By David MacInnes https://www.facebook.com/david.macinnes.92 March 5, 2026 Given the recent news about more than a hundred service members filing complaints that a commander told them that war with Iran is part of “God’s divine plan,” that a sitting president is “anointed by Jesus” to ignite Armageddon, it is important to make it clear how unbiblical this claim is. This claim has more to do with the fiction series of “Left Behind” and dispensational theology than it does the Book of Revelation. The Book of Book of Revelation was composed in the late first century, most likely during the reign of Domitian, when the Roman Empire demanded not only political loyalty but religious reverence. Rome ruled through claiming divine sanction. Emperors were hailed as “Lord” and “Savior” and participation in imperial cults was a sign of allegiance. Refusal could mean marginalization, economic exclusion, or worse. It is that context where John of Patmos writes his vision. Revelation is not a coded forecast of 21st-century geopolitics. As John writes in verse one, the entire letter is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is the way of God through Jesus Christ being revealed in the world. It is written in the prophetic genre of apocalyptic resistance literature. It pulls back the curtain on earthly empires and names them for what they are: beastly. Rome is depicted as the first Beast, seven heads representing the seven hills of Rome. The second beast is the propaganda machine for the first beast, looking like a lamb but speaking for the dragon. Then the mark of loyalty to the beast is a number (666 or 616 in some manuscripts), and when using gematria, the number is transliterated into Hebrew (nrwn qsr) it points to Emperor Nero, one of the worst persecutors of the early church (Rev. 13). John also describes Rome’s economic system becomes “Babylon,” drunk on luxury and the blood of the saints. (Rev. 17 & 18). John is offering a theological critique of imperialism in contrast to the way of the crucified Lamb (Jesus Christ). He is telling persecuted Christians that while the empire looks invincible is not ultimate. Its violence is not divine. Its claims to eternal rule are a parody. They will not have the last word. This is the contrast to keep in mind when we consider the famous “battle of Armageddon,” which appears in Revelation 16:16. The kings of the earth gather at a place called Armageddon, from “Har-Megiddo,” Mount Megiddo, which is a symbolic site associated with decisive Old Testament conflicts. But here’s the striking detail many miss: no battle is actually described. The nations gather. The stage is set. But when we reach Revelation 19, where we expect a final and epic clash of armies, something else astonishing happens. Christ appears as a rider on a white horse. His robe is dripping with his own blood, not his enemies. Legions of angel armies are flanked behind him, armed to the teeth. Then they just stand there. The word comes out of his mouth, which is described as sharper than any double edged sword (the advanced weapon of the time). And the Beast and the kings of the earth are defeated, not through violent warfare, not, but by the word that proceeds from him, but the word that is revealed through him, buy the Word that is him (John 1). There is no prolonged fight. No exchange of blows. No suspenseful military drama. No Christian foot soldiers taking up arms against hostile evil forces as the “Left Behind” series would have us believe. The “battle” is over before it begins. We are then given a casualty report of the enemy’s of God in Rev 19:20-21. It is a powerful depiction of how Jesus has defeated sin and death through his self giving love on the cross. Even earlier, in Revelation 5, John hears of the Lion of Judah. But when he turns, he sees a Lamb, standing as though slain. This is the entire theological center of the book! Victory in Revelation does not come through superior violence. It comes through faithful witness, sacrificial love, and divine judgment enacted by truth itself. The conquering Messiah conquers as the slain Lamb, not as a beast. It is a fragile, insecure god that needs weapons and armies to achieve victory. It is an all powerful God that creates and dismantles simply by speaking a word. The Word. Empire thrives on spectacle, like parades, armies, intimidation, and crucifixions lining the roads. Revelation subverts that spectacle. It stages what looks like the ultimate imperial showdown and then refuses to narrate it as a conventional war. Why? Because the point is not that God wins by out killing Rome. The point is that Rome’s power is the hollow and endless cycle of violence. God’s power is the redeeming, nonviolent power of self sacrificial love (the cross). In the ancient world, empires justified war as divinely sanctioned. Rome claimed Pax Romana, which means the “peace of Rome,” and it was secured by conquest. Peace through domination. Revelation exposes that as counterfeit peace. “Babylon” falls not because Christians take up arms, but because her violence results in a self inflicted wound as all empires inevitably do, leading to her collapses under divine judgment. The merchants weep when she falls, not because of lost lives, but because of lost profits. It is a piercing indictment of economic exploitation fused with military power. Same story repeats throughout history and today. The so-called final battle reveals that God does not need legions to defeat tyranny. Empire gathers for war. God simply speaks. So this is the crucial theological meaning of the book of Revelation: -God’s victory is not symmetrical with empire’s violence. God does not mirror the beast to defeat the beast. -Faithful witness, not armed revolt, is the church’s calling. The saints “conquer” by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Rev. 12:11), not by seizing power. -Imperial claims are temporary. What looks absolute is already judged in heaven’s perspective. -Evil always self-destructs when confronted by truth. The absence of a literal battle underscores that evil has no ultimate substance before God’s reign. All this to say, when Revelation is read as a blueprint for inevitable global warfare, it can be co-opted to sanctify violence or to arrogantly believe that Jesus’ return can be manipulated into happening by causing “Armageddon” as we are seeing again today. In its original context, it functioned as a pastoral encouragement to marginalized believers: Do not fear the empire. Do not worship it. Do not become like it. Armageddon is not a call to arms. It is a dramatic unveiling of the futility of arms before God. The final word of Revelation is not war but renewal. It is a new heaven, a new earth, and a city where the nations bring their glory, not their weapons, into the light of God. The empire gathers for battle. The Lamb reigns without fighting. The battle was already won on the cross. That contrast is the critique. We want the warhorse. Jesus rides a donkey. We want the eagle. The Holy Spirit descends as a dove. We want to take up swords. Jesus takes up a cross. We want the roaring lion. God comes as a slaughtered lamb. We keep trying to arm God. God keeps trying to disarm us. END

