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Dean Credited for Growth of City's Largest Episcopal Church Sunday, August 01, 2004 Greg Garrison, News Staff Writer The Rev. Paul Zahl will say goodbye to his flock today at Cathedral Church of the Advent after a decade of growth inspired by his sometimes controversial theological flair. "I say things sharply and carry it to the limit to engage a listener," said Zahl, who leaves Monday for Ambridge, Pa., to become the dean and president of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry. "I hope I gave most people room to disagree." Since he took over as dean of the Advent in 1995, Zahl has helped expand membership from about 2,400 to 3,424 at Birmingham's largest Episcopal church. Sunday attendance grew from less than 900 to 1,249. And the annual budget doubled, to more than $3.4 million. "I think it's been Paul's preaching," said the Rev. John Harper, the vice-dean who takes over as interim dean Monday. "It's his message and his style." Zahl will preach at the 7:30, 9 and 11 a.m. services today and teach his dean's class for the last time at 10 a.m., with a reception after the 11 a.m. service. When Zahl takes the pulpit, the sermons tend to overflow with cultural as well as biblical references. He quotes rock music lyrics and makes literary or cinematic allusions to novels, little-known scholarly treatises, obscure foreign films and 1950s American science fiction movies. "I don't think he's ever forgotten anything he's read or seen," said Harper, who noted that Zahl draws a youthful crowd. Eighty percent of the downtown congregation is age 55 or younger, more than half is under 40. "I didn't come in worrying about membership or financial giving," Zahl said. "I trusted the message." Zahl, 53, came to Advent after earning his doctorate in theology from the University of Tubingen in Germany and kept a high profile in international theological circles. He especially played a prominent role last year as a voice of opposition when the Episcopal Church approved its first openly gay bishop. "There's no question I came on very strong," Zahl said. "The stakes were so high and continue to be so high. It was of rather decisive significance." That prompted a dramatic symbolic move. Zahl hung a black flag outside the cathedral for two days after the vote to approve New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson. "I got severe criticism," Zahl said. "I got a tremendous amount of support. It was an important symbolic gesture to make it plain that something very important was at stake." "He said if he had it to do over, he would still hang the flag. "I would take it down immediately after it was noticed. I think it stayed up too long. Five hours would have been long enough." "I feel I'm leaving the Advent on a wave of goodwill," he said. "We have never been happier in all our 30 years in ministry. We've never felt better received or better understood." Trinity has a reputation for producing priests who are willing to take on tough assignments, revitalizing dying parishes. It also stands for traditional, orthodox Christianity and opposition to the denomination's growing acceptance of same-sex unions. "Trinity has a reputation as a rallying point for dissenters," Zahl said. The problem has been that bishops won't send their priest candidates to Trinity. "Most bishops will accept our graduates as clergy," Zahl said. "Our problem has been that bishops won't send candidates to us to be trained. I hope many bishops will look at us in a new way." "The fruit of transformed lives is the lasting testimony," Zahl said.

News Analysis By David W. Virtue Two American Episcopal bishops and a seminary Dean are in Africa trying to understand why African Anglican Provinces and their bishops will have nothing to do with ECUSA's theological and moral innovations. The three are John Lipscomb, Diocesan Bishop of Southwest Florida, Ted Daniels, Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Texas and Titus Pressler, Dean of the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest. Dr. Pressler wrote a letter from Nairobi, Kenya, explaining their 12-day mission. "The purpose of the trip is to have conversations with African bishops in the context of the current tensions in the Anglican Communion. We hope to build relationships that can strengthen our communion in Christ, even as we aware of differences." Pressler says that formal statements publicized by many parties are not as good as "face-to-face conversation." The trip is being pushed by Frank Griswold, ECUSA's Presiding Bishop who is now persona non grata in most of Africa. "We view the trip as a pilot project in having conversation and building relationships. The keynotes are listening and vulnerability." Pressler positions it theologically on the "incarnation of God." Titus Pressler is either ignorant, a fool, or he thinks he can pull the wool over the eyes of bishops and Primates of the Global South. "Pressler's assumption that the good ship ECUSA can stay afloat because part of the hull is intact is simply wrong. Just because ECUSA shares some things with the Christian Faith, the places where it doesn't, leave gaping holes below the water line," said EKKLESIA leader Canon Bill Atwood who acts as a go between for orthodox bishops in the West with those in the Global South. "The trip is a pernicious strategy to use weak bishops that voted against Robinson but support Frank Griswold. Griswold is clearly behind this whole trip in an effort to find weak links in Africa," said Atwood. And Pressler's own seminary recently approved of homosexuals and lesbians who come to his seminary to cohabit in the dorms, something that is totally anathema to Global South Primates and bishops. They won't even send their seminarians there any more. Why then should the Africans listen to anything Pressler has to say? He goes to Africa as head of a morally flawed seminary and expects graceful conversation. In his dreams. Pressler says he views the trip as being about "conversation". Now that's a buzzword for, we'll listen to you, if you listen to us about sodomy and then you agree that you are wrong and we are right. Then he talks about "listening" and "vulnerability". Let me explain what these words means in the cultural context of the ECUSA. The orthodox have been listening to Episcopal homosexualists whine for over 30 years about sodomy, and all it has done is polarize the Episcopal Church to the extent that we now have two churches inside one. The three not so wise men should have stayed at home. They could have spent the plane fare on supporting an AIDS clinic in South Africa, it would have done more good. They will get nothing but smiles, nods and hospitality from the Africans, because the Africans are unfailingly hospitable and polite even to those who disagree with them, but that is all they will get. Come October and they will learn just how far off base they have been, and by next February they will be crying in their empty cupcakes. But no one can say they were never warned.

