COMMENTARY   By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org July 21, 2025   It should be apparent by now that candidates to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury being proposed by the church’s deep thinkers, (20-strong Crown Nominations Commission) will not meet biblical standards on sexuality that the Global South demand.   The picks to date are woefully lacking theologically, except as church managers.   Church of England progressive candidates, from an Iranian woman bishop, a former nurse now a bishop, to a small cluster of white male bishops that includes an Anglo-Catholic, bode ill for both the CofE and the wider communion who repudiate any talk of homosexuality or committed same-sex relationships. They demand that orthodox biblical standards on human sexuality only, be fully recognized. But that ship has sailed, and not a single candidate would get proposed if they had not ticked all the progressive boxes.   According to the recent Church of England synod, there were no new leads and the list of players still includes Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani as the front runner to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury.   She is the daughter of the Anglican bishop in Iran, whose family fled after the Islamic Revolution. She is now Bishop of Chelmsford. In 2023, she was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".   This is a non-starter for Global South bishops. That she is a woman when there is no female archbishop in the Global South is one reason; the other is her pro-gay stance which is a complete halt to ‘conversation, ‘dialogue’ or ‘compliance’ talk.   The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell in his presidential address at the opening of the sessions, admitted that “we seem no nearer a settlement which will hold us together” on provisions for same-sex couples. Is the issue dead in the water? For now, but based on history in other parts of the communion, the pansexualists will not rest till they have won. The game is still on.   The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev. Martyn Snow, who stepped down from the position of lead bishop, saying that, while he hoped that the Church would be able to find a way forward “on matters of sexuality, relationships, and marriage . . . I don’t think that can happen under my leadership”. No new lead bishop is being appointed at this time.   Is the job in fact unmanageable, screamed one headline? Perhaps, and another story voiced the idea that the Archbishop of Canterbury could scale back his global role to avert Anglican schism.   The idea is that The Anglican Communion would explore diluting the Archbishop of Canterbury's role as its central symbolic leader, in an attempt to prevent internal divisions over the ordination of women and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community from tearing apart the world's third-largest Christian faith.   To avert an all-out split, a representative body within the global Communion, which was asked to review its structure and decision-making processes, has proposed a rotating international figurehead, assuming some of the current organizational duties of the Archbishop of Canterbury, while they would focus on personal and pastoral ministry to the Communion.   The position could rotate among the Communion's five global regions of Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania, with a term of six years.   Bishop Graham Tomlin, who led the work for the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO), told Reuters the existing structures needed to change.  But will it happen? There were certainly no debate at the recent Synod.   The recommendations state a rotating figure "would add a welcome and overdue diversification". Tomlin is hopeful that the proposals will be adopted at a 2026 gathering.   Let the King choose the next Archbishop of Canterbury? But not without a constitutional crisis, screamed another headline.   Whoever is elected both GAFCON and the GSFA will, in the course of events, announce their disapproval in carefully constructed statements showing that the CofE has lost its way and they will not sit down with the new occupant in Lambeth Palace.   GAFCON bishops will meet in Abuja, Nigeria in March 2026. The Most Rev. Dr. Laurent Mbanda, Chairman, Gafcon Primates Council says, “GAFCON continues to lead the renewal of the Anglican Communion… at such a time as this.”  This is a broad slap at western Anglicanism which is sinking under its own progressive weight and that includes the Church of England.   GAFCON bishops will not sit down with any western bishop who have bought into pansexuality. GSFA bishops argue they have not left the communion the Church of England has left them.  A formal split is not anticipated.   Will the GAFC ON gathering be a defining moment, and one that could finally bring a formal split in the Communion much like the Global Methodist Church a conservative movement that split from the United Methodist Church over same sex marriage?  Thousands of churches switched allegiance, no longer recognizing their old denomination. Sodomy killed it. Time will tell if a formal split is possible in the Anglican Communion.   There is no third way, no ‘communion across difference’, a much-favored notion of Western liberals when talk of a shattered unity comes up. No one wants it but it might be unavoidable. The Church of England will be viewed henceforth as a pariah church if it, whoever elected, compromises over human sexuality. It will be viewed as not fit for purpose.   The Global South primates will conclude, if they have not already done so, that most of the bishops in the Church of England, TEC and Canada are not really Christians. They are management wonks more concerned with institutional survival than with the ‘faith once for all delivered to the saints.’   As one Church of England commissioner put it to me; “In these latter days I have come to doubt whether many of the bishops here are actually converted. At the heart of the English Reformation was the principle that Christ died on the Cross in atonement for our sins. It is through faith in his blood shed for us that we are saved. I think it unlikely that even 5% of the current clergy, of any tradition, believe that they have been saved by his blood. And that includes the bishops, who behave more like managers of a small business, unable to preach effectively because they no longer grasp the concept of sin – let alone use the word.”   There you have it. It is absurd to think that former archbishop Rowan Williams’ Hegelian Jesus could save anyone. Williams’  ‘soft Christianity’ saves no one and nothing. See here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/rowan-williams-and-another-gospel   Justin Welby, it was hoped, would be an evangelical turnaround, with his connections to ALPHA and Holy Trinity, Brompton. Evangelicals were bitterly disappointed when Welby started swinging in the wrong direction, time and again, not simply over safeguarding but his acknowledgement of the legitimacy of committed same-sex relationships. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Welby said he was “thick” not to think of it sooner. Evangelicals felt he was “thick” even suggesting the idea as it had no basis in Scripture, tradition or history. Welby is now gone and evangelicals have been left twisting in the wind.   But the die has now been cast.   The Church of England is little more than a shill for the state as is the case for nearly all state churches. Its worshipping numbers have been overtaken by the Roman Catholic Church and figures compiled from government and academic sources show that 930,000 Muslims attend a place of worship at least once a week, as against 916,000 Anglicans.   Is the Church of England relevant to anything or anybody?   "We are very different than we were 100 years ago," said one C of E bishop. The real question is, can the communion be held together with the Mother Church in this twilight zone much longer?   END

CEN Newspaper Closes State of the Church//Emerging Evangelical Churches//New Australian Archbishop is Evangelical//Two Continuing Churches Merge//Anglicans Weigh in on Texas Hurricane Relief//Victims Test Ruch Trial//CEN Newspaper Closes   Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, even impossible. There can be no life without the life-giver, no understanding without the Spirit of truth, no fellowship without the unity of the Spirit, no Christlikeness of character apart from His fruit, and no effective witness without His power. As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the Spirit is dead. --- John R.W. Stott   Trials are intended to make us think, to wean us from the world, and to drive us to the Bible --- J.C. Ryle   “The most merciful God is so disgusted with same-sex sexual behavior because this crime is too far away from God’s plan for man. His plan is for a man and a woman to unite into one body with one and everlasting love and cooperate with God. New life can be born and grow in the warmth of the family.”  — Cardinal Joseph Zen, Bishop emeritus of Hong Kong   The Episcopal Church talks about being loving, liberating, and lifegiving. But the reality it’s a case of “lying” (about the church’s commitment to respecting the dignity of every human being), “leaving” (as in 40 percent of church members over the past decade), and “losing” (members, resources, and, if you will, market share)'.”  --- Anglican Watch Dear Brothers and Sisters, www.virtueonline.org July 25, 2025   There is a rot spreading through the bones of Western civilization. It is not a foreign invasion, nor an economic catastrophe, nor even a cultural war in the loudest sense. The rot is quieter, more insidious. It is selfishness —a deep, narcissistic self-interest that has wormed its way into every corner of our common life. And if we are honest, it begins not in the halls of Congress or the decadence of Hollywood, but in the mirror, writes the Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore.   “Civilization, at its heart, is the long, shared agreement that I am not the center of the world. That my desires must be tempered by duty. That my speech must be governed by manners. That my actions must consider the good of others, not merely my own comfort. The very word civil springs from this understanding—that we owe something to each other as members of a society.   “But in an age of unbridled self-expression, where the self has become sacred, these civil obligations are viewed as shackles. We no longer ask what is right, but what is right for me. We do not teach children to control their impulses; we validate them. We do not teach young men and women to build strong marriages; we tell them to ‘do what makes you happy.’ And when the inevitable misery comes, we call it freedom.”   Look around. What do you see? We see churches that are emptying for lack of commitment and truth telling. We see flagrant violations of safeguarding the sheep, while the shepherds fleece the flocks. We see sexual abuse among our leaders on a scale we have never seen and financial corruption of once godly institutions being splashed across the Internet. We see seminaries closing because it is not financially viable to keep them going; some die from bad theology. They are nails in the coffin for future generations of churches needing priests and pastors. The people look up and are not fed.   If this makes you depressed you are in good company. There are worse things in life to be than depressed.   But there are shards of light. New smaller churches evangelically driven are popping up across the country. There are approximately 4,014 evangelical churches in the US as of July 2025. This number reflects the growing presence of evangelical communities in the country.   A 27-page report, put together by the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC) project, looked at a large and diverse sample of American churchgoers. Many say their faith is stronger, their churches more vibrant and their involvement more consistent than at any point in recent memory.   Drawing on responses from more than 24,000 Christian churchgoers surveyed between September 2024 and January 2025, the EPIC Attender Survey, spearheaded by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, showed that 34% of U.S. adults said they believe religion is increasing its influence in American life — up from 20% just a year ago.   But a majority of Americans (59%) continue to say religion is losing its influence on U.S. society, but that figure is down from 75% a year ago. A Pew Research Center report from this past February also showed that the decline in Christianity had stabilized following a two-decade decline.   So, there are glimmers of hope amidst the darkness. Nones, (people without religious affiliation) are still growing. In a Pew Research Center’s polling, 28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or simply “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.  But this is levelling off.   There is a fresh new hunger by young people who are hungry for truth — and what the Church must do, says Jack Graham, a Texas pastor and author of ‘The Jesus Book.’   “The answer has always been clear: go back to the Bible,” says the former Southern Baptist Convention president.   According to Graham, perhaps nowhere is that sense of spiritual hunger more visible than among young people. Contrary to the often-cited narrative of church decline, the pastor said he’s encouraged by what he’s seeing on the ground.   “There’s a renewed interest in the pure Gospel without a lot of the trappings and trends,” he said. “There’s a desire for authenticity among young adults right now.”   While Bible sales are up, Bible engagement remains a challenge.  According to Graham, the only antidote is a profound, personal knowledge of the Bible.   From across the pond comes this encouraging word. Young men aged 18 to 24 are now attending church, up from four percent to 21 percent over the last six years. Are we seeing a Gen Z revival in the UK? Perhaps, but in a country that has more practicing Catholics and Islamists it is still a drop in the bucket. Time will tell.   In the Netherlands there is an uptick among Gen Zers in church attendance. The Netherlands was once a society where Protestants and Catholics lived in distinct but parallel worlds known as “pillars” — each with their own schools, political parties and newspapers. But those pillars began to crumble after World War II.   By the late 1960s, nearly 70% of Dutch people identified as religious. Today, the reverse is true: About 60% of Dutch people say they have no religion at all.   But beneath the surface of this secular landscape, spirituality seems to be stirring. Last year marked the first in decades to see a reversal of this downward trend. Though modest, there was a 2% increase in the number of people identifying as religious in the country, according to government statistics. While Islam has been the fastest growing religion in recent years, the bump was seen in Christian denominations, particularly among Protestants. And while church attendance is still down, independent research has found one potential source of the increase: Gen Z.   *****   Some good news from Down Under. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Mark Short, Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn since 2019, was elected on July 19 as Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia. He is the first non-metropolitan to be elected as primate since the church began electing its chief bishop in 1910, and the first evangelical to lead the church since the early 1980s, according to a report in the Daily Declaration. Smith will work alongside the retiring primate, Archbishop Geoffrey Smith, and take over formally on November 1.   *****   But what of the Church of England which still remains without an archbishop.   The church has a major problem. Whoever the next ABC will be, he or she will not meet Global South orthodox standards on biblical sexuality. The picks to date are woefully lacking theologically, except as church managers.   Church of England progressive candidates, from an Iranian woman bishop, a former nurse now a bishop, to a small cluster of white male bishops that includes an Anglo-Catholic, bode ill for both the CofE and the wider communion who repudiate any talk of homosexuality or committed same-sex relationships. They demand that orthodox biblical standards on human sexuality only, be recognized. But that ship has sailed, and not a single candidate would get proposed if they had not ticked all the progressive boxes. You can read more here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/next-abc-will-not-meet-global-south-orthodox   *****   The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell , a liberal, came in for a scorching analysis of his statement on same sex marriage by evangelical theologian Dr. Ian Paul. It was a brilliant take down of the ailing archbishop. He accused the archbishop of fudging the issue over same sex marriage. He specifically accused the archbishop about the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) report calling it “disastrous”, “divisive” and “damaging” to the Church of England. Dr. Paul also pointed the finger at former Archbishop Justin Welby describing the LLF report he engineered as “ill conceived”, “incoherent” and “open to misrepresentation.” You can read more here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/british-evangelical-anglican-theologian-takes-down-archbishop-of-york-over-same-sex-marriage   *****   The Bishop Ruch story won’t go away. It is heating up with the bishop determined to stay in power at whatever embarrassment it is causing to the leadership of the Anglican Church in North America. The bottom line is that after six years the victims are still not being given the justice they claim is theirs, and for Ruch to stay in power is only enabling the continuance of the victimization.   What is at stake is the safety of our children in the ACNA and our stand against the abuse of power, writes Canon Chuck Collins. The main questions remain plain: Did the bishop fail to believe a nine-year old victim of sex abuse who brought these allegations to him more than six years ago, did he fail to report this to the authorities and to the church where the abuser ministered openly, and did he support the abuser (now in jail for his crimes) financially and pastorally while failing to support the multiple victims of egregious abuse in any way?   Was the bishop more concerned about institutional safety and the security of his job than for the safety of our children, and did his fellow bishops support him in this?   Was the pattern of protecting abusers, supporting and encouraging them, seen in subsequent promotions and ordinations of other sex abusers in ministry in his diocese, without informing the parishes or the diocese? Was this his pattern? Is this his pattern?   These questions are from the only one of three investigations what were done (two of which have been kept secret!). Was there a deliberate effort to extend this trial process - now over six years! - and multiply diversions (cover up) so that Bishop Ruch can remain in ministry?   And now, is there a conflict of interest appointing Archdeacon Job Serebrov to be the Provincial Prosecutor, given his cozy connection to St. Paul's House of Formation, a Greenhouse ministry? The Greenhouse Movement was married in numerous ways to Bishop Ruch and the Diocese of the Upper Midwest. You can read more here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/prosecutor-resigns-calls-acna-bishop-stewart-ruch-trial-irreparably-tainted   *****   A deep dive into the recent statistics of the Anglican Church in North America, reveals some uncomfortable truths about the future of the church if major growth is not forthcoming from younger generations. Most churches are sustained financially by Boomers, who pay as much as 80% of the church’s budget. They will be gone in 10-15 years. The ACNA recorded only 119 new converts, not to be confused with baptisms or transfers. While overall the ACNA trend is upwards, the number of new parishes rose by only 14 (or 1.4%) from 1,013 to 1,027 However, there were zero church plants in 2024. You can read more here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/acna-figures-reveal-disturbing-trend   *****   The Hurricane flood story in Texas has garnered much national attention. Few know that two Anglican missionaries were on the ground running when they heard the news. Jerry Kramer and his wife Stacy who were deeply involved in rescue operations in Katrina (New Orleans) in 2005, jumped into their car and headed to the flood zone. I interviewed Jerry about what he was able to do there. You can read my exclusive interview here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/anglican-missionaries-hear-go-now-in-historic-texas-flood   *****   Anglican Watch, the Episcopal Church’s unofficial watchdog, has sharply criticized the Episcopal Diocese of New York for ignoring the requirements of the church’s Title IV clergy disciplinary canons. The move follows retaliation by the Episcopal Diocese of New York against a male adult who complained to the Diocese about three separate incidents of sexual assault by gay parishioners. Two of the alleged perpetrators were employees of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue; one remains a priest in good standing. You can read more here: https://www.anglicanwatch.com/anglican-watch-press-release-condemns-diony-title-iv-misconduct/   *****   TWO CONTINUING CHURCHES have announced a merger.  The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America and the Anglican Catholic Church (ACA-ACC) announced they had reunited, according to the latest edition of THE TRINITARIAN.   A special General Synod will be held in Charleston, SC in October to await ratification by the Provincial Synods. Archbishop Brian Marsh of the Anglican Province of America (APA) called the “historic event” a cause for celebration.   The G-4 group of Continuing Churches which have gone to G-3 and will now be G-2. Metropolitan Mark Haverland of the ACC observed that since 2015 the scattered continuing churches have consolidated among the larger and more responsible of the dioceses and churches.   *****   Trinity Anglican Seminary has appointed Dr. Matthew Barrett to its faculty as part-time Research Professor of Theology beginning in August of 2025, strengthening the seminary's commitment to theological formation in the Anglican tradition and its expanding church-based formation efforts. Dr. Barrett brings expertise in classical theology, including Reformation theology, and is passionate about helping students retrieve the Great Tradition for the sake of recovering creedal orthodoxy in the church. His appointment directly supports Trinity's strategic emphasis on being "classically Anglican" and providing excellent theological formation for future church leaders, said the Rev. Alex Banfield Hicks, Vice President of Advancement.   *****   With sadness we note that the Church of England Newspaper (CEN) has shut down with no further editions to be released until further notice. This decision follows the passing of Keith Young, the paper's owner and director of Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd. The CEN has been a voice for evangelical members of the Church of England for over a century, contributing to the evangelical institutions and supporting an open evangelicalism.   *****   A statement from the Bishops of the Anglican Network in Europe following the passing of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and the amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill repudiated the decision by the Westminster Parliament. “These votes show that while we live in a democracy and respect it, many of those elected to positions of the highest power can no longer be trusted to carry out their responsibilities with wisdom. Sadly, but not surprisingly, leaders from the established church who have influence in government have for the most part been reticent to speak God’s word; to call the faithful to pray in these dark and uncertain times, and to call godless rulers to repentance and faith in Christ.”   “As Bishops of the Anglican Network in Europe we urge all faithful believers in Christ to consider and lament what Parliament has done.”   ***** Mark Short Becomes Australia’s First Evangelical Anglican Primate in Over 40 Years   VOL holds a unique place in Anglican news gathering. While we report on the news, we believe it is important to interpret the news to readers searching for answers to hot button issues. Our team of writers spare no effort in finding and getting the word out to you the reader. We may often wait to get the full picture but it is worth it. We hope you think so too. VOL’s news gathering is comprehensive, analytical and, we believe faithful to Scripture and our Anglican tradition. We keep you informed about global Anglicanism as few services do. We wake up each day and ask the question what do our readers need to know to keep them informed so they can make good decisions. We are here because of readers like you.   Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to keep the news coming. A PayPal donation link can be found here: http://www.virtueonline.org/support.html   If you are more inclined with checks, you can send your tax deductible donation to:   VIRTUEONLINE                                                                   P.O. BOX 111                           Shohola, PA 18458   Thank you for your support, Yours in Christ, David My Substack on the Middle East continues to grow. It is drawing a lot of attention from across the globe. You can access it here: https://davidvirtue2.substack.com/   I am a strong supporter of the state of Israel’s right to exist and prosper while confronting her enemies both foreign and domestic. My latest can be seen here: Bashing Bibi is not the way to go: https://davidvirtue2.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/168952512?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts

By Kurt Mahlburg THE DAILY DECLARATION 23 July 2025   For the first time since 1982, an evangelical bishop — Mark Short — will serve as the national leader of Australia’s Anglican Church.   Dr Mark Short, Bishop of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, has been elected as the new Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, marking a significant return to evangelical leadership in the national church.   The announcement came after Short secured majorities across all three voting houses — Bishops, Clergy, and Laity — at the Board of Electors on Saturday 19th July.   He will assume the role on 1 November, following the formal resignation of Archbishop Geoffrey Smith of Adelaide.   Dr Short’s election is especially notable given that he will become the first non-metropolitan bishop ever to be appointed to the church’s top office, which is traditionally filled by leaders from capital city dioceses like Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide.   He also becomes the first evangelical to hold the role since Sir Marcus Loane stepped down in 1982.   Dr Mark Short was also a delegate at the recent Australian Evangelism Roundtable, an event organised by the Canberra Declaration in partnership with other key ministries, to strategise getting the gospel out to every Australian by Pentecost 2033.   Dr Short’s election has been warmly received by many top Anglican leaders around Australia.   “I know Mark to be a faithful servant of the Lord who holds unambiguous convictions about the primacy and trustworthiness of the Scriptures,” said Sydney Archbishop Kanishka Raffel in a public statement. “He will bring deep wisdom, broad experience and an irenic spirit to this new role.”   Evangelical Convictions and Broad Church Support Short, 57, has been noted as a theologically grounded and mission-minded leader. An alumnus of Moore Theological College in Sydney and a former PhD graduate of Durham University in the UK, Short previously served as National Director of the Bush Church Aid Society (BCA), which supports gospel workers in rural and remote Australia. His background as both a church planter and theological thinker has earned him respect across multiple dioceses.   The process of electing a new Primate included a vote from three distinct constituencies within the Anglican Church: bishops, clergy, and lay representatives.   John Sandeman reports that, although fellow evangelical candidate Bishop Matt Brain of Bendigo had initial backing from the Bishops, Short gained strong support from the Laity and Clergy — two houses that, in recent years, have reflected a growing evangelical majority within the national church.   That majority was clearly evident at the last General Synod, where evangelical priorities shaped key discussions on Scripture and doctrine. Dr Short’s election appears to affirm this shift, offering a national voice more aligned with biblical orthodoxy and commitment to the gospel.   Short’s evangelical roots are also evident in his past affiliations with the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC), a network committed to upholding the authority of the Bible and promoting mission within the Anglican tradition.   Additionally, as reported by The Melbourne Anglican, “In 2022, Bishop Short supported Sydney Archbishop Kanishka Raffels’ motion that sought to define marriage as the exclusive union between a man and a woman.”   Mark Short: A Primate from the Regions Dr Short’s election as Anglican Primate is significant both for his evangelical theology and his leadership in a regional diocese.   Until now, every Australian Primate has come from one of the five major metropolitan sees — Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, or Perth. Dr Short, by contrast, serves in a regional diocese, overseeing the Canberra and Goulburn region since his consecration as bishop in 2019.   Amid the church’s often competing urban and rural priorities, Dr Short’s leadership offers a unifying presence. From 2011 to 2018, he led Bush Church Aid, working with 17 dioceses to send gospel workers into Australia’s most isolated regions. His leadership in these settings has forged a reputation for relational ministry, pastoral sensitivity, and gospel perseverance.   Short’s previous career also adds a layer of perspective. Before entering full-time ministry, he worked as a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald and as a graduate economist for the Commonwealth Department of Industrial Relations. He later served in country parishes including Temora, Turvey Park, and Tarcutta, before moving into leadership roles.   His wide-ranging background combines theological training with life in Australia’s heartland — a quality likely to appeal to everyday believers and clergy beyond the major cities.   Bishop Short will officially commence his term as Primate on 1 November, while continuing to serve as Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn. His initial term will last six years, with the possibility of a three-year extension.

COMMENTARY   By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org July 24, 2025   A deep dive into the latest Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) statistics reveals a disturbing trend that, if not addressed, could see a downturn in the foreseeable future.   Latest figures reveal the major source of growth was in the South, specifically the Bible belt; while the North got few pickins. It is much harder to make new converts and plant a church in the North. For example, there is no Anglican presence in Philadelphia, the sixth largest city in America. A church plant in Germantown closed, and while there has been much talk of planting a church in downtown Philadelphia, none has transpired.   You can stand on a street corner in Dallas and scream “Jaysus saves” and probably start a church. Try doing that in New York City and a van filled with men in white coats will gently lead you away.   The six dioceses that make up the North saw the closure of 10 parishes. The South had small net gains.   While overall the ACNA trend is upwards, the number of new parishes rose by 14 (or 1.4%) from 1,013 to 1,027.  However, there were zero church plants in 2024.   But what about people? This is the real issue.   There were 119 Decisions, between 2023 and 2024; (from 6315 to 6434). There were 565 more Baptisms; 207 more Confirmations; and 104 Marriages in 2024 than in 2023.  An increase across the board. But none of these groups, except for “decisions” will guarantee long-term growth. Baptisms are notoriously one-off church attendance events. Marriages come and go, mostly go.   By eliminating baptisms, confirmations and marriages as in-house additions, the 119 decisions (for Christ) is not a healthy trend.   To survive, ACNA will need thousands of new converts or “decisions” if the denomination hopes to survive beyond the deaths of the Boomer Generation who are the major financial support of the churches with their dollars. They will all be gone in a decade.   Church communicator Carey Nieuwhof, says only one percent of pastors say their churches are very effective at doing a good job of evangelism, that is reaching the unchurched. This means that 99 percent of pastors admit they are not very effective and have either given up, or don’t believe in doing it. Evangelism is on life support. The demise of evangelism is an existential problem.   This applies to the ACNA as recent numbers indicate. Are rectors actively engaging their congregations to do evangelism? The American Anglican Council is trying to turn this around. Churches are encouraged to take the time this Summer to pause and do a checkup on their local church body’s vital signs based on the principle that healthy churches are the ones that grow. They formed something called Anglican Revitalization Ministries (ARM), which defines those vital signs, but the jury is out as to how effective they are.   An ACNA American missionary priest who lives and works in the Middle East and Africa, and has worked and is familiar with the situation in the US said this; “Look for adult baptisms. 95% of church “growth” in the US is transfer. The only metric that matters to us is multiplication. I don’t care how big your church is or how many churches you’ve planted.  The only question is how many generations of disciples and churches do you have? How many generations of churches do you have? This is the only measure of true, sustained growth. When the Baby Boomers go to Jesus in 10 - 15 years; the ACNA collapses. They give 80% of the $.”   This is a damning indictment if true. Of course we see the Episcopal Church imploding; their efforts at evangelism have all miserably failed, especially the 20/20 campaign to double the church. The Anglican Church of Canada is on life support and is not expected to be around beyond 2040 at the very latest.   There is little doubt that some serious soul-searching is needed by Archbishop Steve Wood with his bishops and clergy as he engages the future of the ACNA. Time will tell.   END

By Chuck Collins www.virtueonline.org July 24, 2025   The dogma of “papal infallibility" was officially adopted July 18, 1870 at the First Vatican Council. This asserts that popes, when they speak with the authority of their office (ex cathedra, the chair of authority) are incapable of error by virtue of their unique position as successors of St. Peter.   When the bishops gathered for their Council that day, there was chatter about this new idea but everyone was confused about what would be voted on. Some bishops boycotted the meeting because of it. One Catholic historian writing under the name “Janus" compiled a list of times in history when popes had erred in their judgments, including a time when an ecumenical church council declared a pope heretical and anathematized him, and other times when popes contradicted their predecessors and overturned their decisions. There was tremendous pressure especially by the Jesuits who controlled Rome at the time to agree to this teaching that no precedence in church history, even though Catholics today are told that the idea goes back to the medieval church and even to antiquity. Arguments for "the primacy of Peter" were not initially directed to doctrinal truth, but rather as an attempt to strengthen the church's power. On this day in 1870 the council overwhelmingly adopted this statement: “The Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when in discharge of the office of pastor and teacher of all Christians, by virtue of his supreme apostolic authority he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal Church is possessed of that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer willed that his church should be endowed” (Pastor aeternus).   Many Catholics then and today reject the doctrine of papal infallibility and the extraordinary power delegated to one man, the "Vicar of Christ," to speak for God to the world. But this church dogma is invoked hundreds of times, and many more times by Pope Francis than his predecessors. For example, every time the pope canonized a saint he said, “We declare and define infallible that Blessed John Henry Newman is a saint” (October 13, 2019).   Protestants, on the other hand, are clear that we have one mediator between God and his people, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5), and that God speaks decisively, clearly, and uniquely in his inspired written Word, the Bible. As Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 12, Protestants differentiate ministries in the church in terms of function and not status. The Archbishop of Canterbury, for example, is first among equals of the bishops of the Anglican Communion, and his word is only as good as he upholds the Bible, the only infallibly inspired Word from God. When Canterbury tramples the catholic faith, as he has in recent years, he excuses himself from the Anglican Communion and renders his leadership irrelevant. Anglicans specifically deny papal infallibility in Article 19 (Thirty-nine Articles of Religion) when we state that the Church of Rome has erred, “not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith.”   Catholicity was extremely important for the 16th century Protestant reformers, and from their perspective it was possible to be more “catholic” in the sense of the Apostles’ Creed (“We believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church…”) than was the Roman Catholic Church of their day. Catholicity for Catholics is whatever was pronounced true over time by councils, popes, etc.; for Protestants, catholicity was how the church interpreted and understood Scripture over time. John Jewel, for example, famously challenged “Romanists” to prove their catholicity by evidence of Holy Scripture, the first four general councils of the ancient church, and the teaching of the church fathers.   “We do believe that ther is onely one Churche of God, and that the same is not shut up as in time past among the Jewes into any one corner or kingdome, butte it Catholike and universall, and dispersed into all the world” (The Apology of the Church of England, 1564).   The Rev. Canon Chuck Collins is a Reform theologian and historian. He lives in Texas.

