawkins, 48, a resident of Wilsonville and a former major in the Marines, is now a former Episcopalian. He's made the painful decision to walk away from the church that he thinks left him Nov. 2, when the Diocese of New Hampshire consecrated an openly gay bishop, to the distress of many U.S. Episcopalians and their global community, the Anglican Communion. "It was a question of authority," Hawkins says. The church violated its own Articles of Religion in August, when its national convention voted to allow same-sex unions and to approve the election the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, Hawkins says. "The hypocrisy is overwhelming." Hawkins is reeling from the decisions of the Episcopal Church in the United States, and his own. And he is not alone. Delegates representing about 235,000 Episcopalians, by some counts about one-tenth of the U.S. church, met this week in Texas to create "a church within a church." They call themselves the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes. Hawkins is one of several Oregon lay people to have signed the network's theological charter. He did not attend the meeting, staying home to work on salvaging his own vocation. He'd like to attend seminary, become a priest and establish an Anglican church in Wilsonville. As Hawkins pursued his goal, Americans heard President Bush suggest in his State of the Union address Tuesday that a constitutional amendment might be needed to reserve marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. The issue shows no sign of fading away. As the Episcopal Church in the United States struggles to avoid a schism, other mainline denominations are preparing to take it up. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will decide whether to ordain practicing homosexuals (celibate ones already can be ordained) and to endorse same-sex unions at its national assembly next year. Deep ties to church, state "As a conservative Episcopalian, I'm an oxymoron in Oregon," Hawkins says. But as a native Oregonian, he's loath to leave the state, even to attend seminary. He was born in Bandon and attended St. John Episcopal Church. He still owns a cranberry farm there, but he moved to Wilsonville two years ago so he and his wife could continue their educations. They drove 45 minutes each way to attend services at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Salem. His rift with the larger church began as the United States threatened to invade Iraq in the ongoing war against terrorism. When the leadership of the U.S. church and the archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Communion, denounced the U.S. decision to act without the approval of the United Nations, Hawkins disagreed. It was only later, after the convention votes on Robinson and same-sex unions, that the problem of authority became clearer to Hawkins. "They say the country does not have the right to act unilaterally and then they reserved to themselves the right (to act unilaterally), to take a stand that is against the overwhelming Anglican community," Hawkins says. In October, Hawkins met with the Rev. Jack L. Hilyard, a retired priest who was acting as interim vocations director of the Diocese of Oregon. The two had a conversation about whether Hawkins should go forward with his application to study for the priesthood. As Hilyard remembers it, Hawkins talked about his conservative viewpoint and his confusion over his calling. "I did discourage him," Hilyard says, "but the reason for the discouragement was his own lack of clarity about whether to pursue this right now." From Hilyard's perspective, the conversation was almost routine. Those seeking to begin seminary studies are often told, "not right now" and sent home to think about it some more, he says. "We don't ordain just for us in Portland or in the Diocese of Oregon. We ordain for the whole Episcopal Church, and people need to be clear about that call. If there is any confusion or wavering or concern, we say, 'not right now.' " From Hawkins' perspective, he left the meeting thinking someone with his conservative views would not make it through the selection process. "I was telling (Hilyard) quite frankly that if this church didn't abide by the archbishop of Canterbury and other leaders, that I was withdrawing my application." That's what happened. "The church of my birth left me" "I remember sitting in the pews on November 2 in St. Paul's (in Salem) when the church of my birth left me," Hawkins says. That was the date that Robinson was consecrated in New Hampshire. "It was an emotional time for me and my wife." It started them a course of personal study, he says. They reviewed arguments on all sides of the question, but found no compelling reason to defy the interpretation of Scriptures that they believe most Anglicans hold. Hawkins and his family left St. Paul's, where the congregation was not open to further discussions. The family found a new church in Wilsonville, at