Primates dissolve council, create broader governing body — but decline to name a rival archbishop COMMENTARY   By David W. Virtue, DD VirtueOnline.org   March 5, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria — Conservative Anglican primates meeting in Nigeria’s capital this week voted to dissolve the GAFCON Primates Council and replace it with a broader governing body, but stopped well short of the formal split that many in the movement had anticipated. The newly created Global Anglican Council will include primates, bishops, clergy, and lay members, each holding full voting privileges — a significant departure from the top-down structure that has guided the Global Anglican Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) since its founding in 2008. “Today is a historic day for the Global Anglican Communion. Indeed, the future has arrived!” the primates declared in a statement. Three-Man Council, No 'First Among Equals' Three leaders will form a new Primates Council: Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda, who will serve as chairman; Archbishop Miguel Uchoa of Brazil; and Bishop Paul Donison of the USA. Their terms will run until the next GAFCON conference, scheduled for Athens in 2028. Notably, the council will have no primus inter pares — Latin for “first among equals” — a title that would have implied a parallel to the Archbishop of Canterbury. That option was taken off the table entirely. Dame Sarah Mullally, recently appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury, will remain the formal spiritual head of the global Anglican Communion. While millions of evangelical and Anglo-Catholic Anglicans are expected to disregard her authority in practice, there will be no overt institutional challenge to her leadership. For those who had hoped GAFCON would mount a direct challenge to the liberal direction of the Church of England, the outcome is likely to disappoint. A Conciliar Model — and Its Critics The new structure is built around the principle of conciliarism — the idea that the Church governs itself through shared councils rather than a single central authority. The approach has been championed by Archbishop Bob Duncan, the emeritus leader of the Anglican Church in North America, and Bishop Phil Ashey, a canon lawyer. But the model has drawn skepticism from within orthodox Anglican circles. The Rev. Chuck Collins, a Reformation historian and theologian, warns that conciliarism could prove to be a structural substitute for genuine theological conviction. “We do not need another Windsor Report to tell us what Anglicans have confessed true over time,” Collins wrote, referring to the 2004 document that attempted to address divisions over homosexuality within the Communion. Collins argues the new council risks resembling the Anglican Consultative Council — the existing body designed to coordinate cooperation among Anglican provinces — rather than advancing the confessional Anglicanism rooted in the Thirty-nine Articles, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and the Books of Homilies. The Case for Confessional Roots Dr. Gillis J. Harp, a retired history professor at Grove City College, argues that the path forward for orthodox Anglicans lies in recovering their Reformation heritage, not in building new institutional frameworks. Harp traces the current doctrinal drift in part to a decision made at the founding of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the 1780s, when American Anglicans chose not to require clergy to subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles. By the late 1970s, those Articles had been relegated to a “Historical Documents” appendix at the back of the American prayer book. “The Articles will help reinvigorate Anglican theology because they reflect the core teaching of the Protestant Reformation,” Harp writes. He identifies key doctrines including the supremacy of Scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the proper administration of the sacraments as non-negotiables for any genuine Anglican recovery. Harp also takes aim at several practices he considers departures from historic Anglican teaching: reserving and venerating the Eucharist, expanding the sacraments from two to seven, praying for the dead, and claims of apostolic succession through physical lineage. The English Reformers, he argues, held that what mattered was adherence to apostolic doctrine, not episcopal genealogy. What Comes Next Whether the new Global Anglican Council can provide the theological coherence and institutional momentum that GAFCON's supporters seek remains to be seen. The Athens gathering in 2028 will be the first real test of whether conciliarism can hold together a movement that spans continents and traditions — and whether it can offer a credible alternative to a Communion its members believe has lost its way. END

By Colette M. Jenkins Beacon Journal Religion Writer July 11, 2004 On any given Sunday, you can hear the same prayers, readings, psalms and devotions at Church of Our Saviour, St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Hudson Anglican Fellowship. But while they all look like Episcopal churches -- using the Book of Common Prayer as their primary guide for worship -- there is something very different going on in each one a year after the Episcopal Church's painful debate over homosexuality. Church of Our Saviour is proud to be part of the Episcopal Church USA, which ordained an openly gay bishop. St. Luke's is still Episcopal but would rather not be. Hudson Anglican never was Episcopal, having started with people who left the Episcopal Church over the ordination. Those differences are a reflection of the division that remains within the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion. It was August when delegates to the Episcopal General Convention confirmed the Rev. V. Gene Robinson and