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NORFOLK – The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia has slashed its budget by about $400,000 this year to offset a drop in contributions caused largely by parishes upset with the national church's endorsement last summer of a gay bishop. The diocese, which has 122 parishes, including 33 in South Hampton Roads, plans to spend $1.35 million this year. Last year, it budgeted $1.76 million, but saw revenue fall short by $200,000 when some parishes did not fulfill their previous pledges. Charles G. Pfeifer, the diocese's treasurer, said spending cuts included elimination of the only full-time staff member of the Anglican Center for Theology and Spirituality. The center, based in Norfolk, was created in 2002 to offer Episcopalians opportunities for spiritual growth. Pfeifer said the diocese also eliminated contributions to the Jackson-Field Home, in Jarratt, and to an ecumenical prison chaplaincy program in Virginia. Last year, the diocese gave $50,000 to the girls' home, which assists abused girls, and $40,000 to the chaplaincy program. Pfeifer said that as much as two-thirds of the diocese's revenue drop may be due to conservatives who are withholding contributions as a way of protesting the national denomination's approval last year of a gay New Hampshire man, the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, as a bishop. Southern Virginia Bishop David C. Bane Jr. voted to oppose Robinson's ordination. The shortfall reflects less giving by individual Episcopalians as well as by certain parishes where leaders resolved to cut donations to the diocese, Pfeifer said. Protesters who are withholding cash as a way of also punishing the national Episcopal Church might consider themselves successful: The diocese will send only $100,000 to the denomination's national office, half of the amount sent last year. Few dioceses have cut their denominational contribution as deeply, said Kurt Barnes, treasurer of the Episcopal Church. Major exceptions are the dioceses of Dallas and Pittsburgh, which have refused to send any money. Barnes also noted that some dioceses' ability to give had been hurt by bad regional economies. Nationally, a slump in revenues has forced the denomination to reduce its income forecast for this year by about 7 percent. Barnes said contributions from dioceses account for 60 percent of the national organization's revenue. With revenue falling, national church leaders approved a 5 percent spending cut that sliced into administrative operations as well as national programs promoting urban churches, summer camps for children and anti-poverty programs, Barnes said. Last month, Bane sent a letter to all Episcopal clergy and parish treasurers in the Southern Virginia diocese asking that they consider increasing their pledged contributions to the diocese. Bane said last week that the diocese had "hit bottom" financially and that Episcopalians needed to revive their sense of community and fiscal stewardship. "It's time for those of us who want to work for the future to get to it," the bishop said. Some local parishes, such as the Church of the Messiah in Chesapeake, are supporting an alternate organization, the American Anglican Council, which opposes ordaining homosexuals. In January, that group established the Network of Anglican Communion Diocese and Parishes as an advocate within the Episcopal Church for conservative views. Reach Steven G. Vegh at 446-2417 or steven.vegh@pilotonline.com © 2004 HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com

April 6, 2004 Dear Marek, I am most grateful for your letter for I have not seen our situation expressed so succinctly and so clearly. You write "...Episcopalians are welcomed and entitled to differ regarding important theological and ethical matters" but that "The biggest risk I fear at this time is the destruction of our polity, which along with Common Prayer and respect for the episcopate essentially holds us together." Thus, we are "entitled" to differ regarding important theological and ethical matters" such as denying catholic Christology and the doctrine of the Trinity (Pike), theism and saving action of Christ (Spong), and Christianity itself (Carter Heyward) but we must respect bishops who currently admit they, as a House, are "dysfunctional." You see the denial of the Christian faith as an entitlement but the biggest risk is the "destruction of our polity." Jack Allin, of blessed memory, confessed in his parting address to General Convention in 1985: "I must repent. I loved the Church more than the Lord of the Church." He said if for me and perhaps for you. I am thankful that our Anglican forebears did not do the idolatrous thing in elevating polity over "important theological and ethical matters" in the Reformation that gave us our Common Prayer. I am thankful that Irenaeus did not take our contemporary priorities that you so well describe in his fight with Gnostics. I am thankful that Athanasius violated the polity of the Church for the sake of the divinity of Christ against the Arians whose teachings would justify Spong's dismissal of the Atonement as "child abuse." Perhaps you can help reduce the current hypocrisy and perjury in the Episcopal Church by substituting "We believe in our polity, Common Prayer, and the episcopate" for the Nicene Creed I thank you for your candor and clarity and will share it with some who find it difficult to believe what has become the faith of many Episcopalians. Faithfully, Fitz cc: The Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold Archbishop Rowan Williams Secretary General John Peterson

March 25, 2004 The Rt. Rev. Christopher Fitzsimons Allison 1081 Indigo Avenue Georgetown, SC 29440 Dear Bishop Allison, I write you as concerned Episcopal priest and as one who serves on several national and international boards on behalf of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, expressing my deep regret and concern for your actions in the Diocese of Ohio. Good friends and good Episcopalians are welcomed and entitled to differ regarding important theological and ethical matters. This has and always will be the case, if our tradition continues in its historic matter. The biggest risk I fear at this time is the destruction of our polity, which along with Common Prayer and respect for the episcopate essentially holds us together. When any one of us shows disrespect for the boundaries exercised by another bishop and his or her diocese, we jeopardize the very things that unite us. In closing, I acknowledge the pain that you must be bearing as you witness the Episcopal Church moving in directions counter to your own inclinations and sensibility. I know that this deeply concerns you. I pray, however, that you will be increasingly open to respecting the right of fellow bishops to govern, lead and shepherd their dioceses in ways which would not be your way and to allow them the freedom to do so. It is my deepest hope that the Communion will stand, the Church will flourish and we will not be self-consumed and broken irrevocably. I shall hold you in my prayers as we approach Easter. Faithfully yours in Christ, The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie Rector MPZ/acb cc: The Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold Archbishop Rowan Williams Secretary General John Petersen

March 25, 2004 The Rt. Rev. Christopher Fitzsimons Allison 1081 Indigo Avenue Georgetown, SC 29440 Dear Bishop Allison, I write you as concerned Episcopal priest and as one who serves on several national and international boards on behalf of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, expressing my deep regret and concern for your actions in the Diocese of Ohio. Good friends and good Episcopalians are welcomed and entitled to differ regarding important theological and ethical matters. This has and always will be the case, if our tradition continues in its historic matter. The biggest risk I fear at this time is the destruction of our polity, which along with Common Prayer and respect for the episcopate essentially holds us together. When any one of us shows disrespect for the boundaries exercised by another bishop and his or her diocese, we jeopardize the very things that unite us. In closing, I acknowledge the pain that you must be bearing as you witness the Episcopal Church moving in directions counter to your own inclinations and sensibility. I know that this deeply concerns you. I pray, however, that you will be increasingly open to respecting the right of fellow bishops to govern, lead and shepherd their dioceses in ways which would not be your way and to allow them the freedom to do so. It is my deepest hope that the Communion will stand, the Church will flourish and we will not be self-consumed and broken irrevocably. I shall hold you in my prayers as we approach Easter. Faithfully yours in Christ, The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie Rector MPZ/acb cc: The Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold Archbishop Rowan Williams Secretary General John Petersen