By R. Albert Mohler Jr. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- In this strange postmodern age, heretics find themselves in a very strange predicament. Various skeptics, revisionists, liberal theorists and atheists have been undermining the faith for more than a century. By this time, virtually every heresy has been expounded by numerous proponents. The creative heretic of the contemporary age has to come up with some new angle or bizarre new theory to promote. Nevertheless, never discount the diabolical ingenuity of those who intend to subvert biblical truth and the Christian faith. The latest evidence of the heretical imagination comes from Professor Theodore W. Jennings Jr. of Chicago Theological Seminary. Just when you think you've encountered just about every possible heresy, along comes something so shocking that it demands painful attention. In "The Man Jesus Loved: Homoerotic Narratives From the New Testament," Ted Jennings argues not only that Jesus approved of same-sex relationships -- but that He was involved in one. Jennings explains that his book is "an attempt to carefully and patiently explore texts from the Gospels that suggest something about Jesus' own erotic attachments and the attitude toward same-sex relationships that may be fairly extrapolated from the traditions about Jesus." He admits that his argument "departs from what has been the norm of discussion." That qualifies as a disingenuous understatement. What Jennings proposes is a radical re-reading of the New Testament material in order to claim Jesus not only as a proponent of the homosexual movement but as a man involved in homoerotic relationships. He intends to appropriate the Bible for a "gay-positive perspective." Of course, the Bible contains explicit statements condemning homosexual activity in all forms. Jennings explains that the biblical material dealing with homosexuality can be reduced to five texts -- two verses from Leviticus and three from the New Testament. What Jennings proposes is to ignore those specific texts and to jump over the entire argument by appealing to an absurd reading of the entire New Testament for evidence justifying homoerotic relationships and attraction. Jennings, a United Methodist, argues that his approach is "pro-gay" rather than defensive in dealing with the biblical texts. Reading the Old Testament, he finds parallels in the relationship between Jonathan and David or Ruth and Naomi. Those unfamiliar with the bizarre science of liberal theology and modern biblical studies may be unfamiliar with the way the post-Christian scholars approach the text. Rather than dealing with the text as it is given and clearly intended to be understood, they look for hidden "strategies" by which the text can be read to mean the opposite of what it clearly states. Anyone reading the Bible in an honest and straightforward manner will come face to face with the reality that the Bible communicates an unequivocal and clear message concerning homosexuality. The Bible not only condemns same-sex attraction and acts but also explains that the whole complex of homosexuality is a form of direct rebellion against God's Word and God's design in creation. Jennings teaches at Chicago Theological Seminary in the field of biblical and constructive theology. He is also credited with being a founder of their gay and lesbian studies program. But even in this company Jennings presents a radical argument. The concept of a homosexual Jesus has been promoted by peripheral figures such as playwright Terrence McNally in his infamous 1998 play "Corpus Christi" and Robert Williams, the late Episcopal priest ordained by Bishop John Shelby Spong. Jennings is the first to argue for Jesus' participation in homoerotic relationships from within the mainstream academy. In order to make his case, Jennings turns especially to the Gospel of John and to its author, described as the disciple "whom Jesus loved." He works through various New Testament texts in order to find parallels, arguing that the youth in the garden (Mark 14:50-52) was a homosexual prostitute and that the centurion's servant healed by Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10) was his homosexual lover. Clearly, Jennings' obscene theory is the monstrosity. His book is not only an assault upon traditional Christian sexual ethics, but upon the person of Jesus Christ. In all its ugliness, it is a desperate ploy to undermine the Christian faith in order to support sexual practices and lifestyles condemned in the Scripture. We should note that the publication of this book tells us as much about the world of liberal theological education as it does about Professor Jennings and his demented agenda. Chicago Theological Seminary is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, a denomination that grew out of American Congregationalism and has been on a steady march leftward over the last half century or more. Professor Jennings and his horribly offensive new book are prime exhibits of the anti-Christian ideologies accepted by the theological left and its fellow travelers. Determined to undermine Christianity at every turn, liberal theology is losing its mind. R. Albert Mohler Jr. is president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

By Pat Hurst, PA News. 8/1/2004 A new Archbishop of York must stand firm on the divisive issue of gay clergy, traditionalists in the Church of England said today. The present Archbishop David Hope famously described his own sexuality as a "grey area" when confronted by Peter Tatchell's gay right's group Outrage. Crucially for the church he also said he led a celibate life. Today Reverend Rod Thomas, a spokesman for Reform, an evangelical group on the traditional wing of the Church opposed to gay priests, said: "He was someone who played to different parts of the church. He has a slightly mixed history. What is crucial is not looking back but looking forwards. In many ways the out going Archbishop has been a friend to evangelicals and to anybody that believes in orthodox Christian church. The question for the future is, who will succeed him? It is vital the person who succeeds him clearly stands by the authority of the bible." Richard Kirker, a spokesman for Lesbian and Gay Christians, said: "I think his contribution has been ambiguous at best." Mr Kirker, a former curate in the Church of England, said the appointment of the next archbishop may be a liberal in the same way of thinking as the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. "It is widely believed that David Hope was largely responsible for Rowan Williams' appointment and got his way. I think that if Rowan Williams were now to find that his number two was antagonistic towards opening up these issues then he would be put in a very difficult position."

Archbishop 'To Return to Parish' BBC News The Church of England's second most senior bishop has resigned and will return to being a parish priest. Dr. David Hope, who has been Archbishop of York for nine years, will be invested in a more junior role by one of his own bishops in March 2005. The archbishop will swap his palace in York and a £60,000 salary for the rectory at St Margaret's, in Ilkley near Bradford, and just £18,500-a-year. But Dr. Hope insisted he won't miss any of the luxuries of a bishop's life. He told BBC News he felt it was time to move on. He said: "It has been something that has been rumbling around in my mind and heart for a couple of years. I will have done nearly 20 years as a bishop. It is the sort of time that you ought to be moving on." During his time as archbishop Dr. Hope has aligned himself with traditionalists in the Anglican church. He has opposed the ordination of women and has warned that the internet could limit human interactions. He said St Margaret's in Ilkley, a town of around 5,500 people, was attractive to him because of the "traditional values" of its people. "Clearly I sympathise with their background. I'm looking forward to it. It is clearly a change and a challenge," he said. "I thought it would be good to conclude my ministry where I began - as a parish priest," he added. Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams described Dr. Hope as "unfailingly effective" and "one of God's great gifts to the church". Dr. Williams said: "In every post he has filled he has brought to bear a deep common sense, a complete unpompous attitude, a ready sympathy for all and an irrepressible dead-pan humour. I shall miss him more than I can easily say, as a colleague whose wise advice and constant support have made a huge difference to my own ministry." BBC correspondent Jane Little said Dr. Hope has made no secret of his desire to return to what he has called the "real ministry" of parish practice. She said: "Dr. Hope, as an opponent of women priests, has had the support of traditionalists within the church and some have seen him as a counterweight to the more liberal Archbishop of Canterbury. His departure could not come at a more sensitive time for the embattled church." Dr. Hope, 64, can continue as a parish priest until the age of 70.

