By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent THE TELEGRAPH 8/23/2004 Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, will provoke a fresh storm over homosexuality in the Church next month by blessing hundreds of American traditionalists who are boycotting their own pro-gay bishop. This high-profile intervention by Lord Carey will highlight the growing polarisation in the worldwide Anglican community over the issue and will be criticised as "back-seat driving" by supporters of his successor at Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. It will also raise the temperature of the debate weeks before the publication of the final report by the Lambeth Commission, the body set up last year by Dr Williams to try to avert schism. Dr Carey is to confirm several hundred adults and children from 11 conservative parishes in Virginia which have rejected the ministry of their diocesan bishop, the Rt Rev Peter Lee, because of his support for the Rt Rev Gene Robinson, Anglicanism's first active homosexual bishop. He has been invited to carry out the ceremony on Sept 15 by Canon Martyn Minns, the English-born rector of Truro church in Fairfax, Virginia, one of the largest parishes in the American Episcopal Church. Lord Carey's visit will not breach Church regulations because he is understood to have gained the permission of Bishop Lee to operate in the diocese of Virginia, but it will provide a major boost to the conservative minority in America which is demanding protection from the liberal majority. Announcing the "extraordinary service of confirmation" presided over by the former Archbishop, Canon Minns said: "This will be an occasion for celebration but also a sign of the serious brokenness of the Episcopal Church and a tragic reminder of our alienation from the ministry of our own bishop." The Truro parish is one of hundreds across the United States which is withholding money from central diocesan funds in protest at the decision last summer of the Episcopal Church's liberal leadership to confirm the consecration of Bishop Robinson, who lives openly with his male lover. More than 100 parishes have now split from the Church and affiliated themselves with evangelical dioceses in Africa. Meanwhile, a number of traditionalist dioceses have formed a new network which is demanding the creation of a parallel "Church within a Church" to minister across the world. This would mean that traditionalist parishes with liberal bishops could instead invite in a conservative bishop. It is an arrangement Lord Carey is pioneering. The Rev Richard Kirker, the general secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said: "This is an insensitive and provocative trip which will cause dismay to Rowan Williams, just as it would if, when George Carey was Archbishop, his predecessor Robert Runcie had gone ahead and ordained an openly gay man as a bishop. "There are plenty of other bishops to conduct confirmations, and George Carey is doing much more. He is trying to turn the service into a needlessly provocative gesture."

Statement from the Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda The Rt Revd Evans Kisekka, the Bishop of Luweero Diocese, has my full blessing and support in receiving the clergy from St James Church, Newport Beach, and All Saints' Church, Long Beach, California, USA. These clergy are canonically resident in the Luweero Diocese and are priests and deacons in good standing of the Church of Uganda. On 20 November 2003, the House of Bishops of the Church of the Province of Uganda (Anglican) made the following resolutions: "The Church of the Province of Uganda (Anglican) cuts her relationship and Communion with the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) on their resolution and consequent action of consecrating and enthroning an openly confessed homosexual Gene Robinson as the Bishop of New Hampshire Diocese in the Anglican Communion; and with any other Province that shall follow suit." "Mindful of the fact that there are a number of dioceses, parishes and congregations in the ECUSA, which are opposed to the resolution and action taken by their convention and are determined to remain faithful to the teaching of scripture on human sexuality, to those dear brothers and sisters, we extend our solidarity with them and assure them of our continued prayers." We have recently concluded the 17th Provincial Assembly of the Province of the Church of Uganda. During that meeting, the assembly affirmed the House of Bishops' stance of broken communion with the ECUSA, and at the same time declared its commitment to, support for, and communion with clergy and parishes of the Anglican Communion Network who seek to uphold biblical orthodoxy and the faith once delivered to the saints. We condemn any attempt on the part of the ECUSA Bishop of Los Angeles to depose our clergy serving at St James Church, Newport Beach, and All Saints' Church, Long Beach. He has no jurisdiction over them, and we will not recognise his actions. Furthermore, we appeal to other provinces within the Anglican Communion to recognise our clergy as priests and deacons in good standing. We are grieved by the continued unbiblical actions of the leadership of ECUSA that has led to its separation from the majority of the Anglican Communion. We especially note that the Bishop of Los Angeles recently presided at the blessing of a same-sex union of one of his priests. We pray for his repentance - and the repentance of all the ECUSA leadership who voted for the consecration of a man in an active homosexual relationship as bishop of New Hampshire - and their return to the historic faith and communion of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. The Most Revd Henry Luke Orombi Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda

Statement by the Clergy of St. James Church, Newport Beach, Calif., and All Saints' Church, Long Beach, Calif. (In response to the pastoral letter of the Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, sent on August 18, 2004, to Episcopal Churches in the diocese and posted on the diocesan Web site at www.ladiocese.org/indexentry.htm .) The priests and deacons of St. James Church and All Saints' Church are clergy of the Diocese of Luweero, where they have been received by the Rt. Rev. Evans Kisekka under his ecclesiastical authority. They are now canonically resident in the Diocese of Luweero. They are not clergy of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America or the Diocese of Los Angeles. The Bishop of Los Angeles no longer has ecclesiastical authority over them, nor do the constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church USA or the Diocese of Los Angeles apply to them. The Diocese of Luweero is part of the Anglican Province of Uganda, which headed by the Most. Rev. Henry Orombi, a Primate of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The legal title to St. James Church and the surrounding property is and always has been held by St. James, an independent California non-profit religious corporation formed in 1949. The legal title to All Saints' Church and the surrounding property is and always has been held by All Saints', an independent California non-profit religious corporation formed in 1926. The Diocese of Los Angeles has no claim against any of the property owned by these churches. St. James Church, a biblically orthodox church since 1949, affirms its membership in the Anglican Communion and will no longer be affiliated with the Episcopal Church USA or the Diocese of Los Angeles. St. James is now under the jurisdiction oversight of the Anglican Province of Uganda in the Diocese of Luweero, which is a member of the mainstream of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The members of St. James have remained steadfast and loyal in their commitment to the Holy Scripture, the historic teachings of Christianity and the Anglican Communion for 55 years. However, the Episcopal Church USA has chosen a path that no longer reflects the membership's steadfast faith. "St. James is a biblically orthodox church that accepts Jesus Christ as the One and Only Lord and Savior, and acknowledges the authority of the Holy Scripture as the Word of God," said Senior Warden Jim Dale. "Our devotion is to God, not a particular institution. When an institution no longer represents our understanding of God's Word and His Will, we must have the courage and faith to stand by our convictions." The members and vestry of St. James made this decision with the support of The Rev. Praveen Bunyan, reflecting the desire of the church to stand firm on its religious convictions. "We at St. James have prayed and struggled with this decision for many years," said Rev. Bunyan, the rector of St. James Church. "It is after much deliberation that we came to this conclusion, but it is our only recourse if we are to stay true to the historic faith and teachings of the church. "St. James worked very hard for many years to reconcile our differences with the Episcopal Church USA and the Diocese of Los Angeles, both in our own hearts and through extensive dialogue. However, that effort has brought no comfort to ease our pain. "The members of St. James wish to move beyond this issue, so we can concentrate on our core mission: To glorify God, uphold the Holy Scripture, raise our children to love and serve Jesus Christ and share the Gospel with the world," concluded Rev. Bunyan. The worldwide Anglican Communion has churches in 164 countries with about 77 million members. The Episcopal Church USA represents 2.5 million members both here and abroad, which is only three percent of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Province of Uganda represents eight million Anglicans, more than three times the membership in the entire Episcopal Church USA. St. James has a close and longstanding relationship with the Province of Uganda and the Diocese of Luweero, where many of its missionaries have served. St. James will continue to hold worship services in the same location where it was incorporated in 1949 and carry on with its usual programs and activities. St. James is a self-supported, growing church with more than 1,200 members. ---

COMMENTARY By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org April 3, 2026 Canadian Anglican Archbishop Shane Parker has described the situation faced by Palestinian Christians—and Palestinians in general—as "extremely challenging," claiming that evidence of Israel's intention to occupy, inhabit, and control Palestinian territory is everywhere. He pointed to what he called "the devastation of Gaza," major roads dividing the West Bank, and the "perennial inconveniences" faced by Palestinians across the region. What is striking is what the archbishop did not say. There was no mention of Hamas—not once. The Omission of Hamas Any honest accounting of Gaza's devastation must begin with Hamas. The destruction there is inseparable from Hamas's foundational ideology: the elimination of Israel and the killing of Israelis. Hamas has consistently refused to lay down its arms, rejected negotiated settlements, and made clear it will pursue martyrdom rather than concede anything. Its fighters have watched their own people die without apparent remorse, because the destruction of Israel takes precedence over the welfare of Gazans. While no single verified figure exists for Hamas combatants killed in Gaza, credible estimates range from approximately 8,900 named fighters to Israeli claims of between 10,000 and 20,000. The true number remains uncertain because Hamas does not publish combatant-specific data, and Israel's public statements have at times differed from its internal intelligence assessments. Israel's Record of Reactive, Not Proactive, Warfare The archbishop's framing also ignores a consistent pattern in Israel's military history: its wars have been reactive, not aggressive. In the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, five Arab armies invaded after Israel declared independence. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israeli territory. Hamas attacks from 2001 through 2023 involved sustained rocket fire, kidnappings, and terrorist strikes that initiated each escalation cycle. Hezbollah's cross-border raids and rocket fire in 2006—and in the years since—have repeatedly triggered Israeli military responses. In each case, Israel's actions were defensive and framed as measures of survival. Furthermore, the Israel Defense Forces have consistently warned civilians ahead of military operations—a practice that Iran, the Houthis, and Hezbollah have never followed. Gaza: The Facts on the Ground Archbishop Parker states that Israel's intention to "occupy, inhabit and control" Palestinian territory is self-evident. But this assertion requires scrutiny. In 2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, dismantling all 21 Israeli settlements and withdrawing its military forces. Gaza was left under Palestinian control—and subsequently fell to Hamas, which used the territory not to build civil institutions but to construct tunnels and launch rockets into Israeli civilian areas. That history does not appear in the archbishop's remarks. On the question of the West Bank, the international legal consensus holds that Israel's continued control of the territory—including East Jerusalem—is illegal under international law, as the occupation has become prolonged, permanent, and linked to annexation policies. These are legitimate concerns deserving serious engagement. But they must be weighed alongside Israel's legitimate security needs, which the archbishop also failed to acknowledge. This co-called consensus usually cites UN Resolution 242. According to this resolution, Israeli withdrawal from Samaria (clumsily called the West Bank) was to take place in the context of mutual recognition of the right to exist and territorial adjustments to achieve secure boundaries.  Withdrawal was ordered from "territories," not "the territories."  Both Arthur Goldberg and Lord Carrington, the primary authors of this resolution, have said that the word "the" was purposely omitted because it was not intended for Israel to give back all of her territories, since they recognized that some were needed for secure boundaries. Despite the fact that most Arab states have refused to recognize Israel's right to exist (a condition of Resolution 242), Israel has implemented the principles of the Resolution three times.  When Egypt terminated its claims of belligerency in 1979, Israel returned the Sinai.  When Jordan signed a peace agreement, Israel returned land claimed by Jordan.  Then in September 2005 Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, only to be met with new attacks on her civilians launched from that territory. The charge of illegal occupation must therefore be rejected.  Israel has made repeated efforts to comply with UN stipulations for the territories, while her Arab neighbors have not.  When the Palestinians appeared to accept Israel's right to exist during the Oslo negotiations, Israel turned over control of major West Bank cities to the Palestinian Authority (PA).  But when the PA showed support for terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens in 2000, Israel resumed control of those cities.  In that same year Israel offered to return 92% of the West Bank, which some dismiss as ungenerous because, they claim, Israel never owned the land in the first place.   Yet Jews have lived in ancient Samaria (the West Bank) for over three thousand years. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has argued that violence in Judea and Samaria should not be attributed to settlers broadly, but to what he calls "unsettlers"—those who commit terrorist acts and do not represent law-abiding residents. Whatever one makes of that framing, the security reality is undeniable: continued attacks within Israel make an open border with the West Bank untenable. Israel's West Bank separation barrier was built in direct response to the Second Intifada (2000–2005), a period marked by frequent suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians. Construction began in 2002 following a surge in deadly attacks. The archbishop described the resulting checkpoints and road divisions as "inconveniences" to Palestinians—without once acknowledging why they exist. The Wider Regional Threat The archbishop also made no mention of Hezbollah's attacks from Lebanon—a country that contains one Anglican church: All Saints Anglican Church in Beirut, the sole Anglican parish in Lebanon, belonging to the Diocese of Jerusalem. One might reasonably ask why Archbishop Parker has not pressed the Lebanese government to protect that congregation from Hezbollah's destabilizing influence. Most conspicuously absent from the archbishop's remarks was any reference to Iran, which has been launching rockets toward Israel since March 12. In a coordinated barrage, Iran and Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets and missiles at Israel in a single nighttime assault, with no apparent effort to distinguish between civilian and military targets. A Final Word Israel is a state surrounded by adversaries—seven nations, by some counts, and so is fighting on seven fronts—that have at various times called for its destruction. It is worth noting that if that destruction were ever achieved, the first people likely to be executed under theocratic rule would be Christians: the very people Archbishop Parker claims to speak for. A pastoral voice on this conflict is not unwelcome. But pastoral concern that omits Hamas, ignores Iranian aggression, says nothing of Hezbollah, and is ignorant of the history of the conflict while cataloguing Israeli offenses is not balanced commentary. It is a selective indictment—and the archbishop's flock deserves better.  It is straining at gnats while swallowing camels.

The Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore https://southernanglican.substack.com/ April 2, 2026 (Image: Celebrating Communion in a Swedish Parish Church, Bengt Nordenberg, 1856) We are often told that the Church is in decline. Attendance is down. Giving is down. Evangelism is weak. Moral confusion is rising. The narrative is familiar, and in many respects, it is true. And yet, it is not the whole truth. Even now, tens of millions of Americans still attend church. Sanctuaries are not empty. The language of faith has not vanished. Christianity, as a presence, remains. But something has changed—and it is not captured by attendance charts or census data. The crisis before us is not merely one of decline. It is a crisis of depth. The Illusion of Strength At first glance, the numbers offer a kind of reassurance. Churches still gather. Worship still occurs. The outward structure remains intact. But the pattern beneath the surface tells a different story. The typical “committed” Christian now attends church less than twice a month. What was once habitual has become occasional. What was once foundational has become optional. This shift matters more than we often admit. The Church was never meant to be something we visit intermittently. It is not a weekly supplement to an otherwise secular life. It is the very structure of life itself—ordered, formed, and sustained in Christ. When attendance becomes irregular, formation becomes fragmented. And when formation is fragmented, faith becomes thin. The Shift in Faith The deeper issue is not simply that people attend less. It is that they believe differently. Modern faith is increasingly: Individualized rather than communal Experiential rather than formative Chosen rather than received The Church is no longer understood as something into which one is formed, but as something one samples, evaluates, and, if desired, adopts. We have moved from: “This is the faith once delivered to the saints” to: “This is what works for me.” This shift is subtle, but profound. It transforms Christianity from a shared reality into a personal preference. It replaces continuity with customization. And in doing so, it severs the individual from the very thing that sustains the faith across generations: the life of the Church herself. The Real Crisis: Formation Here is the heart of the matter: Attendance does not equal discipleship. A man may sit in a pew and remain unchanged. A congregation may gather and yet not be formed. The evidence is all around us: Prayer is inconsistent Scripture is seldom read deeply Moral reasoning is shallow Faith is easily shaken This is not because people are hostile to Christianity. It is because they have never been fully formed within it. We have, in many places, replaced formation with familiarity. People know the language of faith. They recognize the symbols. They may even feel affection for the Church. But they have not been shaped—disciplined, instructed, and rooted—into a life that can endure. And what is not formed cannot stand. How We Arrived Here This did not happen overnight. Over time, several shifts occurred: 1. The Loss of Reverence Worship became casual. The sense of entering into something holy, something other, something eternal—faded. When reverence disappears, so does the awareness of God’s presence. 2. The Loss of a Sacramental Worldview The Church ceased to be understood as the place where heaven and earth meet. The sacraments were diminished, explained away, or treated as symbolic rather than real. Without this, worship becomes instruction or inspiration—but not encounter. 3. The Shift from Participation to Observation The congregation became an audience. Worship became something to watch rather than something to enter. And once that shift occurs, formation gives way to consumption. The Consequence The result is a Church that is: Present, but not powerful Active, but not formative Gathered, but not deeply rooted This is what we mean by thin faith. It is not unbelief. It is not rebellion. It is something more subtle—and, in many ways, more dangerous. It is a faith that lacks depth, structure, and endurance. A faith that feels, but does not hold. A faith that attends, but is not anchored. What Must Be Recovered If the diagnosis is correct, then the solution is not merely to increase attendance or expand programs. It is to recover what the Church has always been. 1. The Recovery of Liturgy Not as ritual for its own sake, but as the ordered worship that forms the soul over time. Liturgy teaches us how to pray, how to confess, how to believe. It shapes us—week by week—into a people who know God. 2. The Recovery of Discipline Faith is not sustained by inspiration alone. It requires habit: Daily prayer Regular Scripture Consistent worship Without discipline, faith becomes fragile. 3. The Recovery of the Church as Given The Church is not something we create or customize. It is something we receive. It stands above us, not beneath us. It forms us, not the other way around. Until this is understood again, the cycle will continue. A Final Word The Church is not empty. But in many places, she is unformed. The problem is not simply that fewer people come. It is that those who come are not being shaped into something that can endure. And yet, this is not cause for despair. It is cause for clarity. For if the problem is named rightly, it can be addressed faithfully. The answer is not novelty. It is not reinvention. It is not accommodation. It is recovery. The recovery of reverence. The recovery of formation. The recovery of the Church as she has been given. For only a formed Church can form a people. And only a formed people can stand.

Pennsylvania Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez COMMENTARY By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org April 4, 2026 By any measure, the Episcopal Church is slowly but surely dying — emptying parishes, merging dioceses, aging congregations, and slowly filling columbaria. It has been a long time coming. Across the country, especially in the Midwest, churches are rapidly going out of business. Put simply: no Gospel, no Great Commission — just the great omission, with plenty of talk about racism, reparations, and forgettable sermons. The inevitable result is decline and death. Now it has hit the Diocese of Pennsylvania with a vengeance. An Episcopal News Service report this week revealed that 26 church properties — out of a total of 136 — are out of business and will be sold off for housing developments, the latest rebranded mission of the church. That is nearly 20 percent of the diocese, and the pain is not over. In practical terms, the diocese has determined that 2.5 million square feet of its church properties are underutilized. Many of these buildings are