By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org July 23, 2025   Fr. Jerry Kramer is an ACNA priest serving in the Middle East. He is just now concluding ten months as an interim rector in West Texas. With his wife Stacy, their main ministry is working in Muslim communities in the Middle East, catalyzing disciple making movements. They help lead a network of 3,400 churches in the Middle East and East Africa.   They will shortly return to the Middle East to continue their ministry in September. But when the historic flood hit Kerr County and Mystic was the epicenter; the waters rose and rivers jumped 26 feet in 45 minutes. Jerry and Stacy knew they had to step in. He had had experience in the Broadmoor Community in New Orleans in 2005 when Katrina hit, so he knew, in part what to expect as a First Responder. Nonetheless what he saw shook him to the core.   VOL sat down with Jerry to talk about his experience there.   VOL:  When you got the call, what was your immediate response?   KRAMER: Go. Now. No hesitation. We were supposed to be on our way back the Middle East. The emotionally needy Kurds require attention.    But July 4th happened. My last act of office at the sweet parish in West Texas was presiding at the funeral service for one of the patriarchs. And a great, dear friend. I processed straight out of the church, to my car, and drove to the Hill Country. Didn't say farewells, didn’t pack anything.    I’m still considered canonically resident in Tanzania. It’s a funny Province. One can never transfer out. The Hotel California of Anglicanism. My friend the archbishop immediately wrote, “Go to the flooding area and help. If anyone asks, I sent you there. Now go!” I love that man.    VOL: I gather you launched ‘Help and Hope for the Hill Country,’ what was the inspiration for that?   KRAMER : Well, I looked at the awful situation and thought to myself, "They're going to need a lot of both." I ran it by our local church partner here and they immediately bought in. The vision was and is for a coordinated inter-church response. We are stronger together. We have to work together. If you don't coordinate, you're going to duplicate services and have service gaps. Which is exactly what's happening because the network is slow to come together. We’re still hard at it. Everyone has been frantically helping folks; there's been no time to stop and communicate. We're working on that now. The local churches have been absolutely amazing. They went right to work and haven't stopped. I've never seen anything like it. The Church is being the Church. Salt and light. We just need to get in sync with one another. We’ll get there. Failure is not an option.     VOL:   How does what you saw compare with what you experienced in Katrina?     KRAMER: Very different. In Katrina, Houston -- six hours away -- was probably the closest functional city. Here we have Kerrville, just 30 minutes from Hunt, TX, the epicenter. Kerville was largely fine in terms of flood (but not trauma) damage. So, there was a nearby place to stage relief, house volunteers and responders, etc. That's a huge advantage. Another major difference is that New Orleans sat underwater for three weeks. We couldn't even begin resident look-and-leave visits until maybe late October (Katrina hit end of August). In the Hill Country, responders were able to arrive on-scene almost immediately and get to work.    VOL:   You coordinated your ministry with a local parish which had lost at least seven parishioners to the flooding, what was your first task?   KRAMER: Being a non-anxious presence and methodically, calmly thinking through what needed to be done in sequence. This isn't my first rodeo. We ran the second largest, longest relief operation for Katrina. We helped settle five million refugees who in 2014 showed up in Northern Iraq within one week. And we helped lead a huge response for the massive Turkey-Syria earthquake.    Relief isn’t complicated. What do people need? Where can we source it? How do we get it to them? All you have to do is stay calm and solve the puzzle.   I was initially tasked with searching for underserved communities that were not receiving any initial help. I drove all over the flood zone in my way-too-low-to-the-ground little car. Blessedly, first responders and relief teams had it all covered. They were everywhere. Extraordinary.    VOL: You coordinated with a local fire department for essential supplies, including box cutters, coolers, ice, and even a Polaris—an off-road vehicle that helped firefighters navigate tight spaces to deliver food to families. Who provided the vehicle?   KRAMER: Our church partner here, St. Peter's. They've been absolutely amazing from the very start. Utterly selfless. Unquestionably centered on Jesus. One of the Church’s finest rectors.    Our family lives in Hunt and attends St. Peter’s; we wanted to get right to our family, friends and the community we love. We were able to race in, secure a launching spot, and head straight to the front lines. There was no plan B.   The Hunt Volunteer Fire Department was the center of the local response. Total chaos. I asked for "the guy in charge” and was directed to John, one of the volunteer firemen. When Stacy and I told him we were just here to help, he looked at us like we were crazy. Granted, among the first people into a crisis are always the nutters. But I assured him, "We know what you're up against. We can help." John asked, "Well, what are we talking about here?" I told him, the sky is the limit. "What do you really need you can't get? What seems impossible?John quickly blurted out, "A side by side. Four-seater with a bed!"    Stacy and I acted like we knew what he was talking about, quickly Googling "Side by side," and said we'd find one.  While driving back to Kerrville, now knowing what it was we were looking for, we just so happened to see a Polaris store. We pulled over and in twenty minutes had the side-by-side, four-seater, with a bed. Exactly as requested. I gave the dealer our credit card but Stacy said, "hey, let's try St. Peter's first. The Hunt VFD needs. Polaris. Will you buy it? Unhesitating yes. Stacy and I then drove back to the Hunt VFD to tell the responders the side by side was purchased and coming. Firemen are generally really big, tough guys. They teared up. I’ll never forget that moment.”   VOL: Forgive my ignorance but what value does a box cutter have? KRAMER: First responders needed to cut through things! You never, ever ask why. You just get the frontlines what they need when they need it. Which is usually yesterday. And I told folks to send ice down until Jesus comes back, but that memo didn't get through. Still screaming for ice daily. This morning, once again, yelling for ice. We need ice until I tell you we don’t.     VOL:   Did you see bodies immediately or did that come later? Were you involved in body searchers? What was the main thrust of your work?   KRAMER: Only first responders and those supporting them were allowed into Hunt. The sheriffs are still checking IDs on the way in from Ingram. Our job was to resource and help take care of the first responders while they searched for the missing. The final week was brutal. Responders worked around the clock in the ever-increasing heat. We helped set up a triage medical clinic, giving dehydrated and exhausted responders IVs and Tetanus and Hep shots for those who went in the water searching. Even our blessed cook needed an IV. These selfless men and women put it all on the line and gave everything they had to find the missing, giving the families some closure. It was an urgent all-out scramble up and down the river. One hundred miles of river road covered in 15' of mud. The first responders here were true heroes.    VOL: According to news reports, the river rose 26 feet and Christian camps and counties were washed away. Was the devastation very visible? Did you expect to see bodies in mud? KRAMER:   It was worse than I had envisioned. Looked like the Lower 9th Ward after Katrina. Brought back less than pleasant memories. There were personal items, clothes, etc. and canoes thirty feet up in the trees. There was a Honda CRV thirty feet in the air wedged in tree branches.    Camp Mystic was the worst-hit area. The damage was catastrophic. The entire landscape had changed. I've been around here for forty years, and it's unrecognizable. There are islands where there didn't used to be, no more islands where they once were, tree lines along the Guadalupe completely gone. It's cognitive dissonance. Your brain can't process what your eyes are seeing.    I didn’t go out looking for bodies. We’ve worked three genocides and seen enough trauma. During early Iraq days, seeing every day the horror ISIS doled out, Stacy would catch me crying in my sleep at night.   VOL: I gather 135 have died and rescuers are still looking for 60. Is that accurate?   KRAMER: It's hard to get into numbers right now. With the July 4th weekend, folks were camping along the Guadalupe. We'll probably never know the true number of those lost. I know we started the big push week with 130+ confirmed gone and 160 known missing. They haven't given us a clear update yet.    VOL: You describe yourself as a First Responder. Could you explain what exactly that means and entails?   KRAMER: I'm a Homeland Security Certified First Responder. So, I can enter restricted disaster zones. At our graduation, we were each given a responder kit complete with an axe. My axe, however, was removed out of an abundance of caution. So, I carry a firearm instead. Stacy is unquestionably a better shot.   VOL: Texans are independent minded folk, they don’t much like outsiders, perhaps even FEMA. You describe the response as “organic” what does that mean? Local communities perhaps? KRAMER:   My biggest takeaway from Katrina was that one can achieve global dominance with shipping containers, port-o-potties and duct tape.    Localities came together immediately and launched vigorous response work. Mostly through the Volunteer Fire Departments. They knew their communities and went straight to work. First responders and volunteer teams, mostly churches, from around the country rolled in and supported the local efforts. It just all came together very, very quickly. Their response was the most efficient and rapid any of us has ever seen. We had tons of help and volunteers. There was never a day when we didn't have what we needed. Plenty of hands-on deck. No one asked political or denominational affiliation. We were all Americans, most of Jesus’ disciples, in the response.   