The second bombshell came late Friday night when a two-page letter was faxed to Virtuosity by a Nigerian priest in the US. The letter was a stunning rebuke by Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola of Dr. Rowan Williams over the appointment of yet another white male, and liberal at that, to the Anglican Communion Office in London to replace Canon John Peterson when, according to Akinola, there are any number of qualified Global South persons who would have been better suited for the job, and one who would have better reflected their theological outlook. Akinola was particularly incensed, accusing the Archbishop of "marginalizing and treating as irrelevant a very large segment of the Anglican Communion." Now Virtuosity has learned that Canon Kenneth Kearon, Director of the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin who will succeed Canon John L. Peterson as general secretary of the ACC is from the same liberal school when it comes to homosexual behavior. In an interview with BBC in Northern Ireland Canon Kearon said sex had been individualized and commercialized, but the Christian tradition said much about sexuality in relationship that would "resonate with many others". He did not explain what he meant by "many others." Gays perhaps? Furthermore he did not publicly repudiate homosexual behavior, a failure that could rebound on both him and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Global South Bishops and orthodox bishops of the West have publicly repudiated this behavior both at the 1998 Lambeth Conference and in subsequent primatial statements. One wonders how long all this can go on for. The deliberate snubbing of the Global South by Williams in this recent appointment; the deliberate effort to put Canon Jeffrey John, an openly gay man into a place of serious leadership in the Church of England; the consecration of a sodomite to the episcopacy in the US, and on and on it goes. There has to be an end to all this? Clearly the Global South and those orthodox remnants in the West are waiting on pins and needles for the Lambeth Commission to deliver itself of a verdict on Western revisionism, and Irish Primate Robin Eames will not be able to charm this one away. A British observer said his sticky fingers were all over the new ACC appointment in London. Why are we not surprised? THE THIRD BOMBSHELL The third bombshell came this week when the Church of England Evangelical Council made a submission to the Lambeth (Eames) Commission detailing a carefully reasoned, closely argued condemnation of recent theological and moral innovations in the US, Canada and the UK. By acting now the CEEC has adopted a first strike policy, retaliating quickly before the liberals swing into action. This group, like REFORM and others have seen what has happened in the ECUSA by waiting too long, prevaricating and trying to cut deals with revisionists. They know it won't work and so they are getting their oar in first and quickly. British Evangelicals also have another advantage. They are the largest, most powerful and richest segment of the Church of England and they can withhold money to make their point. And this week Britain's evangelicals intensified their battle over homosexuality by calling on hundreds of parishes to reject the spiritual authority of liberal bishops. REFORM the conservative evangelical network, announced plans for a national campaign in the statement to its 1,700 members. The group called on parishes to test whether their diocesan bishops held "orthodox" beliefs on homosexuality. If their bishops' views proved unacceptable, they were urged to declare themselves in "impaired communion" and to cap their contributions. The bottom line is that an apostate church that will not listen to its members voices will eventually hear from their pocketbooks. The Reform statement warned that the crisis would deepen if the Lambeth Commission failed to avert schism. IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH USA In the Diocese of Connecticut, Bishop Andrew Smith is ratcheting up the pain on half a dozen orthodox parishes that won't fall into line with his revisionist agenda. Conform or get out, he says. One church, St. Paul's Darien, is one of ECUSA's largest evangelical/charismatic churches. If he blows them off it will be a signal that charismatics have no future in the ECUSA. It is interesting to note that as ECUSA's revisionist bishops lower the theological standards and accept looser morals they are tightening up by using the church's canons and constitutions to keep their priests in line. Can one imagine for a moment that that is how Jesus would operate? Increasingly the ECUSA House of Bishops is like the "Top Gun" school for bores. It takes people who have certain natural facilities for pomposity, dresses them in purple, and turns them, by putting them in small groups at general conventions, into weapons of mass narcolepsy. In the Diocese of Southern Virginia, the rector and congregation of Grace Episcopal Church, Newport News, left The Episcopal Church. The Rev. R. Bolling "Bo" Bryant, the rector, and the wardens said they now wanted to be under the authority of the Anglican Mission in America. "Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that we the Rector and Vestry of Grace Church do resign as the official governing body of this parish and sever our connections with the Episcopal Church USA," they wrote the bishop. Reached for comment, "Bo" Bryant told Virtuosity that the parting from the diocese and the Bishop, David C. Bane, Jr. was amicable with the bishop declaring, "I want you to know that the people of Grace Church have been incredibly gentle, caring, and compassionate in this difficult process. They realize and fully accept that the physical property belongs to the Diocese of Southern Virginia and are doing everything within their power to insure that there is an orderly transition that reflects the fact that all of us are disciples of Jesus Christ. As difficult as this situation is I ask that you keep Bo and the people of the congregation in your prayer." The church, all 100 percent, walked out leaving the keys at the front door. They had no endowment. Word has it that a black church group will probably buy the building. Score another loss for revisionism. In the Diocese of Colorado a newspaper article provoked a heated debate between an orthodox priest and the head of the Diocesan Standing Committee with charges being traded about the cause for the potential closure of two parishes reported in the secular press. Money and bad theology is at the heart of the problem. And a lay person in the Diocese of Colorado, Deb Tenney who is involved with Communion Laity and Clergy of Colorado, A Voice for Orthodox Episcopalians, wrote Virtuosity to say that Bishop Rob O'Neill told her that he would not allow her to purchase ad space in the Episcopalian to publish a short article on the Communion Laity and Clergy "because he considers us an Episcopal parachurch group such as a pro-life