more than 100 years old and carry high maintenance costs. The official language reads like a real estate developer's sales pitch. The diocese calls it a "Transformative Initiative" — which is a bit like the Titanic sinking and someone spinning it as a transformative moment for deep-sea marine life. Here is the official statement: "For years under Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez's leadership, the diocese has sought ways to reimagine and revive that space for new cost-effective uses. It is now acting on a plan, dubbed the Transformation Initiative, that could add more than 1,000 housing units to church properties through a new partnership with the Michaels Organization, one of the United States' largest developers of multifamily housing." Separately, the diocese sold its Wapiti retreat center in Maryland in 2021 for $4 million — seed money now earmarked for the Transformation Initiative — after determining it was no longer financially or spiritually viable due to declining participation. Those of us who remember the long arguments over the retreat center's fate during the tenure of disgraced bishop Charles Bennison will find the déjà vu uncomfortable. This is death by a thousand cuts. The Episcopal Church has long specialized in finding high-sounding language to dress up the obvious. According to the ENS report, more rounds of cuts are coming — all in the name of "housing mission," TEC's newest holy endeavor. Within five years the diocese could be half its present size. It's Not Just Pennsylvania Other dioceses face similar trajectories over the coming decade. The Diocese of Missouri has been working with its congregations on deferred maintenance after commissioning professional inspections of each church building. The Diocese of Los Angeles has set a goal of creating affordable housing on at least 25 percent of its properties across southern and central California. Under the Pennsylvania plan, the diocese will partner with the Michaels Organization to build housing units on church-owned land. The properties remain owned by the diocese; rental revenues will be reinvested in congregations and their ministries. Developments are expected to range from 30 to 150 units per site, with a mix of workforce housing, affordable housing, market-rate units, and housing for those 55 and older. Crucially, the initiative does not require demolishing active worship spaces. Redevelopment will focus on underutilized land such as parking lots and vacant rectories. Construction is expected to begin by late 2026. Albert Dandridge III, who chairs the Transformation Initiative, framed it plainly: "We're hoping to be able to generate revenues from underutilized properties, for the benefit of the diocese and the benefit of those churches." Bishop Gutiérrez offered a more theological framing: "Liberated by the anxiety of structures, we can go out and serve the poor, reflecting the hope and love of our Savior. All things are being made new, and in the process, we are building a community and preparing for the next 250 years." 250 YEARS! the irony should not be missed: a church that has steadily emptied its pews while embracing pansexuality, is now hoping real estate revenue will fund the ministry it could not sustain through evangelism. END

News Analysis | By David W. Virtue | Ottawa | September 2, 2004 OTTAWA, ON — These are the stories that both embarrass and convict revisionist Episcopal and Canadian Anglican priests, bishops and archbishops. They also anger theologians like Jeffrey John and William Countryman, and send former bishops like Jack Spong and Walter Righter into theological orbit. They are also the stories that confuse and confound the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, author of The Body's Grace, whose desire it is for us all to get along, acknowledging our differences but staying together no matter what. But you see, it's the "no matter what" part that is troubling to so many. And for three former homosexuals — two rectors, one a woman, and a layman — the "no matter what" rings hollow when you listen to their stories of God's saving love and redeeming grace to change and heal. These are not stories of blinding Damascus road experiences, but the dogged, plodding realization that something is deeply wrong in their sexual psyches and impulses, and they are powerless without God's help to change. And one by one their moving stories of deliverance from the homosexual lifestyle, addiction to pornography, rape, abuse and violence are told. There are no dry eyes as 700 orthodox Canadian Anglicans listen attentively. There is the story of Dawn McDonald, now an Anglican priest. "Being an ex-gay is even more difficult than being gay. To many in the Anglican Church, my story is 'politically incorrect', and there is opposition from every corner. I know where I have been, and I know what the Lord has done in my life. Take it or leave it, this is a story of the Gospel and how it transformed my life." "As far back as I can remember I always had a feeling that I was different. I wanted to be a boy and I delighted in nicknames like 'Tomboy'. For all intents and purposes, I was certain that I was a boy in a girl's body." For grade 7 she was sent to a girls' school, where she met a strong attraction toward one of her classmates. After that school year, she was transferred to a local Japanese school and encouraged to date boys. She was always aware of her homosexual tendencies, but felt her faith in Christ required her to live as a straight person. At 20, she entered into a homosexual relationship that lasted 13 years; the lifestyle felt right, and she was certain she was "born" homosexual. But Dawn's story included also what she calls the "dark" stuff. "When I was born, my father wanted a boy, and I grew up feeling I was a great disappointment to my father. To complicate things, I was being sexually abused by my father's students. Like all kids who are sexually abused, I felt very 'dirty' and ashamed of myself." When she was 18 her parents sent her to Nova Scotia. She was raped by her grandfather, and when she sought help from her uncle, he raped her as well. She ran to California and ended up on the streets. An uncle helped her return to Japan. Her father greeted her with anger. At 20, she became a missionary in a Pentecostal church in Japan. "I had no formal training and I was not prepared to face the sufferings that came from discriminations they faced, nor was I prepared for the high suicide rate. I was questioning the very existence of God when I met the Australian woman who offered me the comfort that I desperately wanted. I made my choice then to walk away from my Christian beliefs." After 13 years in the homosexual relationship, she was in a car accident and found herself