Community of Hope, whose pastor, the Rev. Doug Adams, describes himself as theologically conservative. Hawkins recently contacted the Parish of St. Mark in Northwest Portland, a member of the Anglican Church in America since 1995. He has applied to become a postulant there, studying for the Anglican priesthood. He expects a decision from the seminary and St. Mark's soon. Meanwhile, Oregon's new Episcopal bishop, the Rt. Rev. Johncy Itty, consecrated Sept. 20, has traveled throughout the diocese. The issue of Robinson's consecration and same-sex unions come up infrequently, he says. He has not met Hawkins, but the prospect of an Episcopalian leaving the church because of these issues is painful. "If people indicate that they are leaving, I share a sense of loss and hope that somehow they will continue to be part of a conversation," he says. "We are not all of the same mind on this or other matters, but we always leave the door open to disagree or to come back. I am troubled that people do feel so strongly that they feel compelled to leave. We're a church that prides ourselves on being understanding and respectful of many points of view." Itty, who has been careful to stand in the middle without taking an extreme position on the issue, says he won't be pushed to take one. "That's not where I am and not where the diocese is at this time," he says. "I don't want this to be an issue that defines us. "We view the church to be a place of compassion, of engagement, a place where there is mutual respect and understanding in the midst of disagreements. The most important thing we are called to do is to focus on Christ and live out our Christian witness in a way that is meaningful to others. Many things in life are not neat or tidy, but that's God prerogative, to sort it all out." Hawkins is not willing to wait. He sees the issues clearly, he says. He does not appreciate the criticism that he is homophobic or a bigot. The American Episcopal Church has overstepped its boundaries, those outlined in the Articles of Religion and published in "The Book of Common Prayer," he says. "It all comes down to authority." END

Edict on Gay Marriages: Do Them or Quit Clergy Fear They Are Next Family Action Coalition release Clergy from across the nation are deeply concerned that their religious freedom will be violated with the same "Edict" imposed upon the Marriage Commissioners of B.C. On behalf of Clergy nationwide Dr. Charles McVety, President of Canada Christian College and Canada Family Action Coalition calls for Prime Minister Paul Martin to fulfill his promise to protect the religious rights of those who perform marriages in Canada. Dr. McVety has heard from Clergy across the country on this issue. "I have had numerous calls and visits from Pastors who are afraid they are next in line as the government invades the religious territory of marriage". The Director of the Evangelical Association seems to concur. Dr. Thomas stated "It is only a matter of time until the government decrees that others who perform marriages must Do them or quit". Several Marriage Commissioners have expressed their dismay at the heavy-handed action of the B.C. Government. A private Marriage Commissioner who received this "Edict" states "I REFUSE to solemnize a relationship that counters my faith. I will have to resign because I can not afford to fight any battle." Those who object have been stripped of their freedom of conscience and have lost their livelihood. Each Commissioner is paid $75 per marriage plus $.44 per km for travel expense. As of March 31st they will be forced to resign or in other words "fired" for their religious beliefs. Dr. McVety believes that "the Government is sending the message to all those who perform marriages. If you do not abandon your religious convictions then you will not be permitted to solemnize marriages and in turn lose your position and livelihood". For months Dr. McVety has been cautioning Clergy that the day will come when they will be forced to marry same sex couples or have their license to perform marriages seized. Dr. McVety calls on Prime Minister Paul Martin to be true to his word. In December Martin stated "I would look at it (the notwithstanding clause) if it was a question of affirming a (religious) right,". The Catholic Civil Rights League Vice President, lawyer Phil Horgan says "For those who have been engaged in the debate over the role of the state and the exercise of religious and conscience rights, the demand of the B.C. Government is merely another step in a concerted effort to remove religious voices from public administration. The Canadian Government's duty to accommodate religious rights get steam rolled in this brave new world." Now the nation waits to see if the Prime Minister will act or vacillate until he obtains a majority government and then absolve responsibility. END