or an environmental group who also would not make the editor's cut." Fascism with a smiley, revisionist face. And in the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast, a book written by the Rev. Dr. David McDowell-Fleming outlines why a diocese can get into trouble. His book The Deconstruction of a Diocese, How Defensive Responses and Controlling Personal Agendas lay the Groundwork for a Schism in the Church, is an excellent read. The Episcopal Church's official homosexual organization Integrity is hopping mad these days. Their financial support of $30,000 to the Uganda chapter has gone. Integrity-Uganda is no more. The Ugandans saw the light and gave the whole operation over to the new archbishop who will have nothing to do with sodomy. Integrity lost a small bundle. And from the Diocese of Tennessee, the Rt. Rev. Bert Herlong writes in the Jul/Aug 2004 issue of the Cross and Crozier that it is not news to anyone that there continues to be significant fallout and disruption in the Episcopal Church from the actions of the 74th General Convention. "Laity and clergy are continuing to react in ways that demonstrate their dissatisfaction. Then, of course, there is an equal and opposite reaction by those who disagree with them, contributing to the continuing unrest." This writer has had occasion to bump into Bishop Herlong at two recent events and I can assure you this bishop is made of the right stuff. He is tough and unyielding in dealing with revisionists in his diocese. He could teach some of the fence sitters a lesson. He brushes off threats of a presentment. "Let em try," he says. "I'm ready". Making their way across the African continent looking for love and understanding are three Episcopalians including two bishops, John Lipscomb of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, Ted Daniels, Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Texas and Titus Pressler Dean of the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. They say they have no agenda; they are just out there promoting "conversation," "listening" and "being vulnerable", the liberal trinity of ECUSA's Vain Hopes. These are all favorite buzzwords of men with little or no theology or understanding of what the Africans really believe in and won't compromise on. They are wasting their time and our money. And a Virtuosity numbers cruncher found that the 74% of bishops who voted for Quincy Bishop Keith Ackerman's GC Resolution B001 affirming basic doctrines of the faith voted AGAINST Robinson. 92% of those who voted against B001, voted for Robinson. The correlation is plain to see -- orthodoxy produces orthopraxis and vice versa. According to the current issue of "First Things", no one is to be ordained in the Church of Sweden unless he (or she) supports the ordination of women. In response, the presiding bishop of the Lutheran Church in Kenya has indicated his willingness to ordain men in Sweden who object to WO. And in Honolulu this week the American Psychological Association's Council of Representatives backed gay marriage. The nation's largest association of psychologists made its support official at the first day of the group's annual convention in Waikiki. But an orthodox Episcopal psychiatrist in South Carolina retorted that the American Psychiatric Association has never said homosexuality is good or right. "The only official thing they ever did on homosexuality was to say they were not going to consider it a medical issue, and I agree with them. Homosexuality is like adultery - it's a wrongful behavior; neither homosexuality nor adultery is a disease." And a study on sexuality is scheduled to come to a vote at the 2005 churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The revisionists have been watching carefully the Episcopalian crack-up and want to avoid the alienation of a couple of million members from the much larger ELCA. And thousands witnessed the opening of the Cathedral in Rwanda this week. The Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) and Rwanda's President Paul Kagame were among thousands of Anglican faithful who attended the official opening and blessing of John the Baptist Cathedral in Ruhengeri, Rwanda. An altar call made during the service saw 1,080 people accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior. All blessings, David W. Virtue DD

By David W. Virtue Dear Brothers and Sisters, Three major events shook the life of the Anglican Communion this week. The first was the announcement that Dan England, Director of Communications for the national Episcopal Church suddenly, and unexpectedly resigned. There had been no inkling of this. An official statement put out by Pat Mordecai at the church's headquarters said it was for "personal reasons." Griswold said that "the creative initiatives begun by Dan England during his approximately four years on the staff have been much appreciated and will continue to serve our ongoing communications efforts." His position will go temporarily to Robert Williams a homosexual from California who directs the Episcopal News Service and oversees media relations for the Episcopal Church. He will assume the title of Acting Director of Communications. But his departure immediately triggered speculation by the American Anglican Council who put out a press release, IS THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH LEADERSHIP IN DISARRAY? "Does Mr. England's resignation signal an acknowledgement that the approach chosen by ECUSA has proven ineffective, unsuccessful or even a complete failure? Does Mr. England's resignation indicate that the leadership of ECUSA is questioning its own direction, decisions and leadership? Did he in fact 'resign'?" Ironically part of Mr. England's job description was to deal with Internet communication which had gotten away from the revisionist leadership of the Episcopal Church. Griswold had moaned on several occasions about so called Internet communicators that were harming ECUSA's cause. The Presiding Bishop had obliquely attacked Virtuosity for its ability to get the word out about what ECUSA's revisionists are really doing to its faithful orthodox parishes and rectors in America, and clearly England had failed to dent this news ministry. Is the Episcopal Church leadership actually in serious disarray, and can ECUSA no longer afford to denigrate the voice of the Communion? Is 815 merely shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic? We will know more in time. An orthodox bishop who agreed to speak to Virtuosity on grounds of anonymity said England, who was a Baptist, was always friendly to the orthodox bishops, and there had been a very definite and growing friction between the official policies post general convention and the communications director. The bishop said that England was more on the conservative side of things and talked about marriage being exclusively between a man and a woman. I am not totally surprised he left, said the bishop. Attempts to reach England by this writer were unsuccessful.