in hospital. "Through this experience, I came to realize that I was given a 'second chance' to make the most of my life. I found myself waking up in the middle of the night singing, 'Father, I adore you... Jesus, I adore you... Spirit, I adore you.' I was claimed for Christ at my baptism, and God was now claiming me back!" About a month later, Dawn went to an Anglican parish church for the first time in 14 years. Today she is the priest at Holy Cross Japanese Canadian Anglican Church in Vancouver, Canada. Now she stands before the crowd, her testimony told — she lifts her face and smiles through the tears. She has been made whole. The crowd rises to its feet. Then there is the story of 42-year-old Darryl, a man who first felt same-sex attractions when he was fourteen. Raised as a "cradle Anglican" in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he always cherished his Anglican heritage and valued the sacramental and apostolic traditions of the church. He was confused about his homosexual attractions in junior high school, feeling ashamed and embarrassed, sensing he was different from his peers. "Only God knows how often I prayed and begged Him to change my unwanted orientation. In an abusive cycle of fantasy, pornography, masturbation, guilt, and begging forgiveness, I tried, in my own strength, to turn away from homosexual desire. I agonized for more years than I care to remember." At 22 he moved to a different city to study Psychiatric Nursing. "Using pornography as a tension reliever, I came in contact with other men with similar desires, but I was too terrified to act out with another person. Feeling frightened, I went to my parish priest who was empathetic and prayerful, but I felt that he did not understand me, and I never went back." Returning to Winnipeg at 26, he started cruising gay areas in his car, eventually acting out with another man. "It was a very dark day for me. It quickly led to out-of-control behaviors and the development of an addiction to anonymous sexual contact with other men. My anguish intensified as I kept this life secret." Darryl reached the end of his rope when he got a call from the Public Health Department — he was named as a possible contact for Chlamydia. Mercifully, all tests were negative. "I made a promise to myself: If I'm clean, then I'm going to get help." He immediately made an appointment to see his priest, and began a long season of counseling, then a referral to New Direction for Life Ministries, an affiliate of Exodus North America. Darryl remembers the most difficult day of his life: "telling my girlfriend of my homosexual struggles, and offering her the choice of continuing or ending our relationship. She bravely said 'Yes' to us. She is now my wife of ten years. We also have two wonderful daughters. Never have I felt so whole or complete." "Mental health literature contains many valid examples and documented cases of men and women who have successfully changed their sexual orientation. Change is possible, and determination to change is the key to success." Darryl says he has personally witnessed hundreds of people who have found release from same-sex attractions. "You can be free," he told his fellow Anglicans. This crowd of 700 Anglicans are once again moved by this testimony of God's grace and rise to their feet. Then there is the story of Don, now a priest in his 50s. He grew up seeing very little of his father. "I equated homosexual activity with the desire for male bonding. I wanted to please a man as much as possible, beyond sexual activity." Don went on to university and graduated in Los Angeles at the time of the emergence of AIDS. "A few moments of sexual pleasure did not touch my deepest needs." Don became a lapsed Anglican. But in 1989 Don had a born-again experience. "I saw in the sermon that I wanted to blame someone and not myself. I now saw that there were no excuses. I could no longer blame God, my father or brothers." Don believes the cruelty of liberal theology is that it prevents people from experiencing the liberating power of Jesus Christ. The crowd roars its approval. These stories reflect the scope of what God has done and continues to do in surrendered lives. They are, above all, stories of love and forgiveness, wholeness and healing, redemption and grace — they are the stories of grace that is greater than all our sin.

BISHOPS TO BREAKAWAY PARISHES By Larry B. Stammer | Los Angeles Times | September 4, 2004 Moving to assert control over three breakaway parishes, the Episcopal bishop of Los Angeles on Friday appointed two assistant bishops to serve the congregations and said he would appoint new lay governing boards. The move by the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, communicated in letters dated Sept. 1 but delivered Friday, escalated what probably will be a protracted legal battle over ownership of the parish property and Bruno's jurisdiction over the breakaway priests. An attorney for the three parishes on Friday rejected Bruno's claims and said services would go on as usual Sunday, led by the three breakaway priests. "The people of these churches want to exercise their freedom of choice to worship God in the buildings they alone have erected and supported," said attorney Eric C. Sohlgren of Irvine. Janet Kawamoto, a spokeswoman for Bruno, said there were no plans to dispatch the assistant bishops to the parishes Sunday. Sohlgren said the bishops would be welcome to worship, but not to disrupt services. In the letters, Bruno said that effective immediately, the Rt. Rev. Robert M. Anderson would assume charge of All Saints' Church in Long Beach and St. James Church in Newport Beach. The Rt. Rev. Sergio Carranza would take over St. David's Church in North Hollywood. Bruno also served notice that new vestries were being appointed. Two weeks ago, the three parishes announced that they had left the Episcopal Church and no longer considered Bruno their bishop. They charged that the Episcopal Church had drifted from historic Christian understandings of biblical truth. One of the priests cited the denomination's consecration of an openly gay priest as bishop of New Hampshire as an example. They also objected to Bruno's decision last May to bless the same-sex union of a senior priest. They said they had affiliated with the Anglican Church in Uganda, which, like the Episcopal Church, is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi welcomed the three parishes and said they were now under the immediate supervision of one of his bishops, the Rt. Rev. Evans M. Kisekka of the Ugandan Diocese of Luweero. But Bruno said he would not surrender jurisdiction. Bruno also wrote that unless the priests recanted and returned to the church within six months, they would be stripped of their priesthoods.