By Diane Knippers I have been invited to place the current crisis in the Episcopal Church in a larger context, first to look at the cultural context and then the context of the wider church. I want to expose three myths. Myth one: The recent experimental ethics of the Episcopal Church represents the future. Myth two: The Episcopal Church's recent actions indicate concern for the oppressed. Myth three: Those of us who dissent from the Episcopal Church's actions are undermining Christian unity. Time and again, folks ask me how the Episcopal Church – and indeed the other mainline Protestant churches – got in the fix they are in. I'm never sure where to start with an answer. Do I go back to the Enlightenment? Do we blame 19th century German theologians? Was it the social gospel movement? Does the problem stem from the 1960s? Because I have sociological training, I tend look to cultural factors. So, I want to talk about the cultural captivity of the Episcopal Church. Of course, it's not a captivity to all of American culture. Television sit-coms, rap music, conservative talk radio are not the relevant cultural components that influence the Episcopal hierarchy! The Episcopal Church leadership is captive to a particular segment of our culture. Our church is governed by upper-middle class American elites, who came of age in the 60s and 70s. Episcopal leaders go to elite universities, not community colleges. They listen to NPR rather than watching Fox News. Leaders of the Episcopal Church are captive to this upper-middle class elite culture. One mark of the cultural captivity is putting social class above theological conviction. I had an "aha" moment in which I recognized this tendency when I visited a meeting of the ecumenical commission of the Diocese of Virginia in the last triennium. I was there because I serve on the national Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations. I wanted to report on what the national commission was doing and explore ways my diocese could interact with some new ecumenical initiatives. At the very beginning of the meeting, the one participant reported on an interfaith development in his own parish. It seemed he had invited a Buddhist monk to lead a quiet day service. Please understand, the monk wasn't to lecture on Buddhism, but to lead prayers in a Christian church. I'll admit, I nearly fell off my chair. Later, I gave my presentation. I told them that on the national church level, I was working to encourage Episcopal dialogue with evangelicals. One way that we might help in the Diocese of Virginia was to establish some grassroots model dialogues with Southern Baptists. I even pointed out that there were Southern Baptist offices in Richmond and we could find Southern Baptists in many of our communities. My suggestion was met with a very awkward silence. One woman finally blurted out, "But we don't have much in common with them." If I had had my wits about me, I might have suggested that we ought to have Jesus in common. You see, some Episcopalians find it easier to indulge multi-cultural and multi-faith prayer led by a Buddhist than talk to "them" – the Southern Baptists. The truth is that sitting down with Southern Baptists probably would be a more striking multi-cultural experience for many Episcopalians. It is further outside their comfort zone. As I said, the Episcopal Church is led by upper-middle class elites that came of age in the 60s and 70s. That's my generation, so I know what I'm talking about. So, what happens when a church is led by baby boomers? My staff did some research for me. As best we can discern, nearly 90 percent of the diocesan bishops who voted on Gene Robinson's consecration were in seminary in the 60s and 70s. That's not a good sign. This generation of church leaders claims the moral authority of the civil rights movement, although most were too young to have been leaders in that moral battle. No, the movements that shaped their formative years were the anti-war movement, women's liberation and the sexual revolution. Regardless of what you thought of the Vietnam War or the Equal Rights Amendment, these are not the pressing issues of today. The experimental moral teaching regarding sexuality that the Episcopal Church now peddles is not cutting edge. It is depressingly dated. It's a straight-line development from the 60's "free love" mentality. A generation that came of age proclaiming, "Make love, not war" still finds it easier to preach pacifism to the President that sexual purity to parishioners. What is cutting edge is the new social science data on marriage, family, and our children. What we aging boomers need to recognize is that love isn't free. Let's focus on marriage. Too many boomers think that the problem with marriage is that women are stuck in abusive relationships. Let me quickly grant that some women are. But if you think that alleged 1950s repression is the big cultural problem we face, you are totally out of touch with our society – particularly with young people and with the poor. The big problem related to marriage