By Ted Schroder   Ron Chernow, in his superb biography of Alexander Hamilton, recounts the final hours of the American founding father. After being fatally shot by vice president Aaron Burr in a duel, and transported back to Manhattan from Weehawken, N.J., he lay in an upstairs bedroom of William Bayard's mansion, slowly bleeding to death. When his wife and seven children (ranging in age from 2 to 20) had gathered around him, Chernow writes that Hamilton was preoccupied with spiritual matters and made it a matter of urgent concern to receive last rites from the Episcopal Church. He asked to see the Reverend Benjamin Moore, who was the rector of Trinity Church, the Episcopal bishop of New York, and the president of Columbia College. The eminent Moore balked at giving Hamilton holy communion as he wrestled with two nagging reservations. He thought duelling an impious practice and did not wish to sanction the confrontation with Burr. He also knew that Hamilton had not been a regular churchgoer. Hamilton's wife, Eliza, was the member of Trinity Church and very devout. Hamilton himself read the daily service from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer to his family when they were at their country home on Sunday. He was a Christian believer but not a member of Trinity Church. In desperation, Hamilton turned to a dear friend, the Reverend John M. Mason, the pastor of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, which stood near the Hamilton home on Cedar Street. When Mason entered the chamber, he took Hamilton's hand. Hamilton asked if Mason would administer communion to him. The pastor said that it gave him "unutterable pain" to receive from Hamilton any request to which he could not accede, but in the present instance any compliance would be incompatible with his obligations. He explained that "it is a principle in our churches never to administer the Lord's Supper privately to any person under any circumstances." Hamilton respected Mason's candor and prodded him no further. Mason tried to console Hamilton by saying that all men had sinned and were equal in God's sight. "I perceive it to be so," Hamilton said. "I am a sinner. I look to His mercy." As Mason told how Christ's blood would wash away his sins, Hamilton grasped his hand, rolled his eyes heavenward, and exclaimed with fervor, "I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ." Rebuffed by Mason, Hamilton redirected his hopes of communion to the skittish Benjamin Moore. The bishop now faced considerable pressure to appease Hamilton, whose friends thought it heartless to refuse a dying man's last wish. Willing to reconsider, the stern prelate returned to the scene at one o'clock that afternoon. Hamilton roused himself for one last burst of persuasion. "My dear Sir," he told Moore, "you perceive my unfortunate situation and no doubt have been made acquainted with the circumstances which led to it. It is my desire to receive communion at your hands. I hope you will not conceive there is any impropriety in my request." Then he added, "It has for some time past been the wish of my heart and it was my intention to take an early opportunity of uniting myself to the church by the reception of that holy ordinance." Hamilton expressed faith in God's mercy. After renouncing dueling, he said that he had no ill will against Burr and he meant him no harm, and he forgave all that had happened. At that point Moore relented and gave holy communion to Hamilton, who then lay back serenely and declared that he was happy. Why was receiving holy communion so important to Hamilton, and why should it be important to us? In Luke 22 the account of the Last Supper indicates that it took place within the context of the Passover meal, which commemorated the deliverance of the people of Israel from judgment and slavery. The Passover lamb was sacrificed and eaten, as a reminder of God's salvation through the Red Sea, and his gift of the Promised Land. Jesus takes this imagery and provides in himself the sacrifice on the Cross, so that we might travel safely through death and resurrection into the kingdom of God. He inaugurated a new covenant in his blood, which is poured out for us in his death. The bread broken and the wine poured, stands for his sacrifice for our salvation. The Bread and the cup is the outward part, or sign, eaten and drunk physically, that witnesses to us of the inward part, or thing signified, which is the body broken and the blood shed, taken spiritually by faith to remind us of the reality of our salvation. To a dying man it is the tangible witness that God loves him so much that he would give his only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The benefits of receiving the elements of communion are the strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine. What is required to receive this assurance of salvation and eternal life? "To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of their former sins, steadfastly purposing to lead a new life; have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death; and be in charity with all men." Alexander Hamilton knew those words because they were part of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer which was used at Trinity Church and he used at home to instruct his children. Therefore he prepared himself to receive holy communion with that in mind. After he had received communion he would have said with Benjamin Moore, what all who received communion would say, that they are assured of God's favor and goodness, that they are truly members incorporate in the mystical body of Christ, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of God's everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of God's dear Son. Receiving holy communion provides assurance of the truths of the Gospel and acts to strengthen one's faith in time of need. This is why Jesus said to the disciples in the upper room: "Do this in remembrance of me." Jesus did this on the eve of his death. Alexander Hamilton did this on the eve of his death. This is why it is important to us. The Rev. Ted Schroder is pastor of the chapel on Amelia Island Plantation in Florida. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. — END —

By Ted Schroder   "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist." (NIV) "Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth..." (RSV) (Ephesians 6:14) The belt held together the loose tunic of the soldier. It gave him freedom and security to go into action. "Girded" is the same word as translated "buckled." Jesus said, "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning..." (Luke 12:35) Jesus is saying, "Be ready for action. Be prepared for any eventuality that may come in life." A belt protects us from injuring ourselves. It gives us the support we need when we are bending over, or lifting heavy objects. It is worn by athletes in training, when they are lifting weights. A seat belt holds us within the zone of safety provided by the frame of our automobile. It prevents us from being thrown out of the vehicle and injured when we are involved in a collision or other kinds of accidents. Recently a woman driving on the Matthews Bridge in Jacksonville was not wearing a seat belt when she was involved in an accident. As a result she was thrown over the side of the bridge to her death. It was July 16, 1951 and I was 10 years old. That morning I woke to find my mother packing her suitcase. Normally a very self-possessed woman, that morning she was very emotionally distressed. She had reason to be. She had just received news that my father had been involved in an accident. With three of his best friends, he had driven to Christchurch, five hours away, to play in a golf tournament. Dad had just turned 40, the others were all in their thirties. One of them was our family attorney, Amos