By George Weigel This past summer I had a pleasant dinner with a senior British churchman who happened to be visiting Cracow while I was teaching there. His Grace was, in many respects, an Anglican prelate straight from central casting: handsome, charming, urbane, impeccably attired, emotions under control, disclaimers always preceded by a "perhaps." Earlier in the day, he had gone to Wadowice, the Pope's birthplace, and was clearly moved to have seen the roots from which a great Christian witness had sprung. What was disconcerting about our conversation was that it never touched on theology. We discussed at length the impact on the Anglican Communion and the Anglican-Catholic dialogue of last year's decision by the Diocese of New Hampshire to ordain as the local bishop a man who has lived for years with his homosexual lover — this, after divorcing his wife in a church ceremony. My interlocutor suggested, politely, that the real problem here was one of management, or perhaps of manners: U.S. Episcopalians had rushed into this before the rest of the Anglican Communion had had a chance to adjust its thinking. That the Gene Robinson case in New Hampshire engaged some core theological questions — including the Church's claim to be the bearer of moral truth — did not seem to be at the top of my dinner companion's menu of concerns. Later in the summer I remembered this conversation when reading several reviews of the memoirs of George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury. Carey argues that, as John Paul II has experienced more physical difficulties, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has taken the Catholic Church in a new direction, undercutting the Pope's heroic personal witness. The evidence for this? The 2000 Vatican document Dominus Iesus, which reaffirms the unique salvific mission of Jesus Christ. Really? Dominus Iesus contains 102 footnoted citations; fifty of them are taken from the documents of the Second Vatican Council. Another thirty-seven citations are from the magisterium of John Paul II, who, as Dominus Iesus states, approved the document "with sure knowledge and by his apostolic authority." Carey also blames Ratzinger and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for the strained relations between Rome and Canterbury over the Anglican admission of women to the ordained ministry. But this makes no sense. Carey's predecessor, Archbishop Robert Runcie, had been told in letters from the Pope and from Cardinal Johannes Willebrands that Anglican approval of the ordination of women would raise extremely grave questions about the future of the Anglican-Catholic dialogue. Runcie replied that there were indeed serious theological and ecumenical issues in play — and then proceeded to make the case for ordaining women on strictly sociological grounds. Which leads to the awkward but inescapable thought that some high-ranking Anglican prelates of recent vintage have suffered from a dramatic theology deficit. Lord Carey's successor, Dr. Rowan Williams, is a formidable and well-regarded theologian. Whether he can convince his fellow bishops of the Anglican Communion to think theologically, rather than sociologically and politically, about central questions of Christian doctrine and Church order would seem to be one of his greatest challenges. If Dr. Williams is unsuccessful — if senior Anglican figures continue to treat the Gene Robinson affair as a management problem, while others blame ecumenical chilliness on Cardinal Ratzinger — then before too much time has passed, many Catholics will sadly but ineluctably conclude that what styles itself an Anglican "Communion" is in fact a fraternity of quarreling Protestant sects. George Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

By Christopher Morgan and Sarah Keenlyside | The Sunday Times | September 5, 2004 The Church of England will ordain more women than men to the priesthood next year for the first time in its history. The proportion of female priests has been rising since they were first ordained in 1994, a change mirrored by congregations which are also becoming increasingly female. Next year the official projection of the Church of England's planned ordinations is 124 women and 123 men. In July Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, ordained 14 priests in his cathedral. Nine of them were women and only five were men. Last year the Bishop of Salisbury ordained 18 women priests and only eight men. About half of those in training for the priesthood are now women. The dramatic change raises the prospect of the Church of England becoming similar to professions such as nursing and teaching, where females dominate. David Martin, a sociologist, said: "It's obvious that over time the priesthood will become increasingly a female profession. As far as the church has a future it will include a predominant ministry of women and they will get to the top." Not everyone is thrilled at the prospect. Edwin Barnes, former Bishop of Richborough, said that he was appalled by the "feminisation of the Church of England." He added: "It will be one more step on the road to the division of the church. This is reducing the church's authority. It's becoming risible." As the number of women priests has increased, so has the proportion of women attending church. Church researchers say that the 45% to 55% male to female split in parish congregations 10 years ago has now shifted to a 37% to 63% split in favour of women. Some clerics believe that this is because men are being deterred from going to church rather than that women priests are attracting more females. Robbie Low, a traditionalist cleric, said: "Men see a decreasing place for themselves in an organisation dominated by militant feminism." Christina Rees, a supporter of the women's cause in the General Synod, praised the role of women priests. "The characteristics associated with the Christian lifestyle — namely patience, gentleness and kindness — are normally associated with feminine qualities. Jesus showed many feminine traits as well as masculine ones. The church could do with a strong dose of feminisation to help it to become more Christ-like." About 300 clergymen, however, are said to be considering leaving the church if the decision is taken to consecrate women bishops. If the synod approves the ordination of women bishops, it may also consider setting up an independent province which would have neither women priests nor women bishops. About a fifth of Church of England priests are now women.