VOL: Was the response essentially grass roots?   KRAMER: Massively so. This is Texas. No one is waiting for the government or the cavalry to show up. We were our own cavalry until help arrived. Localities pulled together and got right to work. Washington can send help, which is sincerely appreciated, but it's not going to tell us what to do. We’re truly grateful for the help but we’re going to make our own community driven decisions. Help us, please, but don’t boss us.    VOL: Talk to me about church response versus state response?   KRAMER: Government is, by nature, bulky, inefficient, and slow-moving. Large organizations don't usually respond well either because they can't pivot. Relief is fast-paced and dynamic. I come in every morning and sort of have things figured out by 10am and then it's all changed by noon. We learned something during Katrina from the big, experienced churches. They waited for a bit, let a picture emerge, then came in. And sniffed. They didn't believe anything they were told. They sought out small grassroots boots-on-the-ground operations and then massively resourced them. Help what’s good become even better. Blessedly, we were one such operation.    One of the academic conclusions from Katrina was that the Church saved New Orleans. While the academy didn't understand the spiritual dynamic, they did acknowledge that churches can marshal resources and helpers without delay or red tape. We can pivot on a dime as needs evolve. And we know our communities. That's vital.    Now this organic response has been fast paced and highly efficient. But there’s also downside. The downside is that no one knows what is going on across the board. Everyone is in their locality with blinders on. There’s no one looking at the entire playing field.    Adding to that, there’s no comprehensive list of help or assistance on offer. People don’t know where to find the help and resources available to them. I’ve been yelling about this from the get-go. People are in trauma and sorrow going through a horrible tragedy. We have to make getting help simple for them. Not there yet.   VOL: I know you suffer from PTSD. Were you concerned this might kick in while you were there? Do you think you might need a little mental health care yourself when this is over?   KRAMER: I just acknowledged it would likely happen. And it has to some extent. What can you do? I'm not going to sit on the sidelines. You jump in and you get on with it. When you're in combat, you don't worry or think about anything other than your objective. Just do your job. Bear down. Take the hill. Clear the building. And you fight for the guy next you. That’s what you signed up for.   Yeah, it affects you. I teared up talking about the situation with friends over the weekend. I still can't discuss the actual events of Katrina. I can share the recovery story but I won't talk about the storm itself or the first 72 hours. That chapter is tucked away.   VOL : How fast is the clean up going?   KRAMER : Incredibly fast. Bumble Bee is a small community right outside of Hunt that was completely flooded out. After two weeks, they're where it took us four years to reach in New Orleans. They had all the houses mucked last week and are now drywalling. Allowing localities to lead and responders to respond is incredibly efficient. Normally, relief is followed by recovery, then, after several years, rebuilding. We're seeing all three happen simultaneously here. Unprecedented.   Right now, the biggest need is gift cards from Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. We learned in Katrina that people in trauma get stuck. They can’t move forward because they can’t make basic decisions. Instead of giving someone a used shirt, give them a gift cards. Then they can decide long sleeve/short sleeve, red or blue.    We’re buying and distributing cards all we can and this is going to be a long term recovery priority. If you want to help, 100% goes to support survivors:  https://lovefortheleast.org/texas-flood-relief-insider  We’re allergic to overhead. A $50 gift immediate becomes a $50 card for a family in need   VOL: Where was FEMA in all this?   KRAMER : Good question. If you have a personal or business damage/loss claim, you file it with FEMA. That’s their role here. It’s very specific and contained. I’ve long thought we should just put the Baptists in charge of FEMA operations. They’re better at it.      VOL: How have different churches reacted or related amongst themselves?   KRAMER : The local churches have just been stars. They all jumped right in and found ways to help people in need, help support the bereaved, help resource responders. They opened their hearts and buildings and wallets. Staged relief. Opened relief and recovery centers. We had our first meeting of local churches last week. Everyone was all-in serving the community with great love and effectiveness.   VOL: How have you dealt with survivorship trauma?   KRAMER: There is definitely “survivor guilt” here along with tremendous sorrow and heart ache. This is a small, tight knit community. Everyone knows someone who perished or is closely related to someone who perished. There’s at most one degree of separation. What we need to keep in mind is that PTSD doesn’t peak until year three. At that point, the media and the big orgs will have moved on and we’ll be long forgotten. It was at the three-year point after Katrina we had 500,000 people with trauma running around New Orleans. I had one street in the parish with five suicides in one week. We need to keep this in mind as we move forward. Some of the hardest days are well ahead of us.   VOL: How many funerals did you conduct?   KRAMER: We’ve just had one so far. A precious 8-year girl of the parish. Much loved by all. 1,200+ attended. It was beautiful and sad and hopeful and awful. More memorials ahead of us.    VOL:  How has the clergy response been?   KRAMER: Incredible. The local churches and clergy are amazing. Just getting after it in so many vital ways. One of the important things we learned at the start of Katrina response was from the counselors who worked 9-11 at ground zero. The clergy who did really at the outset were carried out in body bags at the two-year mark. We need to make clergy wellness and mental health care a priority. Someone needs to cut the barber’s hair.   VOL: What value did ACNA Bishop Julian Dobbs have being there?  What does a bishop do apart from show up, offer a few prayers and leave? Do bishops get their hands dirty?   KRAMER : Bishop Dobbs rolled in immediately, and his presence was hugely appreciated. He drew national attention to the issue and reassured a broken community that the country would stand with them. Spiritual leadership is incredibly important in a crisis like this. He showed up and delivered. Hats off.    VOL: How much longer will you stay?   KRAMER: Until we're no longer needed. This is moving along very, very  quickly. Once the pieces are in place, and a non-anxious presence is no longer needed, we can move on. We really need to get back to the Middle East. The Kurds are emotionally needy and require attention.      VOL: What part does prayer play, and did you see prayers being answered?   KRAMER : “Prayer strikes the winning blow; service is simply picking up the pieces .” — S. D. Gordon. Americans want to keep busy. We’re impatient. We want a silver bullet. We want a website. God wants relationship. Churches here normally reach for prayer when everything else has failed. Prayer should be our first and primary response. I used to think that was “laziness.” If you don’t think prayer is hard work, you don’t know how to pray!    We always tell new field missionaries that prayer is your first duty. It’s the most important thing we do in the field. It’s the key to reaching the lost. It’s the key to seeing the Kingdom come. This community is devastated. There is so much sorrow and personal loss. We have plenty of stuff. We will rebuild. But we need God’s grace for healing, patience and perseverance. We most of all need and are deeply grateful for your prayers. Remember the Hill Country before the Lord. He is our strength.     VOL: Thank you, Jerry.   If you would like to contribute to this vital ministry click here: https://lovefortheleast.org/texas-flood-relief-insider

PRESS RELEASE   July 23, 2025   Statement from the Bishops of the Anglican Network in Europe following the passing of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and the amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill   This week (June 16th-20th 2025) the Westminster Parliament has voted effectively to permit babies to be killed in the womb without restriction or time limit. It has also voted to permit health professionals to end the lives of adults in certain circumstances. The vote on abortion took place with very little debate or scrutiny; the debate on “assisted dying” went through a long process where many eminent voices in committee and on the floor of the House raised concerns about safeguards and warned about the damaging implications of passing the Leadbeater bill. Yet in both cases a majority of MP’s saw fit to ignore and override the warnings, and vote for the removal of restrictions which have for decades and even centuries protected the most vulnerable in society: the unborn and the very infirm.These votes show that while we live in a democracy and respect it, many of those elected to positions of the highest power can no longer be trusted to carry out their responsibilities with wisdom. Sadly, but not surprisingly, leaders from the established church who have influence in government have for the most part been reticent to speak God’s word; to call the faithful to pray in these dark and uncertain times, and to call godless rulers to repentance and faith in Christ.We cannot say that this is a “political” matter, that it is none of our business as Christians, that it somehow belongs to the realm of secular activity while the church should concentrate on “the gospel”. As Bishops of the Anglican Network in Europe we urge all faithful believers in Christ to consider and lament what Parliament has done this week.   May we repent of sin personally and corporately as churches, plead with the Lord to have mercy on the nations which are affected by this and similar rulings, and re-commit to the urgent proclamation of the life-affirming and saving gospel of Jesus in the face of the culture of death.