is that many young people have no clue how to establish and maintain long-term commitments. The fact is that upper-middle class elites are largely protected from the economic ravages of the sexual revolution. Over half of the children growing up in America today will spend a significant period of their childhood living without the presence of their biological father. That's a social disaster. Let me make this point clearer. Social scientists tell us that mainline Protestant families are actually among the most traditional – lower divorce rates and out-of-wedlock birth rates, even higher rates of non-employed mothers. Our church leaders applaud and celebrate new and non-traditional family forms, but the people in the pews don't practice them. Why? Because we are protected by social class and privilege and we are still living on the wholesome examples of our parents and grandparents. We Episcopalians can prattle on about experimenting with new family forms and being tolerant of non-marital sexual liaisons. We don't regret that there is a terrible price to be paid for fractured family structures, because we are largely protected from paying that price when compared to racial minority communities, the poor, or the young. In early August, the Episcopal Church cut its ties from the doctrine of marriage, from basic Christian teaching about sexuality, from our core sources of authority. It was a stunning display of the prevalent social values of American campuses 40 years ago. One month later a prestigious group of behavioral research scientists, pediatric physicians, and mental health professionals released a new paper (see www.americanvalues.org). They outline a genuine social problem in our society – the crisis facing our young people. Here are some excerpts from this new report: Despite a decade of unprecedented economic growth that resulted in fewer children living in poverty, large and growing numbers of American children and adolescents are suffering from mental health problems. Scholars at the National Research Council in 2002 estimated that at least one of every four adolescents in the U.S. is currently at serious risk of not achieving productive adulthood. Twenty-one percent of U.S. children ages 9 to 17 have a diagnosable mental disorder or addiction, 8 percent of high school students suffer from clinical depression, and 20 percent of students report seriously having considered suicide in the past year. By the 1980s, U.S. children as a group were reporting more anxiety than did children who were psychiatric patients in the 1950s, according to one study. The Report is calling upon all U.S. citizens to help strengthen what it calls "authoritative communities" as likely to be the best strategy for improving children's lives, in its report, Hardwired to Connect: The Case for Authoritative Communities. Authoritative communities are groups of people who are committed to one another over time and who exhibit and are able to pass on what it means to be a good person. These groups provide the types of connectedness our children increasingly lack. Authoritative communities can be families with children and all civic, educational, recreational, community service, business, culture, and religious groups that serve or include persons under the age of 18 that exhibit certain characteristics. These characteristics are: 1) it is a social institution that includes children and youth; 2) it treats children as ends in themselves; 3) it is warm and nurturing; 4) it establishes clear boundaries and limits; 5) it is defined and guided at least partly by non-specialists; 6) it is multi-generational; 7) it has a long-term focus; 8) it encourages spiritual and religious development; 9) it reflects and transmits a shared understanding of what it means to be a good person; 10) it is philosophically oriented to the equal dignity of all persons and to the principle of love of neighbor. Cutting edge researchers tell us that our children desperately need what the church is supposed to offer! The action of our General Convention is a betrayal on many levels – a betrayal of Christian orthodoxy, of the Anglican Communion, of scriptural authority, of the sexually confused. But it's a betrayal that's also very close to home – a betrayal of our own children. I've addressed two myths: The first myth - that the experimental sexual ethics of the Episcopal Church represent the future – is not true. The sexual ethics of the Episcopal Church are dated, passé, stuck in the late 20th Century, and wrong! It is the timeless moral standards of scripture that will take the church forward to meet new challenges. Myth two: the Episcopal Church's actions indicate concern for the poor and oppressed. There has been a concerted effort to portray homosexual men and women as oppressed. And, in a way, I do believe that they are victimized and trapped by their sexual desires and actions. The good news of the gospel is indeed liberation from