By David W. Virtue | Ottawa | September 2, 2004 OTTAWA, ON — Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, leader of the U.S. Anglican Communion Network, got a standing ovation from 700 orthodox Canadian Anglicans at their ESSENTIALS conference this week, and then he launched into an appeal for unity across geographic borders, saying it was "the work of the enemy to divide us." "We will be close allies in a biblically-driven, orthodox, remnant gathering, uniting and missionary movement, and He who has called you is faithful and he will do it," said the Evangelical Catholic bishop, citing Paul's letter to the Thessalonians. Then he praised the Canadian orthodox Anglicans. "In forming Essentials you were the first to figure out how to put the charismatic, evangelical and Anglo-Catholics together, and when the terrible innovation moved forward in the Diocese of New Westminster, you stood so clearly showing to the world how it could be done," he told a receptive audience. "One of the great sadnesses as we get moving is that the enemy is always trying to divide us from each other; the AAC from the AMIA, the ACiNW from the ACiC, evangelicals from Anglo-Catholics — but these divisions are not of the Lord, they are of the enemy," he said. Duncan said the newly formed Canadian Conference of North American Anglican Bishops (CNAAB) must hang together or hang separately. "God is doing a new thing, so we must cooperate. We must see what God is doing with our corporate identity." Duncan said the ACN had grown "staggeringly" since its inception. "On August 5, 2003 I stood before the U.S. House of Bishops and said that the General Convention had broken the constitutions and strayed from the faith once delivered, and I said you are in schism with the whole Christian Church." "Six weeks later at a meeting in London Dr. Rowan Williams used the term 'The Network of Confessing Dioceses' suggesting a concept able to stand against the totalitarianism and the abuse of power and authority from ECUSA's revisionist leadership. In November four diocesans signed a memorandum of agreement. Nine more came on board. By January 2004 we had gathered in 12 dioceses and the Network was formed. Now three quarters of the world's Anglicans stand with us." Duncan said the Network now had 11 dioceses, within which are 1,100 clergy, 735 congregations, and 176,000 communicants. Beyond this base are 7 convocations, two of which are non-geographic, including Forward in Faith. The newest convocation is The Church of Nigeria in America (CONA) — started in May and growing by leaps and bounds. "The House of Bishops of Nigeria has called Nigerian Anglicans out of ECUSA and are forming this new convocation. There are some 500,000 ex-patriot Nigerians in the U.S. In partnership with the Network, the Church of Nigeria is determined to create new dynamic gospel-driven churches where Anglicans could go and find a recognizable liturgy and faith." 22 of 38 Anglican Provinces have declared broken or impaired Communion with ECUSA. 15 of these Provinces now officially recognize the Network. Additionally, three church groups outside ECUSA have declared Common Cause with the Network: AMiA, REC and APA, adding a total of 232 congregations and 35,000 communicants. "God is doing this new work. We didn't do it, it is not our plan — God is the one who is doing it," said Duncan. "The way forward is in Him. God gave us a vision of a united, orthodox, missionary movement, gospel living, gospel preaching church." Duncan said the orthodox must give up their idols, bishops included. "We need to give up our pride and the fractures we have caused. God does not use unbroken men and women. The way forward is together. God is building a new Anglicanism in North America."

Anglican Communion Will Be Reshaped. Anglican Communion Office to Close. Special Report | By David W. Virtue | September 3, 2004 The Lambeth/Eames Commission's report is going to have teeth; it will be disastrous for the Anglican Communion's pansexualists; there will be some kind of "formal suspension" of The Episcopal Church, following which there will be a radical restructuring of the Anglican Communion that could see the dissolution of the Anglican Communion Office in London because of its ultra-liberal pro-Western stance. The Queen has apparently made it clear to Dr. Rowan Williams that she will not permit the break up of the Anglican Communion over the gay issue, and that Williams must do everything to see that the orthodox are not "penalized" for their views, sources in London told Virtuosity. Virtuosity was told that Dr. Williams has made it clear that he will come down on the side of unity and will not risk losing the orthodox wing of the church. The Anglican Communion will not break up, Virtuosity was told, but the liberals — including the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold — are "living in complete denial" about what is going to happen to them. Two sources made it clear to Virtuosity that the Lambeth/Eames Commission "will have teeth," it will not be an "Anglican fudge" and it will be "disastrous for the church's gays." If the communion does break up it will be only because the orthodox choose to leave. Religion Correspondent for the London Times, Ruth Gledhill, likened the new structure to the equivalent of a "federation" modeled along the lines of the Lutheran Church Federation. Another analogy is that the shape of the communion will be like a wheel with the Archbishop of Canterbury at the center — the provinces of the Anglican Communion will be like the spokes — but "the rim will disappear." "The Anglican Communion Office will disappear because it has been funded by the American Episcopal Church and they will withdraw its funding," said a liberal source. It will also cease to be relevant to the shape of the new Communion. A source close to the Commission told Virtuosity that the choice is between the vibrant, burgeoning church of the Global South or a declining liberal Western Church — and this is a no-brainer for the Archbishop. The Lambeth Commission is under extreme pressure to find a solution to the Communion's struggles. What is truly needed is for the ECUSA and the leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada to repent and remove V. Gene Robinson, and for Griswold to publicly and honestly admit that when he signed the declaration at Lambeth and proceeded to carry out the actions he had signed to oppose, to say so and repent. The idea of a complete and total exclusion of the ECUSA from the worldwide body is not likely to happen, but temporary measures will be imposed in order for the Episcopal Church and Griswold to repent of his actions. If that does not happen, more serious action will be taken. The commission, chaired by Dr. Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland, is made up of representatives of both the conservative, liberal and catholic wings of the Anglican Church from both the West and the Global South. Bitter fighting has been going on in the Episcopal Church since the consecration of V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, with more than a dozen Primates having declared themselves in either impaired or broken communion with the Episcopal Church. The Nigerian Church will shortly send a bishop to the U.S. and is already planting new evangelical Anglican churches on American shores. A number of orthodox Primates have already taken several Episcopal Churches under their protection in response to the crisis.