James, whose office was directly opposite the public library, and who let me read his National Geographic magazines when I went to return my books. After spending some time at the nineteenth hole, they returned in my father's car to the hotel. I was told by another friend that they were probably laughing at the jokes Ozzie Howat (34) was known to crack as they approached an unguarded railroad crossing. The driver was not paying attention and they were hit by a locomotive. My father's three closest friends were killed. He was found on the rear seat with the others on top of him. Despite it being his car, he had not been driving. The only survivor, he was to remain in hospital for many weeks recovering from his injuries. I will never forget the funeral of those three young men. The whole town turned out. There were truckloads of floral wreaths. It was an evil day. There were no seat belts. If they had been buckled up there is a possibility that my father's three friends would have survived. My contention is that we all need to be buckled up by the belt of truth if we are to survive when the locomotive of life comes barreling down on us and we are faced with the evil day of crisis. But what is this belt of truth? There are many who would say today that there is no truth, that we are surrounded by propaganda, with perception which distorts the truth, with facts which are seen from the viewers' perspective. Truth is increasingly seen as a dirty word, an attempt to manipulate and oppress others. There do not seem to be firm and reliable landmarks, no points that hold sure and unchanged in a sea of relativity. One person's view seems as good as any other, leaving the door open for people to believe in anything or nothing. But once truth is abandoned, the distinction between truth and falsity disappears. If we are tolerant of what anyone claims as truth we deny the possibility of contradiction. We wind up by saying that "all religions are the same," when they claim to be very different. Tolerance used to mean the respecting of real, hard differences. It has come to mean rejecting any claims to universal truth, and a belief in moral relativism — "you let me believe and behave what I think is true for me and I will not judge your beliefs and behavior." In other words tolerance has become a religious and moral libertarianism. We are all for openness, but when it is opposed to thinking that there is a right from wrong, it is hostile to being committed to any truth. The new dogmatism of the day teaches that a believer in compelling truth and who has convictions is dangerous and deluded. As a result life becomes a sea of meaninglessness where anything is morally permitted; where anyone's truth (opinion, belief) is as good as anyone else's, and there is no final word about who we are and what we are meant to become. All truth claims, including the denial that there is such a thing as truth, can be denied. There are no arguments that can prove one truth claim over another beyond any shadow of a doubt. All truth requires faith, the personal appropriation of the truth that is asserted. Each one of us has to buckle his own belt with the action of faith. Each of us has to commit ourselves to the truth of the claim that cannot be decisively proven, but to which we are willing to stake our lives on. We do it every day when we drive a car over a bridge, get on a plane or an elevator, write a check, deposit our money in a bank, buy something on the internet, sign a contract, take medication, undergo surgery, or marry someone. Each of us lives by the truth to which we have committed ourselves. Everyone is buckled up to one truth claim or another. The media bombards us with truth claims about the products and ideas it advertises. The entertainment industry promotes its own truth claims through stimulating excitement which usually comes through demeaning marriage in favor of extramarital sex, and portraying religion in critical ways. Family, tradition, church is seen to be repressive and individual amorality is championed. The central moral truth claim of Hollywood is to believe in yourself rather than anything outside of yourself. It is a belt of lies that leads to destructive lifestyles. We need a criterion of truth that will help us distinguish between truth and deceptive illusion. If we believe that all facts are subject to interpretation — which they are — how can we arrive at the truth that will guide us and be the rock on which we can build our lives? What is the belt of truth that gives us security and support in the evil day? We have to make a decision about the reality of God, about the existence of the spiritual, eternal world, and about the truth claims of the prophets, apostles, and, above all, Jesus. Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31,32) The belt of truth for the Christian believer is the teaching of Jesus. The Christian has committed himself to Jesus, and wants to live out the implications of that commitment in his life. We believe that the more the presence of Jesus lives in us, the more we will know true freedom. The more we experience the truth and wisdom of his teaching, the more we will be set free from bondage to sin to live life in all its fullness. When we are set free from self-centeredness, from self-absorption, the more we can discover the freedom of serving Christ and his kingdom of love and justice, and making a difference in the world. Instead of the truth of Jesus being seen to be oppressive and limiting, it is seen to be liberating and fulfilling. Many people will not marry because they don't want to be tied down, or committed, or have their options closed. They want their love to be "liquid" rather than solid as Zygmunt Bauman has described western lifestyles. As a result they are enslaved by their self-centeredness and never discover the joy of caring more for another than themselves. Many people do not want to commit themselves to Jesus as the truth, because it would close out other options. As a result they are left without a belt to hold them steady and protect them in their lives. To put on the belt of truth is to support yourself with a belief in, and a knowledge of, the truth as it is in Jesus. It is to be mastered by that truth. It is to be held together by that truth. It binds you and holds you together. It puts you on your feet and gives you the security and support you need to stand in the evil day. The truth of Christ is the first piece of God's armor we put on. Without it we are completely lost. A person needs a knowledge of who he is and what he is for to have meaning and purpose in his life. So we need a settled conviction with regard to the truth. We need the security of a certain faith. Unless we believe in the truth of the cause for which we are fighting, we will not fight very well, if at all. Morale is affected by the degree to which we believe in the truth of the cause. Conviction of the truth can affect whether a battle is won or lost. The battle of life, is a spiritual war between the truth of Christ, and the lies of the forces of evil. The truth liberates, lies enslave. We are engaged in a war in which lives are at risk. If people follow the lies that masquerade as truth they will be destroyed. Those lies promise happiness and freedom from pain, but instead they produce despair and terrible suffering. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12) One of Satan's most effective lies is that people are at their most free when in pursuit of "free thought," "free expression" and "free love." In his book "The People of the Lie," Scott Peck gives case after case of people who have bought into the lies of the devil. These are people who attack others instead of facing their own failures. They construct layer upon layer of self-deception in order to avoid the pain of self-examination. They often succeed in deceiving others, and so are People of the Lie. When the day of evil comes in our lives we want to be sure and certain of what we believe. It is the truth that we have belted around our waists in better days that will hold us together and give us the support we need to get through the bad days. When we know the truth, and are sure and certain of what we believe, we experience the assurance of conviction. Confidence replaces anxiety, the security of faith drives out fear. This is what we see in Jesus. Before Pilate he says, "for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Pilate asked, "What is truth?" (John 19:37,38) Jesus gave no reply to Pontius Pilate. Jesus claimed, not that he knew the truth, but that he was the truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) Truth is not just a claim but a person who embodied those claims. He claimed to be God in the flesh. He claimed to live the truth. Why did Jesus not reply to Pontius Pilate? If Jesus was the truth and Pilate standing before him could not recognize it, then there was nothing Jesus could say that would persuade him of it. When we recognize that Jesus is the Truth and commit ourselves to follow him, and his teaching, we can be sure and secure. The powers of hell will not prevail against us. We will be able to stand firm against the devil's schemes. A postscript. Twenty years after my father's automobile accident, Antoinette and I were attending a function at the New Zealand High Commission (equivalent to embassy), in London. As we were circulating we met and introduced ourselves to another young couple. Immediately the wife heard my name she burst into tears and ran out of the room. Her husband explained. She was the daughter of Amos James, our family attorney who had been killed in the accident. She had learned that I and my parents, were in London, but couldn't get up the courage to meet us. Her brother had gone into the Catholic priesthood. Our lives had been impacted by that fatal accident so long ago. The three friends might have survived if they had been wearing seat belts. Life is fragile. When the evil day comes we need the belt of truth to hold us together. — END —

By David W. Virtue LONDON (8/6/2004) The widely read British broadsheet newspaper The Telegraph, has come out slamming the possible appointment of Pakistani-born Bishop of Rochester, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Nazir Ali as a successor to Dr. David Hope who retires shortly as Archbishop of York. In a scathing editorial this week, the Telegraph said the Crown Appointments Commission and Downing Street must find one, and that convention suggests that the job should go to an evangelical, but that no suitable candidate was available. The Telegraph opined that Michael Nazir-Ali of Rochester, an Evangelical, was singularly unsuitable because he "made a fool of himself by pushing himself forward for Canterbury." This statement by the Telegraph is simply untrue. At the time of a successor being sought for Dr. George Carey, the name of Michael Nazir-Ali emerged as did many others, including other evangelicals, and the press, along with this writer speculated as to who might succeed the Evangelical Carey. One possibility was Bishop Nazir-Ali. During that period Dr. Nazir-Ali was hounded and accused of being both homophobic by the overtly loud-mouthed and ugly British gay community, with press reports accusing him of plagiarism in one of his several doctoral dissertations. These charges were unfounded and never proven to be true. But the accusations stuck and Bishop Nazir-Ali's chances of becoming the next Archbishop of Canterbury were dead on arrival. Now this writer had the opportunity to spend several breakfasts with the Bishop of Rochester at a hotel in Minneapolis at the time of the ECUSA General Convention and he talked hesitantly but with a good deal of pain about the personal vilification he had suffered at the hands of the British Press and the Church of England's gay community. Dr. Nazir-Ali is a gentle soul and the personal attacks hurt him terribly, and he was still feeling the after affects as we talked about it over coffee, now many months later. The attacks were doubly strange to him because he was the one person who, having been born in a predominantly Islamic nation would have best understood how to speak to the growing Islamic threat in the world today, and he would have been far more outright in public declarations of the gospel and the irreconcilable differences between Islam and Christianity. The present incumbent, Dr. Rowan Williams seems more bent on appeasing Islam and finding common ground between the Abrahamic religions, rather than facing head on the possibility that Islam, an evangelistic religion itself, is bent on either converting or destroying Christian believers. How much better to have had a Pakistani born bishop from the Global South who could talk to Primate Peter Akinola, than a wifty Affirming Catholic that no one seems to understand to lead the Anglican Communion! Hindsight tells us that Dr. Nazir-Ali might have been a far better choice as Archbishop of Canterbury. That, however, is history. The choice now is who would best succeed the High Churchman, Dr. David Hope as the next Archbishop of York. If no other candidate emerges who has the credentials that Dr. Nazir-Ali has, then thoughtful people might rightly assume that the growing, and increasingly angry British Evangelical Anglican community could best be suited by having an Evangelical like Nazir-Ali for all the reasons stated. Certainly some balance is needed to offset the Affirming Catholic Rowan Williams. An Anglo-Catholic replacement would not be suitable as one would not speak for the majority of British Anglicans, and they are busy looking for a Third Province to get out from under the liberalizing trends in the Church of England, especially, and because of, women's ordination. If Nazir-Ali is given the job, he might be the one person who could rescue the Anglican Communion as it heads towards the cliff edge. His evangelicalism and scholarship would be hailed in the Global South. Being a person of color would be a considerable plus as well. That he would have a strong voice in the corridors of ecclesiastical power and be close to Canterbury wouldn't hurt either. He could also keep the Anglican Communion Office in its place. They could not ignore him. He would balance them out on trips to Africa. The Telegraph editorial opined that The Church of England (COE) was "finished" as an "Anglican" entity during the tenure of Archbishop of Canterbury Carey; the final dissolution of the COE as an Anglican entity will be accomplished under Archbishop of Canterbury Williams. They may well be right. If a "new" Anglican Communion, centered in Africa, South East Asia and the Southern Cone emerges later this year or early next year (2005) then Nazir-Ali might well be the person that English Evangelicals could turn to as they watch the last remnants of the Church of England head with gadarene like swiftness over the cliff's edge. The Anglo-Catholics will head to Rome or demand a "His and Hers" church. But a new generation of ALPHA-driven English evangelical Anglicans will need a leader and there is, quite possibly, none better than the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali. — END —