this. But the Episcopal Church is overlooking the actual victims of the sexual revolution. From our positions of comfort and privilege, we are blind to the suffering from massive family breakdown endured by racial minorities, the poor, and children. But I want to comment briefly on one more myth – that those of us who dissent from the Episcopal Church's action are undermining Christian unity. The truth is that General Convention itself dealt a terrible blow to Christian unity. Relations with the wider Anglican Communion, with Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, with Roman Catholics, and with Evangelicals and Pentecostals – are all damaged. Our ties with the vast majority of Christians at home and world-wide are severely weakened. It is preposterous that those of us who are struggling to maintain relationships with the wider church and to disassociate from the actions of the General Convention are called schismatic or separatist. For over 50 years, the modern ecumenical movement has told us that denominational lines do not mark the boundaries of Christendom. Indeed, objectively speaking, the Episcopal Church is a pretty tiny part of Christendom, and is getting smaller. We dissenters have learned our ecumenical lessons well. We are the ones who are committed to Christian unity. We are the ones who will embrace the whole body of Christ – in mutual submission and respect. The charge of disunity is being made against us. The big lie is that one must chose between truth and unity. Truth and unity are the two essential sides of the same coin. Genuine unity protects truth. Genuine truth defines our unity. Christ's prayer is that we be One. Our prayer – our calling and our intentions – can be no less. Diane Knippers is the president of the Institute for Religion and Democracy based in Washington, DC END

By David W. Virtue "Clergy are being threatened, vows of allegiance to the Episcopal Church are being exacted (even while international excommunications are rising), and canons are being misused to take over dissenting biblically orthodox churches. It is religious persecution, widespread, and it must be opposed." The Rev. Geoff Chapman, St. Stephen's, Sewickley, PA. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Another new development in the worldwide realignment of the Anglican Communion has just begun. It is the Network of Anglican Communion Diocese and Parishes(NACDP), and it promises to do and go where no one else has gone before. It is, by any standard, a bold move that comes with the approval of the Archbishop of Canterbury but with no support from the leadership of the Episcopal Church. It is the brainchild of a handful of orthodox bishops led by the creative, risk-taking Bishop of Pittsburgh, Robert Duncan. This group is but one more piece of the national and international chess set of the Anglican Communion that is positioning itself to realize a future for Anglicanism, or watch it dissolve into a federation or perhaps two communions. There are a number of players now that include the American Anglican Council (AAC), Anglican Communion Parishes (ACI), Forward in Faith NA (FIFNA), the Primates themselves, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), the Lambeth Conference, and now this new Network. And they are beginning to make their moves like chess pieces hoping, before September that no one will prematurely checkmate the ECUSA King (Frank Griswold) before the Eames Commission has done its work. We shall see. One of the CAPA ten points was that by Easter of this year Frank Griswold must either repent or face Primatial judgment. That apparently has been nullified for the greater wisdom of the Global South bishops who are now prepared to wait till the conclusion of the Eames Commission report. The formation of the new Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes was a major step forward for the North American Episcopal Church this week. All that remains to be seen is how it will all play out over the next few months. The truth is, time is running out for ECUSA's revisionists, a day of reckoning is at hand. Over the past few months Frank Griswold has taken more hits than any bishop in modern history. Whole Christian churches, a dozen Anglican provinces and many of his own bishops have declared themselves in impaired or broken communion with him. Either Griswold doesn't get it, or he is prepared to fall on his sword over sodomy, or see himself hoisted onto a phallic cross of his own making. The public humiliation and embarrassment ECUSA has suffered over pansexuality, the international opprobrium he has received, will be the subject of history books for years to come. To avoid the personal humiliation, Griswold has had to transport himself to a plain to commune with his mystic hero Sufi Rumi. That this desire for anal sex should have consumed years of talking, endless Primatial gatherings, millions of dollars, millions of air miles flown and more, are