July 21, 2025   (RNS) — The long-awaited church trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch, a leader in the Anglican Church in North America, is facing a crisis in the wake of the sudden resignation of a lawyer who represented the denomination in the proceedings. In a resignation letter dated July 19 (Saturday), the lawyer, C. Alan Runyan, wrote that “the trial process had been irreparably tainted.”   “I am sorry for the burden it places on you and on all those who seek a just resolution of these charges,” said Runyan in his letter to Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the denomination. “Nevertheless, this is not simply something that can be casually overlooked for expediency’s sake.”   Wood notified ACNA members of the “significant and regrettable development” in an email Sunday evening. He also announced that he would begin the process of appointing a new prosecutor.   In a second announcement Monday morning, Wood said the resignation was in response to a line of questioning that Runyan said drew on material not within the scope of the trial. The announcement, which linked to Runyan’s resignation letter, included a ruling, issued by the seven-member Court for Trial of a Bishop, that the trial will resume on Aug. 11.   Ruch, whose actions are the focus of the proceedings, is bishop of the ACNA’s Upper Midwest Diocese, which comprises 18 churches from several states, including Illinois and Wisconsin. Ruch has been accused of mishandling multiple abuse allegations in the diocese, failing to prioritize victims in the wake of abuse allegations and knowingly welcoming individuals with histories of predatory behavior into diocesan churches without alerting church members.   Abuse survivors first went public with their concerns of Ruch’s handling of abuse allegations in 2021, and since then more than 10 clergy and other lay leaders in the Upper Midwest Diocese have been accused of misconduct.   The Court for Trial of a Bishop, which includes bishops, priests and lay members, must determine whether Ruch is guilty of four charges: that he habitually neglected the duties of the bishop’s office; that he engaged in conduct “giving just cause for scandal or offense,” including abuse of church power; that he violated his ordination vows; and that he disobeyed or willingly violated church bylaws.   But after five days of proceedings, that process has been jeopardized, Runyan claims. In his resignation letter, Runyan — who represented the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina in its 10-year legal battle with the Episcopal Church over the ownership of church properties — says that on the fifth day of the trial, a member of the court began questioning the denomination’s expert witness based on materials that were not “in evidence before the Court” and “not properly in the trial record.”   That line of questioning, the letter argues, was problematic because it pertained to and “cast suspicion on” the investigative process that preceded the charges before the court.   Runyan writes that in April, the court ruled that “evidence of the investigative process was ‘improper.’” This decision was apparently made because, leading up to the trial, Ruch had focused on “information about the investigative process,” rather than focusing exclusively on evidence pertaining to the charges against him, Runyan said.   “At that point, all six of the other members of the Court had been exposed to an unwarranted suspicion of provincial investigative bias brought into the trial by a single Court member, contrary to the Court’s duty to determine the outcome based solely on the evidence in the trial record,” Runyan said. His resignation includes a request that the entire trial record and full transcript — all properly redacted — be made available to all ACNA members. The four lay authors of a presentment, or list of charges, that precipitated the trial have also called for the release of the redacted transcript, as has the anti-abuse advocacy group ACNAtoo, which noted today that “the people who suffer the most in this imbroglio are the survivors.”   “A trial process that bears within it the seed of impropriety, no matter the outcome, must change,” Runyan concluded in his letter. “Though impossible to see now, I pray for God to be glorified in the ultimate outcome of this decision.”   After Runyan announced his intent to resign, Ruch’s team filed a Motion for a Directed Verdict of Not Guilty, which requests a ruling from the court before Ruch’s team presents its case. The court said it will not rule on the motion until the trial resumes on Aug. 11.   Wood’s second announcement links to a letter from the chief legal officer of the denomination, Bill Nelson, who noted that the Ruch case is still active and warned against “speculation or commentary” that could impact the trial. Nelson added that the denomination’s bylaws “provide a means for addressing any errors that may occur at the trial” by providing a right for both parties to appeal to the Provincial Tribunal, the denomination’s highest court.   It is up to the Court for Trial of a Bishop, Nelson said, to decide whether to grant Runyan’s request for the release of the redacted court transcript.   This isn’t the first time attempts to investigate charges against Ruch have been stymied. In 2023, the denomination erupted into a power struggle between Ruch and then-Archbishop Foley Beach after Ruch attempted to block an investigation into his behavior by making what Beach called a “secret appeal” to the Provincial Tribunal.   Nevertheless, later that year, a board of inquiry found probable cause to present Ruch for trial.   END

By David W. Virtue Virtuosity   Dear Brothers and Sisters,     As this tumultuous year draws to a close in the life of the Anglican Communion we might well reflect for a moment on why it is necessary to uphold the ‘Faith once delivered.’     We are not playing word games here. Words have meaning and they change how we think and view the world. Think what Das Kapital and Mein Kampf did to a generation before us. Words matter. They change the way we think, influence our decisions and more. We act upon words every day of our life. We make decisions for good or ill on what we hear and learn, and words influence what directions we will take, what we support with our money and much more.     Virtuosity’s whole purpose is to defend the gospel of Jesus Christ as it is practiced within the context of the Anglican Way. There is nothing particularly new or startling about this, no mind-shattering revelations or illuminations, just the solid, defense of something that is true for us today as it was 2,000 years ago. It is a message that has not changed with time, the passage of history, passing cultural fashions, the findings of science, advances in education, the new morality, or more. Human nature we now know has not changed appreciably over aeons of history. Regardless of how well-educated we might be, however advanced in our understanding of how the mind and body works’ that intractable thing we call the ego rears its ugly head and we sin.     For the good that I wish, I do not do’ but I practice the very evil that I do not wish, said the Great Apostle, and he is right. The pull of power, the urge of libidos, and the false security of money pulls us down to equalize us all. None of us is exempt, including this writer.     I love words. I love what they do, how they influence lives, and more. Perhaps one day when I come to die someone will carve on my tombstone’ He used words well. I should be so lucky.     For most of you who have ‘endured’ VIRTUOSITY for another year, will note that many of my writers and contributors, essayists and columnists have used words far better than me, for they are better writers than I am, and know their subjects better than I do.     I am truly grateful for each one of them. I suffer from the sin of envy (among other sins), that God has enabled them to put together sentences more illuminating than my own, more powerful in their ability to persuade, and so I sit in awe of them. Still we must press on.     Virtuosity is a calling and a ministry and it will go on into the New Year vigorously proclaiming, defending, and building up, at the same time pulling down strongholds of satanic influence. We will leave no stone unturned in the search for truth and exposing the lies and half-truths, the pomposity and venality of revisionist hegemony found in The Episcopal Church. We will reveal, expose and bring to the light, those things which we have done and those which we ought not to have done.     That does not mean that this writer comes covered in a mantle of perfection, far from it. I will make my own mistakes and hopefully you the reader will tell me so I can correct them. I expect that. I would be shocked if I did not hear from you.     IN TODAY’S LEAD STORY we continue to look at the implications of what a New World Anglican Order could look like if the Episcopal Church becomes, in effect, two churches. A ‘church within a church’ or para-church, a church that is, that comes alongside the main body, drawing the good from it and leaving a dead carcass behind.     Events are shaping up fast. Two conflicting views over the future of the ECUSA is beginning to emerge and you can read the substance of that in today’s lead story.   TED MOLLEGEN, the point man for The Episcopal Church’s hoped for growth with General Convention’s 20/20 has written a propaganda piece at those who opposed Vicki Gene’s consecration. I have taken this apart for your edification. This man has managed to turn truth so violently on its head that cranial damage has ensued and now seems permanent. His blasphemous attack on orthodoxy and those who defend it is exposed for all to read.     ONCE AGAIN, THE DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA LEADS THE WAY. The Rev. Douglas G. Scott, rector of St. Martin’s Church, Radnor has issued a stirring call to action on page 28 of Episcopal Life. It is an outrage, he writes, that Christianity seems to have little tolerance for the suffering fat. We should ask the obese to share with their faith community what it means to be at the margins of societal acceptance and learn from them.     