By David W. Virtue Thousands of Episcopalians want to redirect their funds away from both their revisionist diocesan bishops and the National Church because of policies that are in direct opposition to authentic mission and the proclamation of the Good News. Withholding funds has become a legitimate way to tell revisionist bishops who want monies from orthodox parishes to support the church's socio-political and sexual, non-biblical agenda of inclusion not redemption. While some parishes are forced to pay their apportionment (assessment), they are not obliged to pay further monies toward the diocese's ongoing "mission". Those monies are optional, though Virtuosity has learned that in dioceses like Pennsylvania and Florida the bishops are twisting arms, using threats and coercion to extort more money out of richer orthodox parishes to support their agendas. Some parishes across the country continue to support their dioceses based on the biblical tithe of giving ten percent of their pledged income as an expression of their support for the unity of the church and a responsibility to be part of it. But this is not mandatory. Other churches are giving a tithe minus whatever their vestry designates as money strictly designated for parish use only, that is, for those parishioners who would give nothing unless they had that option. Virtuosity offers the following list of doctrinally sound, biblically orthodox and evangelistically driven ministries to whom you can send your contribution. All these ministries have been personally vetted by this writer and checked against knowledgeable persons in Episcopal/Anglican ministry organizations. The list is offered in alphabetical order. ACTS 29/ERM MINISTRIES. An Episcopalian Renewal Ministry which conducts teaching and training seminars across the country and around the world. The ministry has a heart for the thousands of local parishes across the country, and offers a variety of parish renewal conferences designed to re-ignite Christians at the local level. The Rev. Alan Hansen, Pres. 1900 The Exchange SE Ste. 170 Atlanta, GA. 30339-2022 Tele. 770-952- 2670 Fax 770-952-2371 Email info@a29.com http://www.A29.com. AFRICAN TEAM MINISTRIES supports the church in East Africa through training evangelism, supporting AIDS prevention, AIDS orphans. They support water projects, medical projects, displaced peoples and famine relief. They are involved in three Anglican Provinces – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Keith Jesson, Director P. O. Box 115 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91025 Tele. 626-359 5075, 800-456-0843 Fax 626-359-8075 Email ATMM@earthlink.net http://www.africanteamministries.org/ This ministry was founded by the late Ugandan Bishop Festo Kivengere. Another allied ministry in Tanzania is managed by the Kramer Family Mission. Offerings to this ministry can be made to the: Kramer Family Mission, P.O. Box 852, League City, TX 77574. The mission plants churches, provides Christian education for children and clergy famine relief. They report back promptly. THE AMERICAN ANGLICAN COUNCIL has emerged as the orthodox arm of the Episcopal Church. In the wake of the grievous actions taken at General Convention, the AAC exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and work to insure that there is a place for mainstream Anglicans in the Episcopal Church to call home. Canon David C. Anderson is the president of the organization. The American Anglican Council 1110 Vermont Avenue, NW Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: 800-914-2000 or Cell: 703 966-1361 Fax: 202-296-5361 E-mail: info@americananglican.org God Changes Lives for Good! ANGLICAN COMMUNION INSTITUTE stands for a clear reawakening of "dynamic orthodoxy" ---an application of creedal faith to the urgent questions of today. It is the mission and purpose of the Anglican Communion Institute to make a biblical and historical articulation of the faith once delivered readily available to the larger church through conferences and printed word. By bringing together the finest theological and biblical scholars in the Church, it has been and will continue to be our goal to offer a forum for significant reflection on core matters of the doctrine and discipline of the church for its clergy and lay members. Concerned persons can contact its Executive Director, the Rev. Don Armstrong at e-mail: gracerector@AOL.COM. ANGLICAN FRONTIER MISSION concentrates on the 25 largest and least evangelized people groups on the planet. Here you will enter a part of the world that has been neglected by Christian mission. 20% of the entire world's population or 1.5 billion people have never heard about Jesus Christ. They comprise huge ethnic groups of whom less than 1% are Christian. AFM is committed to seeing churches arise among these people. You can support this ministry by sending a donation to: AFM, The Rev. Tad de Bordenave, Director P.O. Box 18038 Richmond, Va. 23226 Tele. 804-355-8468 Fax 804-355-8260 Email AFM@xc.org http://www.episcopalian.org/afm/ THE CHURCH ARMY USA is part of a worldwide cadre of evangelists within the Anglican Communion. Captains and sisters are trained in a two-year program. Officers serve in inner city, rural, Indian and overseas missions, and as parish and institutional workers. The Church Army raises up evangelists to proclaim the gospel to the least, the last, and the lost and to draw them into the life and mission of the church. Capt. Steve Brightwell, National Director, 210 West North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-4625; (412) 231-1851; toll-free: 1-888-412-5442; e-mail: info@churcharmyusa.org. THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY (CMS)-USA), founded in 1998, is a sister organization of CMS, Britain, the largest missionary agency in the Anglican Communion, founded in 1799. CMS-USA recruits, trains and places multi-ethnic missionary teams planting new churches in ethnically diverse communities or working with the leadership of existing fellowships to transform them into intercultural churches. 62 East Grand Ave., New Haven, CT 06513; (203)469-7077; FAX: 203 469-0564 E-mail: glittle.cms-usa@snet.net. EKKLESIA SOCIETY. Ekklesia is an international society committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ affirming the authority of the Scriptures, The faith of the historic Creeds, The Sacraments as instituted by Jesus, Historic Apostolic Ministry. EKKLESIA also provides networking with Global South bishops. The Rev. Bill Atwood, General Secretary, PO Box 118526, Carrollton, Tx. 75001-8526. Tel. 800-303-6267 Fax 972-245-3472 E-mail: GenSec@ekk.org. EPISCOPAL CHURCH MISSIONARY COMMUNITY (ECMC) is a voluntary society enabling Episcopalians to be more knowledgeable in fulfilling our Lord's Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. Founded in 1974, ECMC raises mission vision in Episcopal parishes, promotes and provides training for missionaries and mission committees, equips Episcopalians to reach unreached people groups around the world, and raises prayer support for Episcopal missionaries. ECMC runs a clearinghouse for information about Episcopal and interdenominational mission opportunities and has trained more than 300 Episcopalians for cross-cultural mission. ECMC is the sponsoring organization of the New Wineskins for Global Mission Conference. Sharon Stockdale, Director Box 278 Ambridge, Pa. 15003 Tele. 724-266-2810 Fax: 724-266-6773 Email: ecmc@anglicanmission.us http://www.episcopalian.org/ecmc/ EPISCOPALIANS FOR TRADITIONAL FAITH is a growing grassroots movement within ECUSA. ETF is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting use of the classic 1928 Book of Common Prayer within the Episcopal Church. This organization of Episcopalians works on restoring and repairing the Church through use of the 1928 liturgy, which is based entirely upon Holy Scripture. ETF relies on an active and informed laity, as well as traditionalist priests and bishops, to ensure unity through adherence to the traditional faith, order, and worship of the Church. Online contributions can be made by using PayPal on the ETF website, or send a check, along with your name, address, and e-mail address to Episcopalians for Traditional Faith P.O. Box 361 Mill Neck, NY 11765. EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP IN THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION (EFAC-USA). This evangelical Episcopal organization stands in the Reformed Anglican tradition of the historic creeds and the 39 Articles of Religion, and the standard of teaching and practice of the Book of Common Prayer. They accept the Scriptures as God's word written, and as containing all things necessary for salvation and the final authority in all matters of faith and behavior. The Rev. Richard Crocker is president. http://www.episcopalian.org/efac/ FAITH ALIVE draws men, women and teens from Episcopal churches near and far to form a team, to come to your church to serve as facilitators, teen and children's leaders and musicians; to share their experiences within Christian community. Prepared and encouraged through a structured Faith Alive program that has blessed some 2,400 churches since 1970, the team members come to your church at their own expense to share how their lives are refreshed by a conscious commitment to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. Faith Alive Weekends are held in Episcopal churches in the USA and Anglican churches in Canada and the Bahamas. They can be reached at FAITH ALIVE, 431 Richmond Place NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 Ph. 505 255-3233. E-mail FAOffice@AOL.COM FIVE TALENTS INTERNATIONAL is an Anglican initiative to combat poverty in developing countries using micro-enterprise development. Five Talents fights poverty, creates jobs and transforms lives. Five Talents International is an Anglican initiative which is committed to combating poverty in the developing world by: Equipping the poor with small business training and small loan programs Equipping the church with the tools to help the poor in small business. Craig Cole, Executive Director PO Box 1487 Fairfax, VA 22030 Tele. 703- 242- 6016 Email: fivetalents@fivetalents.org http://www.fivetalents.org FORWARD IN FAITH, NORTH AMERICA Forward in Faith is the umbrella group within the Church of England for traditionalist Episcopalians that oppose women's ordination and uphold the traditional liturgy and the Anglican Service Book. FIFNA was founded in response to the General Synod's decision to ordain women to the priesthood in November 1992, though its concern for Christian truth and discipline now goes far beyond any single issue. It aims to provide an ecclesiastical structure which continues the order of bishop, priest and deacon as the Church has received them. FIFNA seeks to play a full part in the life of the Church. Carolyn C. (Cris) Fouse is Nat'l Field Director 2905 Lackland Rd. Ste. D Ft. Worth, Tx.76116-4155 Tele. 817-735-1675 Toll- free: (800) 225-3661 Fax 817-735-1351 Email FIFNA@compuserve.com http://forwardinfaith.com/ GATEWAY MISSION TRAINING CENTER provides cross-cultural ministry training and short-term mission opportunities geared to Latin America. Rev. Dan Klooster, 300 Riverside Dr., El Paso, TX 79936; 915-872-8712 E-mail: danklooster@earthlink GLOBAL TEAMS, INC. ]The Rev. Kevin Higgins, Director. Teams mission is to recruit, equip and support thousands of believers from many cultures to target the untargeted, evangelize the unevangelized, reach the unreached, and disciple the undiscipled so that the heart of Jesus Christ may be rooted authentically within every culture of the world. The Rev. Jim Hobby, 3514 Dundalk Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32309 Ph. 850 894-2426. E-mail jhobby@global-teams.org. Head Office Box 490, Forest City, NC 28043; (828)248-1377; e-mail: ewm@rfci.net. THE INSTITUTE ON RELIGION DEMOCRACY. The Institute on Religion and Democracy is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches, social and political witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings. This is accomplished through denominational committees working for reform and renewal in the Episcopal Church, USA, Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church, as well as through our Religious Liberty and Church Alliance for a New Sudan programs, which advocates for religious freedom internationally. Faith McDonnell, Director, 1521 16th Street, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20036 Tel. 202-986-1440 Fax 202-969-8429 Email fmcdonnell@ird-renew.org http://www.ird-renew.org NASHOTAH HOUSE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. Nashotah House is a seminary of the Episcopal Church whose mission is the preparation of men and women for ministries in the Anglican tradition, including: the formation of priests for parish ministry, continuing education for clergy, and training for other forms of ministry, both lay and ordained. Founded in 1842 as a mission on the American frontier, the mission today is to produce graduates who are skilled in pastoral leadership, and who can communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ with passion and clarity both in the United States and overseas. The Very Rev. Robert Munday, Dean and President Nashotah House 2777 Mission Road Nashotah, WI 53058 Tele. 262-646-6500 Tele. 1-800-627-4682 Email nashotah@nashotah.edu http://www.nashotah.edu. remunday@nashotah.edu. NOEL (National Organization of Episcopalians for Life). NOEL is a fellowship of Anglican Christians who uphold the teachings of Scripture and who bear witness within our church and culture to the sanctity of life and the sacredness of the family. With over 50 chapters across the U.S., NOEL works to minister to parishes and communities nationwide. NOEL addresses issues such as abortion, abstinence, assisted suicide, euthanasia, pre- marriage counseling, marriage support, parenting, crisis pregnancy support, and post-abortion healing. Georgette Forney, Exec. Director 405 Frederick Ave. Sewickley, Pa. 15143-1522 Tele. 412-749-0455, 800-707-NOEL Fax 412- 749-0422, 412-741-7360 Email NOELife@aol.com http://www.noelforlife.org NORTH AMERICAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY is dedicated to planting new Anglican congregations for the 21st century. Our aim is to build a cohesive, dedicated, effective, and focused community of churches, says The Rev. Dr. Jon Schuler who leads this movement. E-mail: NAMSHQ@aol.com US Mail: P.O. Box 718, Pawleys Island, SC 29585 Voice: 800-441-NAMS Fax: 803-237-7802. ROCK THE WORLD: Youth Mission Alliance seeks to call and equip kids to lead the world to Christ. It offers ministry and training events for young people and their leaders, including an M.A. in Missions and Evangelism with Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, and Josiah Project, a summer college-level program that includes cross-cultural mission experience. It runs a youth ministry consulting and job listing service. The Rev. Whis Hays, Exec. Director P.O. Box 43 Ambridge, Pa. 15003 Tele. 724-266-8876 Fax 724-266-5916 Email whishays@rocktheworld.org www.rocktheworld.org SHARING OF MINISTRIES ABROAD (SOMA). SOMA’s mission is to change the world for Jesus Christ by preparing and sending short-term mission teams across national and cultural boundaries at the invitation of the diocesan bishop. We equip and train leaders to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. The U.S. team is frequently joined by a team from the host country to help plan the program and share in leading worship and other ministry. Edwina Thomas, Nat. Director 5290 Sarasota Lane, Woodbridge, Va. 22193 Tele. 703-878-7667 Fax: 703-878-7015 Email SOMAUSA@aol.com http://www.episcopalian.org/soma/ e-mail somausa@AOL.COM