beyond all human comprehension. The Church Fathers would roll over in their graves if they only knew. From the heights of the Arian controversy to pansexual misbehavior, from bowels of compassion to human bowels, the Episcopal Church has descended into Dante's Inferno as flames consume its very soul. In Pascal's famous dictum, The Episcopal Church has "licked the earth." THE PRESS CONFERENCE held at Christ Church, Plano announcing the formation of the new Network saw a goodly line-up of print, radio and TV media from across the country. Present also was Jan Nunley, associate news director for the Episcopal News Service in New York. She came armed with a bag full of videos from her boss Frank Griswold explaining his side on the issues, which she handed out prior to the press conference. Observing this, Network officials quickly moved in telling her that her actions were inappropriate as this was not her show and asked her to stop. She did but not before she had distributed her entire bag of tapes. The Network is a hopeful new beginning for ECUSA's faithful looking for a safe place from the storms of revisionist domination. It is an emergency type situation and temporary until the Primates and Rowan Williams decide how they will respond to ECUSA's theological and moral apostasy. This, we are told, will be clear following the conclusion of the Eames Commission report in late September. The Network's Charter offers hope to biblically orthodox parishes caught in revisionist dioceses. We shall have to see how that plays out in the days and weeks ahead. Alternative Episcopal Oversight is the only acceptable option for this Network, anything less like 'pastoral care' is a non-starter. But we have already begun to see what some revisionist bishops are prepared to do. Many have said they will not allow AAC to gain a foothold in their dioceses, and it seems most unlikely that these same bishops will allow the Network to come in either. The leader of the Diocese of Florida, Bishop Stephen Jecko, released a statement saying he voted for the charter and supported it fully but did not sign because he is stepping down in nine days. He said he sent the document to his successor, Bishop John Howard, for review. "I applaud the work of this convocation and pray God's richest blessings upon the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes," Jecko said. But several alternatives remain. Leave ECUSA with the congregation, but drop the keys, endowment and walk away from the buildings. Leave ECUSA, hire a good lawyer with a good knowledge of Canon Law and fight the bastards for the properties. (This is by no means a lose/lose situation as Fr. David Moyer in the Diocese of Pennsylvania has discovered. He is still in his parish, and Bishop Bennison has been unable to get rid of him or to get the property. The same thing has happened to Fr. Eddy Rix at All Saints' Church, Wynnewood.) Or stay in ECUSA and apply for Alternative Episcopal Oversight and if the diocesan bishop doesn't like it he can inhibit you and you can fight back in civil court over one's employment rights being violated. Or you can leave the property, take the congregation and join the Anglican Mission in America (AMIA). Most of these folk who leave are fairly wealthy and can usually come up with seed money to buy new property and start over. It's a bit rough initially, but within a year or two they break ground and begin all over again. There was no weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in Destin over lost properties at the recent 4th annual AM IA conference. The final option is you can leave your diocese and come under the protection of a Global South Primate like the two parishes in Atlanta did recently. In all likelihood the sitting diocesan bishop will inhibit and depose the rector in question, but the point has been made and once more the ugly, dark side of revisionist bishops who have no gospel to proclaim rears its head. WHAT IS REALLY HURTING REVISIONIST BISHOPS is the growing loss of millions of dollars to diocesan coffers. Orthodox parishes have woken up to the fact that they don't have to bankroll the bishop's bankrupt agenda and apart from their assessment, they are not obliged to pay one penny more to the diocese thus inhibiting the bishop's 'mission' to spread the 'gospel' of sexual inclusion and depraved diversity. There is also no legal requirement for a diocese to pay anything to the national church. That is entirely a free will offering. So what is happening is that bishops like Bennison are now falling hundreds of thousands of dollars behind in funds necessary just to run the diocese. The logic is they will have less to give the national church to keep Griswold's failed "missional objectives" alive. Or they will have to tap their own Trust Funds. These bishops are also ratcheting up the pain threatening orthodox rectors if they don't come through with money over and above their assessment. But ecclesiastical