I kid you not. The obvious solution, Virtuosity believes is to consecrate an openly fat man who is in a committed relationship with his refrigerator. Do you Douglas take Kelvinator to be your awfully wedded significant other, to have and to hold, till high cholesterol do you part... Dear friends, it is utterly impossible to out-satirize this stuff. With the removal of the twin sins of gluttony and sodomy it just gets easier and easier to become an Episcopalian. Will we abandon the Prayer Book in time? Perhaps we will all live long enough to see a fat bisexual with bestial proclivities who has a hankering for non-neutered Dalmatians publicly consecrated in a NYC bathhouse. Frank Griswold will preside. ECUSA has become a lunatic asylum and the lunatics are in charge.     And our Bible reading today is taken from First Bennison (Pennsylvania Episcopalian Page B) chapter 1 verse 1: Moses smashed the tablets brought down off Mount Sinai to free the Word of God to be heard not seen.  How long will the Standing Committee put up with this lunatic?     IN A RECENT NEWS ARTICLE THE PRESIDING BISHOP Frank Griswold gave some instructions to his Executive Council on the relationship between truth and community. This is what he said: Truth is discovered in communion. Schism is the shattering of communion. In order to discover God’s truth, everyone has to be at the table.     The Rev. Lawrence D. Bausch, rector of Holy Trinity Church, San Diego, begs to disagree. He argues the exact reverse. He offers four examples when leaving the table has occurred because truth had been discerned and not agreed to.     First, the calling out of Abraham and his descendents as followers of Yahweh, separating them from their neighbors. This is a recurrent theme throughout the Old Testament. Secondly, the separation of Christians from Jews over the identity of Jesus. Third, the conciliar definitions including the creeds and canon of Scripture which determined acceptable parameters for communion. And fourth, the English reform under Queen Elizabeth I, which resulted in separation from the Catholic Church. It’s amazing how much rubbish Griswold manages to get away with unchallenged by his fellow bishops.     RECENT REPORTS in newspapers like the Church of England newspaper and on the Internet that Anglo-Catholics and groups like the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) are ready to run to Rome are exaggerated and premature. In discussions with various leaders in Episcopal Anglo-Catholic circles, word is that while talks and visits to Rome have been undertaken no one is going anywhere. The TAC under the leadership of Archbishop Falk and more recently the newly anointed Archbishop John Hepworth admit that while seeking unity to the fullest degree is desirable no one is going to abandon the Anglican tradition. Merger with Rome is not imminent. Furthermore Rome never acts in a hurry, even to embrace hurting Anglicans under siege from revisionist forces. Al in good time.     THE REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH has had a defection. Bishop Gregory Hotchkiss has resigned over the REC’s stance against gay marriage. Even the most orthodox of jurisdictions are not immune, it would seem, from all this craziness over homo-erotic behavior.     SPRINGFIELD BISHOP PETER BECKWITH reports that no presentment charges have been made against him despite coming under heavy fire from a group of hard-line revisionist gay and lesbian priests and laity in his diocese who want him gone. (Virtuosity exposed their tricks in a secret chat room where they used anonymous names to blast the bishop).   Beckwith wrote to VIRTUOSITY, I have heard there has been some interest/desire/attempt to present me for 1) Teaching against the doctrine of the Church’ and 2) Abandoning the Sacrament of the Church.  I’m told 1 is because I will not recognize Gene Robinson’s ministry, allow blessing of same sex relationships or likely to welcome clergy into the Diocese who would.  I’m told 2 is because I did not visit a new mission initiative in our Monroe County before I pulled the plug on it.  After 15 months of preparation, we were aiming at having 200 at the first service.  20 showed up.  In the seven weeks of operation, it was reported between 13 and 20 people participated per service.  We had about 80K left to invest after which the congregation would have to raise the 100K annually to support the operation.  That seeming most unlikely led to my decision. Frankly I consider their efforts to present me laughable! Thank you Bishop.       AND IT WILL COME AS NO SURPRISE, that the Religious Newswriters Association picked the Gene Robinson consecration as the top news story of the year.     But it is very revealing that not one of the bishops who supported Robinson has expressed any concern that he accepted a Person of the Year award from a gay soft porn website, PlanetOut, and a gay magazine, The Advocate.   Second top story is Michael Ingham’s attempted slaughter of 11 godly parishes in the Diocese of New Westminster. They are still open for business and thriving.     And in the DIOCESE OF COLORADO the bishop there one Jerry Winterrowd now expresses regret for supporting the election of the nation’s first openly gay bishop. He says the church was not ready. Winterrowd, who retires on Dec. 31, said he went into August’s General Convention of the Episcopal Church USA intending to vote against the election of Gene Robinson as New Hampshire bishop. His rationale: Robinson’s election would fly in the face of the church’s desire to delay setting policy on blessing same-sex unions. But Winterrowd said he became convinced that each diocese had the right to elect its own bishop. Subsequently, I would say that I am on very thin ice there, Winterrowd said. Indeed you are bishop. Very thin.     IN CANADA, the Bully of Vancouver, Michael Ingham closed down the fledgling mission parish of Holy Cross in Abbotsford, BC. The timing of the Anglican Bishop’s pre-Christmas closure of the church is ironic.   In attempting to include new ideas, the Anglican Church is making sure there is no room in the inn for traditionalist thinkers. The parishioners must defend their faith. If this was happening in another country, Holy Cross would be listed under the persecution of Christians. That it should be persecuted at the hands of its own infrastructure is alarming, wrote one priest.     The parish priest James Wagner remains committed to his congregation, saying, we will continue to worship, even though we’re apparently not recognized formally. We hear a lot about tolerance and diversity and how diverse views should be respected. It seems to me a strange way to resolve conflict, said a parish layman.     Holy Cross is a mission church, which is distinct from an incorporated parish. Holy Cross voted by overwhelming majority to accept the offer of Bishop Terry Buckle of Yukon to lead them. The Bishop later withdrew.     Ten years ago when the small parish of St. George’s Anglican Church in Hamilton, Ontario, was disestablished, it was re-born immediately as St. George’s Reformed Episcopal Church and functions as a traditional Anglican parish. It is flourishing. There is hope.     And this from WASHINGTON BISHOP JOHN CHANE’S KORANIC CHRISTMAS MESSAGE:   And what was God thinking . . . when the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to reveal the Law to Moses? And what was God thinking . . . when the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to reveal the sacred Quran to the prophet Muhammad? And what was God thinking . . . when the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to reveal the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God?     Virtuosity thinks that God thinks that Bishop Chane should be tossed out of his bishopric for talking rubbish.     DEMOCRATIC FRONT RUNNER HOWARD DEAN was once an Episcopalian in Vermont. But owing to a squabble about the construction of a pathway on a nine-mile stretch of land along Lake Champlain opposed by a group of Episcopalians, he left the Episcopal Church. Apparently the much vaunted Doctrine of Inclusion hit a snag and the wannabe next president left the ECUSA.     I WROTE TO CANON PATRICK MAUNEY, the Episcopal Church’s Director of Anglican and Global Relations this week asking if the Episcopal Church was still planning to go ahead and send money for the poor Gulu’s in Uganda, even though Frank Griswold has been disinvited to attend the consecration of their new archbishop. I got no answer. Unless Virtuosity hears otherwise you can safely assume the gift will not be going out to these poor starving Ugandans, which goes to prove that money and politics are inextricably twined in The Episcopal Church.     THE BISHOP OF OHIO CLARK GREW went on the offensive this week about a group of parishioners who left a parish in Hudson, Ohio. This is what he said on radio WKSU: I think the tension I feel is, and I don’t want to devalue the authenticity of scripture claim that people make that this is a matter of scriptural authority, but I think, deep within that posture is a deep-seeded homophobia and an inability for people to see gay and lesbian people as children of God. Other members on the panel took him to task and you can read the he said/she said into today’s digest. He has some very revealing thoughts about a parallel jurisdiction in the ECUSA.     RE: CHRIST AND CIVILIZATION article. I received a mountain of e-mails expressing anger and disgust at the turn the article took in the latter quarter of the four-part series in its attack on Orthodox and Catholic Christians. Virtuosity regrets such attacks and maintains that the thrust of the article, which is that without Christ we would not have Western Civilization, as we know it, still stands. I am publishing a number of LETTERS reflecting various views on the article, and Virtuosity invites anyone with a knowledge of the origins of Western Civilization to write a contra piece for publication.     I HAVE POSTED A NUMBER OF STORIES today for your interest and edification.     This will be the last digest for the Year 2003. When next I write it will be in the first week in January with a YEAR IN REVIEW story.   With that will come a new website makeover for 2004.