or EThomas@somausa.org. SOUTH AMERICAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, (SAMS) USA, was founded in 1976 as a sister society to the 150-year old SAMS-Great Britain. SAMS has over 50 long-term missionary personnel in nine countries in Latin America and Spain. Over 500 people have served in SAMS’ short-term program. SAMS missionaries serve as church planters, teachers, pastors, and in social ministries as well as training national leaders and minister socially. A special emphasis has been church planting in the rapidly growing cities of Latin America and Spain. SAMS can be reached at P.O. Box 399, Ambridge, PA 15003; (724) 266-0669; SAMS Acting Executive Director is Stewart Wicker. Email Info@SAMS-USA.org http://www.sams-usa.org/. SOLAR LIGHT FOR CHURCHES OF AFRICA HATHAWAY FOUNDATION Solar Light for Africa is a not-for-profit collaboration between American and African churches, nongovernmental organizations, and governments to provide light and energy to rural Africa using God's gift of the sun with its natural power. Solar systems are installed in rural health clinics, schools, orphanages, churches, and other public facilities in east African countries as charitable funds are raised. The Rt. Rev. Alden Hathaway, Director PO Box 399 Ambridge, PA 15003 Tele. 850-894-8566 Email: hathawayVI@worldnet.att.net http://www.solarlightforafrica.org TRINITY EPISCOPAL SCHOOL FOR MINISTRY (TESM), an evangelical and orthodox Episcopal Seminary established to offer an alternative to the revisionist trends in other more liberal ECUSA seminaries. TESM is an evangelical seminary offering courses in Bible, theology, and missions to train Christian leaders, youth ministers, and missionaries for service in the U.S. and overseas. It is the seminary¹s goal that all graduates be eager and able to raise mission vision in their parishes. 311 Eleventh St., Ambridge, PA 15003; (724)266-3838; e-mail: registrar@tesm.edu. The Rev. Dr. P.C. Moore, Dean 311 Eleventh Ambridge, PA 15003 Tele. 724-266-3838 Fax 724-266-4617 Email WickStephens@tesm.edu http://www.tesm.edu/ Also the home of the STANWAY INSTITUTE (TESM) Rev. John A. Macdonald, director. 800 874-8754. UGANDA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY PARTNERS (UCUP) The Rev. Prof. Stephen F. Noll Vice Chancellor Uganda Christian University PO Box 4 Mukono, Uganda Tele. 011-41-290231 Fax 011-41-290139 Email: UgandaPartners@episcopalian.org or StephenNoll@infocom.co.ug http://www.ugandapartners.org/ Mrs. Diane Stanton Executive Director P.O. Box 38333 Dallas, TX 75238 Tele. 214-343-6244 Fax 214-341-3060 Email DianeStanton@ugandapartners.org Mrs. Patricia Hind, Administrative Assistant. VIRTUOSITY is the Anglican Communion’s largest and most widely read online Voice for Global Orthodox Anglicanism. It is read by more than 750,000 Anglicans in 45 countries on six continents. Virtuosity offers a twice-weekly digest of News stories about the Anglican Communion and is available FREE at www.virtuosityonline.org. Readers may sign on at the website. Virtuosity is a non-profit news service and tax deductible donations can be made at the website using PAYPAL or by snail mail to VIRTUOSITY, 1236 Waterford Road, West Chester, PA 19380.

7 April, 2004 Qatar After seeing "The Passion" Muslims start searching for the Gospel In just 3 days more than a 1/10 of the population has seen the film. Doha (AsiaNews) – "Do you have the New Testament in Arab? Me and all my friends would like to read it." This was the request of 2 students from Qatar, after seeing Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". Already on the second day after the film started showing in Qatar, many local newspapers are reporting the film on their front pages. According to the English language daily, The Peninsula Qatar, since the first three days of its release, 66,321 tickets have been sold—smashing the record once held by Matrix Reloaded, which had sold 59,000. The film is becoming so popular in Qatar that some theaters have cancelled showings of other films in order to increase viewings of Gibson's blockbuster. Middle East Christians are spellbound by the interest Arabs have taken in the seeing the Gospel portrayed on the big screen. The movie has sparked hours of discussion between Christians and Muslims regarding questions of faith. Many Arabs were interested in seeing the film only because of the anti-Semitic controversy surrounding it. However the movie's theme is an unavoidable subject. "The message of loving your enemies and Jesus who, even while up on the cross, prayed for and forgave them strikes all viewers deeply," said David and Natalie, an American married couple working in Qatar. The American couple said they were amazed the government had permitted the film to be released in an Islamic country like Qatar. "In the next few weeks tens of thousands of people living here will go and see this powerful retelling of Christ's suffering and death. Many moviegoers react to the film. For example, those sitting next to us in the theater were moved and breathless. Others wept or had looks of disgust on their facers when watching the brutality Jesus underwent," they said. "This film is generating huge interest in Jesus and the Bible," said David and Natalie. "All this has never happened before!" Copyright © 2003 AsiaNews All rights reserved

A Thought Experiment on the Future of ECUSA* From Anglican Communion Institute Scholars What follows is not an effort at maximally accurate speculation, but is intended as a thought experiment on where ECUSA appears to be, in the light of its various reports and actions over the past months. General Convention 2006 is now but 50 days away. The Diocese of California (CA) elects a 'Gay/Lesbian' Bishop; consents process at General Convention reveals 45% in favor of approval in the HOB; consent denied in HOB; CA consecrates said 'Gay/Lesbian' Bishop anyway*; Presiding Bishop says HOB warned about this, but does not believe anything can be done; new PB tries to hold all together; general canonical confusion ensues; 'Global South Primates' are outraged, demand action from the Archbishop of Canterbury; announce intention to boycott next Primates Meetings and Lambeth Conference; (major provinces of the GS join in this endeavor, though not all of them); Canterbury is reluctantly compelled to deny invitations to ECUSA tout court from Primates Meetings and Lambeth Conference; (a vote taken in newly configured ACC narrowly confirms this as well, in 2007 meeting); Some among the 'Consenters' to CA press for their own 'justice ECUSA' independently of the Communion's Instruments of Unity; demands are made on the basis of civil rights and 'justice' etc; others in the Communion informally offer sympathy or support (e.g., Scotland, Wales), or formally join with this 'justice ECUSA'; the new PB is chagrined and powerless; 'Moderate' ECUSA Bishops (+O'Neill, +Smith, etc) are concerned to back the 'justice' theology and also try to bring about a general peace; they rally around a conciliator PB and a 'big tent' ECUSA; this proves too vague and fails to resolve anything; Duncan (on behalf of his 'Common Cause' effort) demands a kind of special recognition from Canterbury, but the issue drags on and this is not forthcoming in clear terms; a 'Windsor Compliance' Bishops group appeals to Canterbury for invitation to Lambeth Conference on the grounds that compliance to Windsor has been clarified by explicit vote against consent in CA; Canterbury, facing pressure from forces on opposite sides, decides to invite those who withheld consent to CA and declares ECUSA a shambles; Global South Primates decide to attend Lambeth Conference, contented that consenters are excluded; Some moderates and consenters appeal to Canterbury and are granted 'observer' status; others happily boycott Lambeth Conference; The character of Lambeth is altered in clear ways due to this scenario and lack of funds; but it is held nonetheless; new PB did not vote for consent and so attends, seeking a bridge building role to left wing 'justice ECUSA in Exile'; Duncan threatens to stay away but attends, joined by non-consenter ECUSA Bishops; pro-Gay forces in all dioceses, regardless of vote of the Diocesan, join in solidarity with 'justice ECUSA in Exile,' with leadership from +VGR, the