To all Virtuosity readers. Please read the following statement which came unsolicited from a long time Virtuosity subscriber.   Fellow Virtuosity Readers around the World,   How important is it to you to keep the lights on, the telephone service working, and your other household or church utilities in good working order? Such support services are essential, aren't they? When you think about your mission and ministry budget, support services don't generally inspire a lot of excitement for the spread of the Gospel. All too often we take them for granted, but as you well know, they're essential.   So it is with the cyber journal Virtuosity. I for one think it's essential, especially in these days of great turmoil, reformation, and realignment in the Anglican Communion. I am guilty of taking Virtuosity for granted. I expect to receive the Virtuosity Digest in my inbox every few days now because David has been giving us increased coverage and analysis with so much happening in the Church on a daily basis. In fact I usually check the website daily to be sure I haven't missed something. Frankly, our impassioned cyber journalist has been working overtime to keep us informed.   I e-mailed him yesterday telling him how critical I thought the upcoming African Bishops Conference in late October will be since it comes shortly after the release of the Lambeth (Eames) Report, and to a large degree the future of the Anglican Communion is in the hands of the Global South Primates. I asked David if he'd be there to cover it for us. I frankly expected him to be there since he's traveled to so many important events to give us reliable and timely coverage and analysis. Some have said David's a bit fiery, but, for my money, he's the most accurate and comprehensive reporter we have. I do believe that God has raised him up for a time such as this. David had to tell me that he doubted that he would be able to travel to the conference since, frankly, he is extremely short on the minimum funds needed to keep his service up and running.   Friends, this is not just a "we're running a bit behind" message. This is a serious "not sure if I can continue" situation. I've supported David from time to time in the past, but not on a regular basis. My wife Ginny and I are going to dig into our reserves for now, and we're going to put him in our 2005 monthly budget. As Dean of the Network's Southeastern Convocation, I need current information and analysis on the Anglican Communion. Other than my weekly conversations with the Network leadership, I rely on David as my primary news source over all the other excellent websites, listservs, and blogs.   I know that thousands of you rely on David as well. I encourage those of you who do to keep the lights on and the service working. Check your personal offerings budget and your discretionary funds to get Virtuosity through 2004, and when you're setting your parish and personal budgets this fall for 2005, prayerfully consider adding Virtuosity to your monthly giving.   Your brother in Christ,   Rev. James K. McCaslin, Jr.+ Dean, Southeastern Convocation Anglican Communion Network Rector, All Souls Church Jacksonville, FL 32257   You can send your tax deductible donation to: VIRTUOSITY 1236 Waterford Rd., West Chester, PA 19380   OR through PAYPAL at the Virtuosity website. www.virtuosityonline.org   Your donation will be responded to promptly.   Thank you   David W. Virtue DD

LETTER: To The Clergy and Faithful Diocese of Ruvuma   THE STATEMENT OF THE BISHOP OF RUVUMA CONFIRMING THE PLACE OF THE DIOCESE OF RUVUMA IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF TANZANIA IN THE GLOBAL ANGLICAN COMMUNION   Friends of the Diocese of Ruvuma have drawn to the attention of the Bishop of Ruvuma during his stay abroad pursuing theological study, a newspaper report in which the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion is reported to have claimed that the Diocese of Ruvuma has entered into full communion with that Communion. While the Bishop of Ruvuma has already assured Friends of the Diocese who enquired about the matter, that nothing to that effect has taken place, this is his Official Statement confirming that, as it has always been, so the Diocese of Ruvuma remains a Diocese in the Anglican Church of Tanzania, in the Global Anglican Communion.   At no time has the Synod of the Diocese of Ruvuma considered joining the Traditional Anglican Communion. Only the Synod of the Diocese of Ruvuma could decide to take such a step.   The Bishop of Ruvuma, who is an Associate Bishop (Member) of Forward in Faith North America (FIFNA) was encouraged by the faith he saw when at the FIFNA 2002 Annual Assembly. At that meeting FIFNA entered into full Sacramental Communion with the Traditional Anglican Communion.   The Bishop witnessed the event at the Belleville, St Louis Assembly. Subsequently he initiated correspondence with the then TAC Primate, Archbishop Louis Falk exploring possibilities of a link with him and the TAC Bishops especially those who are in Africa cooperating in the ministry of the Church for the salvation of souls and to the glory of God. The Bishop of Ruvuma already maintains such links with FIFNA, a constituency of FIF/UK and FIF/Australia, which have recently initiated such a link with him. He also maintains such links with Bishops in the Anglican Continuum.   It was at the June 2003 FIFNA Annual Assembly at Rosemont Pennsylvania, that the Bishop of Ruvuma met the new TAC Primate, Archbishop John Hepworth and continued exploring the possibilities of cooperation in the ministry of the Gospel. When asked, he told the Primate specifically that he was pursuing this as a Bishop of the Church and that it did not involve the status quo of his Diocese. It was at the Rosemont FIFNA Annual Assembly that the Bishop of Ruvuma calling for unity among orthodox Anglicans (and other orthodox Christians) proclaimed the axiom: "One Faith, One Team, One Game".   When, in May 2004 the TAC Primate en route to his apostolate in Central Africa made a flying one-day visit to the Bishop of Ruvuma, he was made welcome. The Bishop introduced him to his Clergy and Faithful as a brother in the Faith, stating that his visit stemmed from the unity in the faith that we share, the unity in Our Lord and Saviour, the unity that we celebrate in the Eternal Sacrifice.   It was during the celebration of the Eternal Sacrifice that the Clergy and Faithful presented him with a gift of the Ciborium and the Bishop presented him with a Kiswahili copy of the Bible challenging him to return to the Diocese in the future and to preach the Gospel in Kiswahili. The Bishop of Ruvuma reiterated his call for unity among orthodox Anglicans and orthodox Christians in the "One Faith, One Team, One Game" axiom. Never, during the TAC Primate's visit (or at any other time at all) was the idea of the Diocese of Ruvuma 'joining' the TAC ever thought of, let alone discussed.   The Bishop of Ruvuma wishes to reiterate in this Statement, his commitment to continue defending the faith of the Church once delivered to the saints and the catholic order of the Church. He reiterates his commitment to the pursuit of unity among orthodox Christians as a divine mission to which he believes he has been called by Our Lord and Saviour. He blesses the Lord for the full support that the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of Ruvuma lend him in his apostolic labours both in the Diocese and in the wider Church.   The Statement which the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter and the Committee of Rural Deans of the Diocese of Ruvuma issued on 09.06.2004, a copy of which is being sent to you, is a clear testimony to this support.   As the Diocesan of that part of the Vineyard of the Lord which is the Diocese of Ruvuma, in the Anglican Church of Tanzania in the Global Anglican Communion, the Bishop of Ruvuma reiterates his commitment to carrying out those apostolic labours which the Lord of the Vineyard which is His Church will thrust on his shoulders for the Salvation of Souls et Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam. He begs your prayers, that the Lord Our Merciful God, will remember his episcopate and his apostolic labours in His Kingdom-always.   Sincerely In Him,   His slave,   Rt Rev Dr Maternus K Kapinga Bishop of ACT-Ruvuma