law is on the side of the rector here. I am told that dozens of dioceses are seeing shrinking budgets that will impact them at many levels including publishing their diocesan newspapers, restricting 'mission' however they define it, supporting mission parishes and much more. It is also apparent that it is not easy to access restricted Trust Funds that are earmarked for particular purposes. A bishop will need to go to court to have those changed. With less monies coming in, there is less likelihood of a bishop spending thousands of dollars he doesn't have to hire lawyers to sue rectors and their parishes. Virtuosity has learned that the national church is not above kicking in money to help bishops who want to sue orthodox rectors and their parishes. The old saying is true, follow the money. In my father's house are many trust funds. For revisionist bishops it is about money and ecclesiastical power and occasionally sex, and they will give them up with great reluctance. When you have no life-changing gospel to offer, all you have left at the end of the day is ecclesiastical power and idolatry, and bishops like Tom Shaw of Massachusetts and Charles Bennison of Pennsylvania have both in spades. When the ECUSA House of Bishops meets in March we will know more about how things are working out, or not working out. Executive Council is obliged to give us the numbers, and everyone will know the truth when the books are opened. REVISIONISTS RALLY. Concerned about the growth of such ministries at the American Anglican Council, the newly formed Network, The Anglican Communion Institute, Anglican Mainstream and others, a group calling themselves Via Media has been formed in seven dioceses to counter the orthodox 'threat'. They include Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh, Via Media in Albany, Concerned Episcopalians of the St. Lawrence Deanery, Episcopal Forum of South Carolina, Fort Worth Via Media, Remain Episcopal, Diocese of San Joaquin (CA), and Rio Grande Via Media. They are using a variety of tactics to keep the revisionist mindset and spin in ECUSA. If you hear from them you or see their name you have been warned. SEMINARY NEWS. Virtuosity has learned that the drop in giving to parishes is impacting the hiring of new graduating seminarians. A source told Virtuosity that a number of seminarians who will be graduating in May, and who had been in conversations with parishes about being hired as curates, are now being told that the parish can't afford to hire them due to cutbacks in giving to the parishes. And who said this would all go away and Robinson's consecration would just be like women's ordination. How wrong they were. The chickens are coming home to roost. IN TODAY'S DIGEST you can read an interview Virtuosity did with the Rev. Geoff Chapman, the priest involved in writing a draft of the document that was leaked to the media. You can get the straight scoop on what really took place without all the revisionist spin. I have also written a story about the spin Louie Crew and the Integrity crowd is putting on the new Network Charter. There is more international disapproval of Griswold's action in consecrating V. Gene Robinson with a statement from the new Archbishop of the Congo, and a Kenyan journalist weighs in on the possibility of international schism. Bishop James Stanton gives us his take on what happened in Plano, Texas and an Anglo-Catholic priest in the Diocese of Colorado issues a challenge to debate the issues with the ECUSA bishop out there. Episcopalian Theologian Dr Joe Murphy tells us why he has left the ECUSA for the AMIA and columnists Terry Mattingly and Mike McManus are up today with timely columns and is much more. Mel Gibson's movie The Passion continues to make a major splash with much heated back and forth over alleged anti-Semitism, but when the Pope saw it recently he was heard to say, "it is as it is." Forward in Faith leader Fr. David Moyer also takes a look at what is happening in ECUSA and is off to Lambeth see Rowan Williams to press the case for alternative episcopal oversight. CORRECTIONS: In a previous digest I said that the AMIA had 50,000 members. That was inaccurate. It is 15,000. I also said the document passed and ratified by All Saints Pawleys Island was taken to Atlanta. Incorrect. It was taken to Columbia, SC. THE NEWS AS IT HAPPENS IS NOW BEING POSTED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY TO THE WEBSITE. If you want up to the minute breaking news it can all be found at www.virtuosityonline.org. It is all on the front page. Past digests can be reached by going to the DIGESTS and ARCHIVES. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS MINISTRY. Virtuosity needs your support. Without it we would not exist. There is no one in the Anglican Communion that brings you the news in a timely accurate way as Virtuosity. No one. You have two options. You can make a donation through PAYPAL at the website, or you can send a check by snail mail to David W. Virtue, VIRTUOSITY, 1236 Waterford Road, West Chester, PA 19380. Please be generous. Thank you. All Blessings, David W. Virtue DD END

The Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes A statement from Bishop James M. Stanton DIOCESE OF DALLAS My Brothers and Sisters in Christ The Charter conference held in Plano is now concluded and the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes has been established. It was unanimously agreed to by the bishops and representatives of the dioceses noted, and by representatives of parishes in other dioceses concerned to preserve the unity of the Church within the Anglican Communion. There are two points of paramount importance to me and, I trust, to us all. The Charter makes very clear that the Network "shall operate in good faith within the Constitution of The Episcopal Church" (Article I). At no time was the suggestion made or considered that the Network would work outside the Constitution of the Episcopal Church. The purpose of the Network is to "constitute a true and legitimate expression of the world-wide Anglican Communion" and to maintain the widest possible connection to that Communion (Articles II, III, IV). The Network Charter provides a simple structure which will permit its affiliates to explore and pursue ministry together. I hope and pray that by this means we can begin to look to the future and, confident of our relationships with all others in the Anglican Communion, carry on our God-given mission. Those representing the Diocese of Dallas besides myself were: Dr. Bill Power, President of the Standing Committee; Canon Paul Lambert, dean of our General Convention Deputies; Neil Anderson and Laura Allen, both deputies of long experience particularly in the area of Constitution and Canons (Laura has served as Secretary of the relevant Convention Committee for two General Conventions, and is also a member of the Standing Committee). Alternate representatives included: Dean Michael Mills of the Cathedral; Fr. Henry Pendergrass, member of the Standing Committee; Lana Valenta, chair of our Diocesan Convention Committee; Canon Neal Michell of our Staff; and Fr. David Roseberry, rector of Christ Church and host of the Conference and Fr. Larry Smith, rector of Incarnation. A Network is only as good as the purposes it is designed to serve. My hope is that the Network will become a resource to all of us as we seek to move forward as the Church we are and which our Constitution proclaims us to be. Much discussion among the representatives focused on matters that, in fact, are consistent with our own Strategic Plan: planting new congregations, discipling new members of the Body of Christ, educating our people for leadership in the years ahead. It will take time to reflect on and deepen our understanding of the Network. I leave today (Wednesday) for the enthronement of the Rt. Rev. Henry Orombi as the new Archbishop of the Church of Uganda. (That event will take place on January 25. Please pray for him and all of us.) On my return, I will call a meeting of the Clergy to discuss the Network and will plan to present it to the Diocese in local meetings in the weeks ahead. How would I describe our participation in this Network? For the time being, we will be provisional participants. As I said to the Executive Council and the Standing Committee, I expect that if the Network meets a need and serves the purposes for which it has been established it will be presented to the Diocesan Convention in October for formal action. Let me add a comment concerning an article that appeared in the Washington Post concerning a document that was circulated by a sub- committee of a sub-committee of the American Anglican Council. It concerned "adequate episcopal oversight." As I understand it, that document was a draft. It was never circulated to any bishops, and in fact had never been approved by the AAC. I certainly knew nothing about it until the matter appeared in the press, and would never have supported any such approach. I raise this matter because the Post article and the document itself seemed to link it to the Network - which had not yet been formed! I trust that the Network will be judged on its own merits and by what it does, and not by the acts or interpretations of others. For my own part, as I have said consistently throughout the weeks preceding and all the time following our General Convention, we stand on the Constitution and Canons of the Church and will not depart from them. I want to be clear that the matter of "adequate episcopal oversight" was first raised by the Primates (including our own) at the Lambeth Meeting on October 15-16 and was set out in their letter issued at the conclusion of that meeting. The Network is committed to "work for the provision of adequate episcopal oversight" (Article VII) as envisioned by and in cooperation with the Primates. Nothing more, nothing less. Please look at the Charter. END