new CA Diocesan, and a third Gay/Lesbian bishop (from NJ or Newark or elsewhere), with Integrity, Louis Crew, etc; Diocesans in what remains of ECUSA (Anglican Communion) either discipline pro-Gay forces (re: ordination, blessing services, etc) or judge such behavior now peripheral and manageable; Moderate Diocesan Bishops try in vain to straddle the fence and end up under pressure from laity, worn out from clerical chicanery and poor leadership; the coffers begin seriously to run dry; Some of these join the new 'justice ECUSA in Exile' (see 16); others see it easier to temporize and embrace the muddle, seeking a 'deeper place'; Similar scenarios play out in other regions of the Communion, but with less vigor, banked in part by the general decline of Anglican Christianity. In the end, the erstwhile 'ECUSA' is comprised of: (1) 'justice ECUSA in Exile' (no longer part of the Anglican Communion); (2) 'moderates of ECUSA' (wanting everyone to get along, unhappy to have to make hard decisions; wanting to study and talk more); (3) 'Anglican Communion ECUSA' (non-consenting to 'Gay/Lesbian Bishops' and same-sex blessings; compliant to Lambeth 1.10); (4) 'Anti-Canterbury and Anti-Liberal Anglicans' (Various Bishops and various Common Cause Partners). Questions: (1) will the present anti-Network concern of 'moderates' get shifted away to new concerns, in the light of new external Communion realities and pressures? (2) what will happen with ECUSA property struggles, given these same realities in the larger Communion? (3) where will those wanting the old ECUSA back (moderates) find their logic and their general place in the fractured reality? (4) can an 'Anglican Communion ECUSA' develop serious leadership and organizational acumen? NB: California is only an especially timely example in the scenario described above. Revisionist/progressivist/reappraiser forces will most likely, in time, consecrate a 'Gay/Lesbian' Bishop and formally bless same-sex relationships. So, consents for CA could be given in June. Or, a CA consecration could be delayed. But what is sketched above describes basic working realities in the ECUSA regardless. It is hard to imagine CA not electing a 'Gay/Lesbian' Bishop and it is equally hard to know what this means in terms of the unfolding drama of ECUSA. But the working realities seem relatively clear all the same.

One of the more popular Anglican satirical blogs on the 'Net, Rich Anglican Fudge With Nuts calls itself "The most self-important Anglican blog. Ever, including VirtueOnline". We're posting one of the funniest posters that we found on their site for VOL member's amusement. TENNESSEE: ANGLICAN CHURCHES FROM 4 STATES FORM COMMON CAUSE Appalachia Alliance Press Release Knoxville, TN - (22 May 2006) - Representatives from seven Anglican churches announced today the formation of Common Cause Appalachia, an alliance of Anglican churches in the Appalachian area of the Southeast United States, committed to working together for the advancement of Christ's Kingdom. "We are united in Biblical truth and love of the Anglican worship tradition and are striving to improve relationships with faithful Anglicans worldwide, beginning here along the spine of the Appalachians,' said Dick Schier, People's Warden of the Anglican Church of the Redeemer in Chattanooga, an affiliated parish of the fast-growing Anglican Mission in America. "We are not a new diocese or a new denomination. Quite the opposite, our Alliance will follow the Common Cause model of a new way for our jurisdictions to work together for the Kingdom." Explained David Jones, from Holy Cross Anglican Church in Knoxville, a parish of the traditional and orthodox Anglican Province in America. Common Cause is a cooperative North American Anglican movement, begun in June 2004, encouraging new levels of common ministry among Orthodox Anglicans. Regional alliances similar to Common Cause Appalachia are currently forming all over the country. The Common Cause Partners include the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes(ACN), the American Anglican Council (AAC), Forward in Faith North America (FiFNA), the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA), the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC), and the Anglican Province of America (APA). Steve Toadvine, of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Corbin, Kentucky, commented, "Throughout North America, we're seeing faithful Anglicans stepping forward to reaffirm the truth of Scripture. It's exciting to be a part of a united effort which includes the support of our brothers and sisters around the world, and which is producing new churches here in the U.S. almost every week. This is about the Bible; it's about genuine worship; and it's about seeing people's lives changed. We're very pleased to be able to partner with our sister Common Cause churches here in the Appalachian region." "Its about time !" declared Deacon Bud Boynton, of St. Paul's Anglican Church of Asheville, North Carolina. "We have majored in minors for too long, emphasizing our differences in church discipline instead of uniting under the banner of orthodox Anglicanism. Let us proceed on those matters we hold in common, and we, with God's help, will get alot more work done for the Kingdom by working together." For more information on Common Cause Appalachia, go to the CCA Website at http://www.anglican-cca.org, email to writecca@yahoo.com or Phone (423) 892-3608. Official Formation of Charter for Common Cause Appalachia 22 June 2006 Knoxville, Tennessee We, the undersigned Representatives of our Anglican Parishes, hereby subscribe to the following Charter, creating Common Cause Appalachia, to the Glory of God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Together, we hereby mutually affirm: We are an alliance of Anglican churches in the Appalachian area of the Southeastern United States. We are committed to the principles outlined in the Anglican Communion Network's Statement of Anglican Common Cause in America. We are united in Biblical truth and are striving to improve relationships with faithful Anglicans worldwide, beginning in the Appalachia area. We are not a new diocese or a new denomination but a vehicle to encourage and assist our members in working together in the ministry of the Gospel. We proclaim a public testimony of the existence of North American Common Cause Partners in bonds of friendship here in the Appalachian area. We provide a common point of contact and referral for churches and individuals seeking an orthodox Anglican parish in the Appalachian area. Our Common Cause is based upon our shared proclamation of Jesus Christ as the unique Son of God, of our high regard for the Authority of Scripture, of our summary of beliefs found in the Creeds and the Anglican 39 Articles of Religion, and of our deep abiding love for the Anglican Worship Tradition. Subscribed and Attested Mr. Richard E. Schier, People's Warden, The Anglican Church of the Redeemer, Chattanooga, Tennessee, of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA), and a Common Cause Parish of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes (ACN). Mr. David Jones, Warden for Holy Cross Anglican Church, Knoxville, Tennessee, of the Anglican Province of America (APA). Rev. David Beckmann, for St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee, of the Episcopal Missionary Church (EMC), a member of Forward in Faith North America (FiFNA), which is a constituent member of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes (ACN). Rev. Victor Morgan, for St. Luke's Anglican Church, Blue Ridge, Georgia, of the Episcopal Missionary Church (EMC), a member of Forward in Faith North America (FiFNA), which is a constituent member of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes (ACN). Dr. Stephen Toadvine, Senior Warden, St. Paul's Anglican Church, Corbin, Kentucky, of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA). Bud Boynton, Deacon, St. Paul's Anglican Church, Asheville, North Carolina, Anglican Mission in America (AMiA). The Rev. Dr. Douglas Mills, for Christ Covenant Reformed Episcopal Church, Sevierville, Tennessee, of the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC). This Charter hereby affirmed this 22nd Day of May, Year of our Lord 2006.