Ethics & Religion     by Michael J. McManus     Pollster George Barna reported recently that three-fifths of Americans believe cohabitation is an acceptable behavior.  In fact, two-thirds of Catholics see no problem with unmarried couples living together, nor half of all Protestants and even 49 percent of born-again Americans. What’s more, Barna says The moral perspectives of Americans are likely to continue to deteriorate. Compared to surveys we conducted just two years ago, significantly more adults are depicting such behaviors as morally acceptable.     Certainly, the number of couples living together has soared from only 520,000 in 1970 to 5 million today, a ten-fold increase in a generation. That’s double the number who marry in a year. Cohabitation, not marriage, is the primary way male-female unions are formed. However, Scripture is clear.  Flee fornication, St. Paul wrote (I. Cor 7:18). I cited that quote in England, and a very dignified dowager interrupted me to exclaim, Jesus never said anything about it.     Yes he did.  Remember the woman at the well, who Jesus said had five husbands ‘and the man you now have is not your husband’ (John 4:18).     The problem, as I see is two-fold: ignorance of cohabitation’s consequences by the general public, and a willful avoidance of the issue by America’s clergy.     Sociology backs up Scripture on the evil of cohabitation. Since men and women living together begin with minimal commitment, there’s greater unhappiness - more infidelity, more conflict and even violence, more illness and depression.     Sociologist Pamela Smock estimates that 45 percent of such couples undergo premarital divorce, which can be painful and complicated.  A woman at a Christian publishing company told me she lived with a man for six years, and desperately wanted to leave, but felt trapped: We bought a house together and he doesn’t want to sell it.       Many live together to test their potential for marriage. Big mistake. Marriages that are preceded by living together have 50 percent higher disruption rates than marriages without premarital cohabitation, according to the National Survey of Families and Households.     St. Paul sagely wrote, Test everything. Hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil.     Cohabitation may be perceived as a test, but it is an embracing of evil. A stunning 43 percent of unmarried couples have children, vs 46 percent of married couples.     Yet have you ever heard a sermon on cohabitation?  I bet not. In scores of cities, I’ve asked pastors if they have preached on it. One hand in 50 goes up. This moral abdication is perhaps the major reason why Barna found Christians have a higher divorce rate than atheists.     There is an alternative.  A third of America’s churches now provide a more appropriate way for couples to test their relationships - with a test called a premarital inventory.  The man and woman are asked if they agree or disagree separately to 150+ one sentence statements:   At times I am concerned about the silent treatment I get from my future spouse.     I am concerned that my future spouse sometimes spends money foolishly.     I am hoping that after marriage my future souse will change of his/her behaviors.     A computerized report is prepared comparing what the man and woman said on each issue. Result: a tenth of couples decide not to marry.   Studies show that their scores are equal to those who marry and later divorce.  So they are avoiding a bad marriage before it has begun!     In 1992, my wife and I added another component, having couples in solid marriages administer the inventory. Clergy will normally provide only an hour of feedback. They do not have time to talk through scores of issues that a couple aged 50 can provide. With both genders present, mentor couples can actually do a better job than clergy or counselors.     From 1992-2000, 302 couples were mentored at our home church.  Of that number, 21 dropped out part way through, mostly to break up. Another 34 couples met with their mentors six evenings, but decided not to marry.     Thus, more than 50 couples avoided a likely divorce.  But of those who did marry, there have been only seven divorces or separations in a decade.  That is a 3 percent failure rate, or a 97 percent success rate.     That’s not just marriage preparation - but marriage insurance. What’s more, we created an organization called Marriage Savers that has trained 3,000 mentor couples across the country, whose churches often have even lower divorce rates. To learn more, see marriagesavers.org .     Why doesn’t your church, synagogue or mosque set a goal in 2004 to radically reduce your congregation’s divorce rate?     END TXT Copyright   2003 Michael J. McManus

Some years ago the main-line Christian denominations were taken over by leftists’ the process is even more far gone in Europe than in America. Hence this utterly bizarre news story: Two Top Bishops Last Night Warned Tony Blair Must Answer to God for Toppling Saddam Hussein. Yes,   That’s right. God was in Saddam’s corner all the way: The Bishop of Durham and the Archbishop of York blasted the war in newspaper interviews. In an astonishing grab for the moral high ground, they admitted Saddam was wicked but claimed the allies were not the right people to oust him.     Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, accused the PM and President George Bush - both devout Christians - of ‘a strange distortion of Christianity’ to justify action. He compared them to ‘white vigilantes going into Brixton to stop drug dealing’.     If anyone understands that reference, send us an email’ I’m completely in the dark. And if England and America weren’t the right people to oust Saddam, who were? All those other nations who have been lining up to do the dirty work all these years, I guess.     Dr David Hope, Archbishop of York, reminded the Prime Minister of the ‘higher authority’ he will have to face one day and urged churchgoers to pray for his soul. Referring to Saddam, he said: ‘Undoubtedly a very wicked leader has been removed but there are other wicked leaders.’     Meaning, I guess, that God will fault Tony Blair for not removing the Mullahs, Kim Il Jong, and a few others. Well, Reverend, give him time. Meanwhile, when it comes to removing very wicked leaders, the score is: Tony Blair an d George Bush--(remember the Taliban),   Church of England clerics-- Bishops’ warning to Blair     By TREVOR KAVANAGH Political Editor   THE SUN   TWO top bishops last night warned Tony Blair must answer to God for toppling Saddam Hussein.   The Bishop of Durham and the Archbishop of York blasted the war in newspaper interviews.   In an astonishing grab for the moral high ground, they admitted Saddam was wicked but claimed the allies were not the right people to oust him.     Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, accused the PM and President George Bush - both devout Christians - of a strange distortion of Christianity to justify action.     He compared them to white vigilantes going into Brixton to stop drug dealing. Dr David Hope, Archbishop of York, reminded the Prime Minister of the higher authority he will have to face one day and urged churchgoers to pray for his soul.     Referring to Saddam, he said: Undoubtedly a very wicked leader has been removed but there are other wicked leaders. His words echoed Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams’ warning that Mr. Blair would be called to account.       END

News Analysis   By UWE SIEMON-NETTO UPI Religion Writer     The following question is of course highly speculative and may sound slightly off the wall, but it still makes some sense: Could 2004 be a Nigerian year? Consider the following: Chances are that pope John Paul II, who is very ill and tired, will not last for another 12 months. Who will take his place?One of the likely prospects is Cardinal Francis Arinze, 71, an Ibo from Nigeria and now prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation on Divine worship. He is tough, energetic knows how to handle youth -- and most importantly perhaps - - is an expert on Islam.       Then consider another branch of Christianity -- the Anglicans. The most powerful traditionalist voice is that of archbishop Peter Akinola, primate of the Anglican province of Nigeria with 17 million-18 million faithful.       His see, Abuja, may well become the Canterbury of the 21st century, just as Constantinople once proclaimed itself the second and Moscow the third Rome. As conjecture in Anglican circles goes, the current archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, will continue to waffle on the crisis in the Episcopal Church USA. But time is running out. Ten out of the 11 African primates want to cut ties with the tiny American offshoot of Anglicanism, or at least the diocese of t he first openly homosexual bishop, Gene Robinson. Most Asians and Latin Americans feel the same way. And Peter Jensen, archbishop of Sydney in Australia, has already mused aloud about the possibility of shifting his allegiance from Canterbury to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.     Akinola has already made clear that he will not let Americas’ wealth persuade him to make doctrinal concessions to what he considers the Western heresies.     In other words, there’ll be a split in world Anglicanism.     Now let’s guess on: Nigeria is not only home to two of the most powerful Christian prelates involved in the lesser clash of cultures -- the one pitting Scripture against false doctrine. Nigeria is also the place where the big culture war is being fought -- the conflict between radical Islam and Christianity, both growing rapidly.     Chances are, then, that Nigeria may become the main focus of religion reporters in the New Year -- or perhaps not. To begin with, nobody can predict when the pope will die, and who will take his place. Given the Church’s 2,000-year history it is very likely that after the polish pope’s 25-year reign, it will once again be an Italian’s turn.     It could be that Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna will succeed him, or Cardinal Phillippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon and a man of great personal holiness, or maybe even the ageing Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, the German prefect of the Pontifical Congregation for the doctrine of Faith, who might bring theological order back into the Roman Church.     Or it could be anybody. Suffice it to say the biggest religion story of 2004 will presumably come from Rome, and that five things can be considered a given about the new man on St. Peter’s throne:     1. He is a disciplinarian, which John Paul II is not, which accounts for a considerable theological chaos in the Church.     2. He has John Paul’s passion for the young.   3. He is, like John Paul, able to garner the respect of representative of other faiths, especially Islam.   4. He shares his commitment to ecumenism, without which it would be hard t o accomplish the next pontiff’s perhaps most important task:     5. He must continue John Paul’s strategy of re-evangelizing Europe and thus strengthen the Christian Church against the potential onslaught of Islamic radicalism.   There are many small signs pointing to Europe’s slow spiritual recovery: There is the fact that 70 percent of the new ordinands in the Church of England are evangelical. There is the reawakening of Christian intellectual life in France -- and the missionary zeal of the Catholic and Protestant churches in that most secularized of all European nations.     There is substantial evidence for a reawakening of religious interests in Germany, where pastors suddenly rank second-highest in the public’s estimation of various professions, and where on regional television religious programs are the most popular. Another sign is that the American feature film Luther is a resounding success in the land of Luther, where only 20 years ago Protestant theologians called the Reformer passe.     These developments tend to be subtle -- less obvious than bloody acts of terrorism committed by terrorists in the name of Islam, or conflicts between Sunni and Shiite Muslims dominating the television news from Iraq.     But for the moment, sociologists of religion from both sides of the Atlantic agree, it looks as if in 2004 vibrant Christianity will be the most powerful faith in the world. Meanwhile, Islam may well provide bigger headlines, but has yet to find the ground it has lost 1,000 years ago.     Unless, of course, you consider militant Islamism the true voice of that religion. In that case, most Christian, Muslim and Jewish theologians would beg to disagree.     END