By Jeff McDonald Union-Tribune Staff Writer April 1, 2004 Local prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Episcopal Community Services, one of the area's oldest and most-respected charities that also has weathered questions about its leadership before. The District Attorney's Office is particularly interested in records charity officials turned in to the county that investigators suspect were doctored to make it appear the organization was meeting the terms of public contracts, several sources said. During the past two weeks, prosecutors have been interviewing former ECS officials and collecting documents to determine if reports, checks or other paperwork were forged or manipulated, as some people suggest. The District Attorney's Office would neither confirm nor deny the probe. But a handful of former ECS directors and vice presidents said they were interviewed or provided documents to investigators in recent days. Several disputes County officials "are investigating a number of questionable business practices at ECS, some of which are disturbing to me," said Joel Craddock, a former ECS vice president who met with investigators. "Whether or not these constitute criminal wrongdoing will be up to the district attorney." Craddock is one of several top officials who quit San Diego-based ECS in the past year and a half because of disputes with the agency's executive director, the Rev. Amanda Rutherford May. May, 53, is an Episcopal priest and a certified public accountant who took charge of the charity in 1994. May, who declined several requests for comment yesterday, oversees more than $20 million a year in government contracts and private donations to serve homeless, mentally ill and other clients. The investigation began in the middle of last month after Craddock and other former colleagues met with county Supervisor Dianne Jacob to lay out concerns about the way ECS spends and accounts for its government contracts, including some San Diego County-funded programs. They took their case to Jacob only after warning Bishop Gethin Hughes of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego about what they suspected was wrongdoing within the charity, and seeing no changes in ECS leadership. The bishop was stunned when he was told of the investigation during an interview yesterday. "I'm just shocked that it's reached this point," he said. Hughes, who is chairman of the 13-member ECS board of directors but gets just one vote, said he raised questions at a board meeting several months ago, after reports about accusations of misconduct first became public. "I've expressed as forcefully as I can my deep concerns and urged them to take action," he said. However, none of those concerns rose to the level of criminal wrongdoing, he said, and the other board members did not agree with him. "I did give it my best shot and nothing came of it." He said he would not comment about the district attorney's investigation. "I'm not going to jump in and condemn someone before I have all the details," Hughes said. Jacob, the county supervisor, was compelled enough by what she heard and the documents she saw during a meeting last month with former ECS officials that she contacted the district attorney within hours. "Their allegations are deeply troubling and exceed the scope of what county auditors have the authority to examine," Jacob said in a prepared statement. "I cannot be more specific." The supervisor called the group courageous for not simply looking the other way. "They decided that they could not stand by and watch as the charity's mission became compromised," the statement said. Previous investigation Episcopal Community Services, or ECS, was founded in 1927 as the charitable arm of the diocese. Its primary mission is to care for the area's neediest people and at the same time to spread the word of Christ. Over the years, ECS grew in both size and budget. It now employs almost 500 workers and spends more than $20 million a year serving thousands of poor and sick people a day and providing such services as housing, counseling, day care, job training and drug and alcohol recovery programs. Last September, the agency moved to new offices, consolidating many of its programs into the City Heights Center on University Avenue. At the same time, it is working to boost fund raising and stoke a new endowment, which recently received $1 million pledges each from Price Charities and the Hervey Family Fund. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in 2002 that San Diego County auditors uncovered serious lapses in management, record-keeping and other ECS activities over several years. The auditors subsequently ordered changes in protocols and demanded thousands of dollars be repaid to government agencies. Two months later, the newspaper relied on a trail of public records and audit findings in outlining a wider series of missteps and deficiencies within ECS programs funded by city, state and federal government agencies. The publicity prompted internal reviews by the ECS board of directors and the Episcopal Diocese as well as questions from some of the private donors who give large amounts of money to the charity, May, ECS' executive director, said later. Government regulators did not undertake much additional scrutiny of the agency's records - an issue that might eventually become part of the district attorney's investigation. Meanwhile, ECS continued to rack up citations and penalties from the various auditors and compliance monitors who routinely examine grants and other projects. The charity also has been saddled with high turnover among its top administrators. No fewer than six vice presidents, directors and others moved on in recent months - many because of disagreements over how programs were managed and books were kept. Several of those are the same people who brought their concerns to the bishop, then Supervisor Jacob and the district attorney. "It is not my intent to see the Rev. May in jail, but she should be stopped from using county and donor funds to cover the salaries of her brother, son, daughter and friends," said Guinevere Kerstetter, the former chief financial officer who left in 2002 over an accounting dispute with May. According to multiple former ECS employees, revenue was used to hire friends and relatives of the executive director while programs were cut. More than one ex-worker said some of the people May brought in were unqualified, performed poorly or failed to show up. "I could never understand how the agency passed county and outside firm audits," said Steve Pesicka, a longtime ECS program director who left last year and is cooperating with investigators. "Nor did I understand how the bishop and board of directors continued to accept fiscal reports from the executive director without questions or scrutiny. "It didn't make sense when some of my programs didn't have money for essentials like toilet paper, paper towels and copier refills." Eight additional former ECS executives contacted by The Union-Tribune said there were serious problems with the organization but declined to discuss them publicly. Standing by May May is a San Diego native and Stanford University graduate who also earned a degree from the London School of Economics. She was appointed ECS executive director 10 years ago, when the agency was emerging from a major reorganization, and is credited with building the charity into the multiservice agency it is today. An ordained minister who occasionally preaches to Episcopal congregations, May is by many accounts capable of incredible kindness and generosity. But she also swears frequently and publicly berates employees who disagree with her, some former employees said. ECS board members appear to be unwavering in their support of May and her management practices. When told about the criminal probe yesterday, several of the volunteer directors said they do not believe the organization had broken any laws. "Am I surprised to hear there is a criminal investigation? Yes," said Rolfe Wyer, who is president of the board of directors. However, "I am standing behind her." Board member Johanna Hunsaker, a professor of management and organizational behavior at the University of San Diego, was firmly in support of the current ECS leadership. "I have compete confidence in the executive director, Amanda May," said Hunsaker, who declined to comment further. Tally Jarrett, who was elected an honorary life member of the ECS board, said he could not imagine charity officials doing anything illegal. "I think our finances are in pretty good shape," he said. Several other board members did not return telephone messages yesterday seeking comment on the probe. The board has a previously scheduled daylong retreat today at the San Diego Yacht Club. Bishop Hughes will be out of town on unrelated business, but Wyer said discussions would include the district attorney's investigation.

The Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore www.virtueonline.org Jan 1, 2026 Some men are not born monsters. They become dangerous because no one ever taught them how to bear their wounds. The modern world produces these men in increasing numbers — fatherless, rootless, angry, lonely, and hungry for purpose. They are not villains in the beginning. They are boys who were never discipled, men who were never pastored, souls who were never told that their worth does not hang upon their own greatness but upon the grace of God. The tragedy is not simply that these men wander. The tragedy is that the Church once knew how to save them, and now it largely does not. When biblical Christianity disappears, broken men do not become neutral. They become prey — spiritually, politically, and morally. This is the quiet crisis beneath the noise of our age. The World Fills Every Void the Church Leaves Contrary to modern sentimentality, the human heart is not naturally stable, peaceful, or benign. It is not a blank slate waiting to be inspired. It is a battlefield. And when the Church retreats — when preaching softens, doctrine dissolves, fathers in God disappear, and worship loses its gravity — the vacuum does not remain empty. Something always fills it. For some men, it is addiction. For others, resentment. For others, ideological crusades. And for a few, the kind of delusion that confuses personal rage for historical destiny. This generation is witnessing in real time what happens when the Church loses the courage to disciple men: the world does it instead. And the world is a merciless teacher. It offers: · identity without truth, · passion without wisdom, · belonging without holiness, · purpose without repentance, · and rage dressed up as righteousness. When biblical Christianity disappears, men do not stop being discipled — they are simply discipled by something else. Men Without Fathers Become Men Without Walls Scripture consistently presents fathers as protectors, stabilizers, and shapers of the soul (Proverbs 1:8–9, Ephesians 6:4). A father is the wall and shelter of a household. A father in God — a pastor — is the same for the household of faith. But when the Church becomes soft, sentimental, and cowardly, it abandons this role. It leaves young men defenseless — emotionally, morally, spiritually. It leaves them with: · no doctrine to anchor them, · no discipline to correct them, · no brotherhood to steady them, · no authority to form them, · no vision of manhood rooted in Christ. Men who grow up without walls: · develop brittle egos, · crave significance they never received, · overreact to humiliation, · grow hungry for belonging, · cling to whatever narrative tells them they matter. This is the psychological soil in which extremism grows. Not always political extremism — sometimes sexual extremism, sometimes ideological rigidity, sometimes bitterness that scorches everything it touches. Biblical Christianity once provided the counterweight: · identity grounded in Christ, · humility learned at the foot of the Cross, · brotherhood forged in shared worship, · correction given within loving discipline, · the fear of the Lord restraining destructive impulses. Remove that, and men collapse inward. Their wounds become their worldview. And wounded men without walls are dangerous. When Churches Stop Discipling Men, Ideologies Step In Human beings are hardwired for meaning. If the Church does not supply it, politics will. If pastors do not shepherd men, agitators will. If Christianity does not anchor them in eternity, ideology will anchor them in rage. Every destructive ideology of the last century — fascism, communism, radical nationalism, revolutionary anarchism, and their modern echoes — has drawn its strength from the same demographic: lonely men searching for purpose. These movements offer what the modern Church often refuses to give: · a mission, · a narrative, · a place in the story, · a cause bigger than themselves. But they do so without grace, without repentance, without love, without truth. The result is predictable: broken men become zealots, martyrs of lies rather than disciples of Christ. Biblical Christianity is the only force strong enough to interrupt that story. It says: · You are not the hero of history — Christ is. · You are not a liberator — you are a sinner in need of liberation. · You do not earn glory — you inherit grace. · You are not abandoned — you are called. · Your wounds do not define you — Christ’s wounds heal you. Without this reorientation, men build their identity around their anger. That anger then seeks expression. In our age, it finds expression with terrifying speed. A Soft Church Cannot Save Hard Men Modern churches often believe that softening the faith makes Christianity more approachable. It does not. It makes Christianity irrelevant. A soft Church cannot save hard men. A therapeutic Church cannot reach wounded souls. A smiling Church cannot confront the demons that torment the lonely. Broken men do not need: · entertainment, · positivity, · vague encouragement, · a short homily, · or a pastor trying to be their peer. They need: · truth that confronts their sin, · grace that heals their shame, · discipline that forms their character, · authority that does not apologize for existing, · a community that binds their wounds, · and a Savior who commands their allegiance. A Church that will not name sin, will not preach repentance, will not administer discipline, and will not stand upon the Word of God is not harmless. It is complicit. Because in the absence of real Christianity, false gods take its place. The Remnant Church Still Has the Power to Save These Men Yet hope is not lost. Not because the culture will soften (it will not). Not because institutions will recover (they will not). But because the Remnant Church — the Church that still trembles before the Lord — still stands. This Church believes: · God is holy. · Sin is real. · Judgment is coming. · Christ is King. · The Gospel requires repentance. · Discipline is a mercy, not cruelty. · Men need fathers in God. · Worship must be reverent. · Doctrine must be thick. · Community must be real. This is the Church that reaches broken men — because it speaks with the authority of heaven, not the insecurity of the age. It calls the lonely by name. It gives the fatherless a family. It gives the aimless a mission. It gives the restless a refuge. It gives the proud a place to kneel. It gives the shame-ridden a place to stand. It gives them Christ. The Final Word: Only a Biblical Church Can Rescue Broken Men from Themselves History is full of men like Lee Harvey Oswald — wounded, rootless, intelligent, angry, desperate to matter. Take such a man and place him in a culture where biblical Christianity has collapsed, and he will find meaning somewhere else. Somewhere dark. But give such a man: · a pastor who loves him enough to rebuke him, · a congregation that welcomes him without flattery, · a Gospel that humbles him without crushing him, · the sacraments that restore him, · and the Cross that transforms him… …and he becomes something entirely different. A father. A brother. A worshiper. A man redeemed. The disappearance of biblical Christianity does not make the world safer. It makes the world brimming with untended wounds. Only the Church — the true, ancient, apostolic, biblical Church — can bind them. The question is not whether broken men can be saved. They can. The question is whether the Church will once again have the courage to be the Church. The Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore is the Vicar of St. Luke's Anglican Church in Corinth Mississippi. you can find his books at amazon.com/author/ronaldhmoore

By Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Moore www.virtueonline.org January 2, 2026 There is a moment in every collapsing order when the problem is no longer policy, leadership, or even ideology. The problem becomes something far more basic and far more dangerous:  self-deception . We have reached that moment. The crisis of our age is not merely that nations act unjustly, but that they insist on describing those actions as virtue. We no longer argue about whether something is right or wrong; we argue about how elaborately it can be renamed. Power cloaks itself in moral language, and citizens are expected to applaud the costume. This is not sustainable. And it is not new. The Lie Beneath All Others Most civilizations do not fall because they are wicked. They fall because they become  incapable of telling the truth about themselves . The lie always begins modestly: We mean well.Our intentions are noble.This is regrettable, but necessary. Before long, the lie becomes structural: Our violence is different.Our power is benevolent.Our enemies deserve what happens to them. At that point, self-examination becomes impossible. Any challenge to the narrative is treated not as disagreement, but as betrayal. The lie must be protected at all costs, because without it, the entire moral framework collapses. This is how republics quietly become empires without ever admitting the transformation. Empire and the Refusal to Admit It Let us be honest: the modern world is not governed by ideals, but by power. The United States, Russia, China, and regional actors alike pursue interests, spheres of influence, and strategic dominance. This is not shocking. It is how nations have always behaved. What  is  shocking is the insistence that this behavior be described as altruism. Empires once spoke plainly. Rome did not claim to conquer for the spiritual benefit of Gaul. Britain rarely pretended that India was ruled for India’s self-actualization. Their sins were great, but at least they did not demand applause for them. We, however, insist on being both conqueror and savior. We must be powerful  and  morally immaculate. Every action must be framed as humanitarian, defensive, or inevitable. Responsibility is diluted into abstractions until no one can be held accountable for anything. This is not moral progress. It is moral evasion. The Cost of Dishonest Language When nations lie about their motives, three corrosive things happen. First,  citizens are infantilized . They are not invited into serious moral reasoning; they are handed slogans. Complex realities are reduced to children’s stories of heroes and villains. Second,  suffering is instrumentalized . Real human pain becomes a prop in a narrative already decided. Protesters, refugees, and civilians are invoked when convenient and forgotten when inconvenient. Third,  accountability disappears . Because who dares question an action framed as “humanitarian”? To oppose it is to risk being labeled cruel, immoral, or disloyal—regardless of the actual consequences. Thus, moral language becomes a shield against scrutiny rather than a guide for conscience. A Simple Thought Experiment Imagine if foreign powers openly threatened to intervene in the internal unrest of the United States—claiming they were prepared to “rescue” American citizens during periods of domestic violence or state force. The reaction would be immediate and universal: outrage, ridicule, and a fierce invocation of sovereignty. And rightly so. The principle is clear when applied to ourselves. It becomes murky only when we insist on exempting our own actions from the standard we apply to others. That is the hallmark of self-deception. “Admit It Before Man and God” There is a far more honest—and far more dangerous—path. If a nation truly believes its actions are justified, then it should say so plainly: We believe this is necessary for our security.We believe this is in our strategic interest.We believe this cost is worth paying. Then let the people decide whether they agree. Let history judge. Let God judge. What must stop is the pretense that power becomes righteous simply by renaming itself. Honesty does not sanctify an action. But dishonesty condemns it outright. Why Honesty Is So Feared Because honesty does not guarantee victory. It does not guarantee success.It does not guarantee safety.It does not even guarantee survival. It guarantees only this:  that judgment will be real . Truth exposes costs. Truth demands ownership. Truth forces leaders and citizens alike to stand beneath the weight of their decisions rather than hiding behind moral theater. Empires can survive resistance. What they cannot survive is truth spoken without illusion. The Personal and the Civil Are Not Separate This crisis is not merely geopolitical. It is spiritual. Nations lie because individuals have learned to lie to themselves. Institutions deceive because people have been trained to accept deception as normal. A society that cannot say,  “We were wrong,”  at a personal level will never say it at a national one. Every genuine renewal—personal or civilizational—begins the same way: We have sinned.We have deceived ourselves.We have called this good when it was not. Until that confession is possible, reform is an illusion. The Only Hope Left Honesty will not save empires. But it may save souls. It may restore moral agency to citizens who have been numbed by slogans. It may reopen the possibility of genuine debate, genuine repentance, genuine restraint. Most importantly, it may remind us that truth does not belong to the powerful. It judges them. Subterfuge is the language of the enemy. It always has been.Honesty—costly, uncomfortable, unsparing honesty—is the only hope left to us. Not because it will make us win. But because without it, we are already lost. The Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore is the Vicar of St. Luke's Anglican Church in Corinth Mississippi. you can find his books at amazon.com/author/ronaldhmoore

By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org January 2, 2026   The appointment of London Bishop Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury—making her the first woman to lead the worldwide Anglican Communion—ranked among the top religion news stories of 2025. However, her upcoming consecration is facing opposition over allegations of safeguarding failures during her tenure as Bishop of London.   Petition Calls for Consecration to be Halted A petition on Change.org , initiated by Church of England priest the Rev. Paul Williamson, is calling for Mullally's consecration at St. Paul's Cathedral to be stopped. The petition hopes to garner 10,000 signatures. Williamson raises questions of accountability regarding the death of the Revd Alan Griffin, who died by suicide while serving under Mullally's episcopal oversight. According to Williamson, a coroner's inquest revealed concerning details about how allegations against Griffin were handled. "She kept a file of false sexual allegations about Revd Alan Griffin for two years," Williamson stated, citing testimony from Coroner Mary Hassell. He alleges that Mullally did not investigate the claims to determine their validity, yet treated them as factual. Williamson further claims that Griffin's confidential medical information, including HIV status and records of suicide attempts, was improperly shared, along with a statement that police were investigating him—which Williamson says was untrue. "He was truly vulnerable," Williamson said. "He should have had first-class care and support. He could not cope. There was no pastoral or professional support provided. He committed suicide." Additional Concerns Raised Williamson also cited the recent death of 23-year-old Keelan Shorten, an employee at St. Matthew's Church, Westminster, which falls under the Diocese of London's direct jurisdiction. He referenced five other ongoing investigations but did not provide specifics. "This is the most appalling safeguarding—and failure of 'duty of care'—I have ever come across," Williamson said. "This is a complete meltdown of episcopal responsibility. No apology will bring this priest back to life." The petition can be accessed at: https://www.change.org/SarahMullallyMustGo   Broader Reactions to Appointment News of Mullally's appointment has also drawn concern from orthodox African Anglican bishops, many of whom do not recognize the ordination of women as bishops and oppose same-sex marriage. The appointment represents a significant shift in the leadership of the Anglican Communion, which includes approximately 100 million members worldwide across diverse theological perspectives.   Church Response As of publication, representatives for Bishop Mullally and the Diocese of London have not responded to requests for comment. The Church of England has not issued a statement addressing these allegations.