acknowledged the blessing of same-sex unions has become part of the church's common life. Since then, the chasm has widened. Orthodox Episcopalians and Anglicans worldwide have called for global leaders to discipline and censure the U.S. church and there is discord within parishes and dioceses, including the Ohio Diocese. The delegation from the Ohio Diocese, covering the northern 48 counties of the state, supported the decision of the national church, which is the American branch of Anglicanism. Shortly after the vote, 16 members of Christ Church Episcopal in Hudson left and formed Hudson Anglican Fellowship. Although the independent church is not affiliated with the Episcopal Church, it was established in the Anglican tradition. The congregation has grown to include more than 100 people and worships at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday at the restored octagon-shaped Danforth Barn on Darrow Road. Although it's not a traditional church setting, the order of worship is conventionally Anglican, or liturgical. Holy Communion is celebrated each week. The ecumenical creeds, both Nicene and Apostles', are recited. In addition, worship services include testimony, a mix of contemporary and traditional music and exhortative preaching. The Rev. David "Doc" Loomis, the founding pastor of the conservative congregation, spent more than 20 years as a pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Two years ago, he went to St. Luke's in Fairlawn, where he served until becoming rector at Hudson Anglican Fellowship. Loomis says his congregation is not interested in dividing the church any further but wants to be part of the "realigned" American Anglican church. To that end, the church has placed itself under the spiritual oversight of orthodox bishops in the Anglican Mission in America. The mission is a part of the province of Rwanda, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. "The Anglican church is splitting in two because the main body of the Episcopal Church fails to recognize Scripture," Loomis said. "More than 70 percent of the worldwide Anglican Church stands with us and against ECUSA." Anglican archbishops from Africa decided in April to reject donations from any diocese that recognizes gay clergy and recommended giving the Episcopal Church three months to repent for ordaining an openly gay bishop or face expulsion. Bishops in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East are also furious over the American church's move. African leaders represent 18 provinces with a membership of more than 55 million people. The Episcopal Church USA's 2.3 million members are a much smaller fraction of the global Anglican Communion's 77 million members. Last month, the Anglican church in Canada approved a measure to implement rites for the blessing of same-sex unions, complicating the possibility of unifying the global church. Within days, the American Anglican Network asked global leaders to recognize it as a true Anglican province in North America, if the Episcopal Church does not repent and immediately cease blessing same-sex unions. The network is a national orthodox organization that started in response to Robinson's appointment. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, has appointed a commission to explore ways of resolving the friction within the church. The Lambeth Commission is expected to issue its final report with recommendations in late September. Ohio Diocese Bishop Mark Hollingsworth Jr. says each congregation in the diocese is currently focusing on its ministry rather than the issues arising out of last year's General Convention. He says that is likely to continue until the Archbishop of Canterbury gives some direction. Hollingsworth, who was ordained bishop in April, is committed to maintaining unity within the diocese, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. "I am continuing to build an individual relationship with each congregation, its clergy and its lay leaders, as we explore how to work together toward those ends that will best support their ministries and the communities they serve," Hollingsworth said. The Rev. Meghan Froehlich, pastor at Church of Our Saviour in Akron, supports Hollingsworth in his effort to strengthen solidarity. She believes the Anglican Communion can be held together despite differences among its members. She holds up her church as an example of how that can be done. Church of Our Saviour is in fellowship with the diocese, the national church and the global communion. "Four words describe what we do here at Church of Our Saviour -- welcome, worship, caring and outreach," Froehlich said. "We extend an open welcome. There are no exclusions, regardless of age, race, gender, life experience. Our message is, 'You are welcome here and God's love is available.'" Since August, nothing has really changed for the West Hill congregation. A glance around the sanctuary during worship services reveals singles and couples, both heterosexual and homosexual; families with and without children; blacks and whites; and young and old. "It's not a new place for us to stand in communion with the diocese and the Episcopal church. We have always been known as a welcoming church, not necessarily based on issues," Froehlich said. "Jesus welcomed everyone that he met. We're continuing to do what we do because that's what Jesus wants us to do. It's all about love." Froehlich says her church, the Ohio Diocese and the Episcopal Church are keeping with the Anglican tradition of encompassing a variety of viewpoints in one body. The Rev. Roger Ames, pastor at St. Luke's, disagrees. He says the American church has clearly violated the orthodox stance of the Anglican Communion. He and his charismatic, evangelical congregation have declared themselves in "impaired communion" with the local diocese and the national church. The congregation has accepted oversight from a retired Episcopal bishop that shares its view and is withholding contributions to the diocese and national church. Instead, it is redirecting those funds to orthodox Anglican organizations and missionary work. The Anglican Communion Network is one of those organizations. Ames is the contact person in northern Ohio for the Anglican network. "We totally reject what the U.S. church has done and we are pulling together to reject its revisionist, liberal agenda that is anti-authority, anti-biblical and anti-marriage," Ames said. "We are in fellowship with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the great majority of those in the Anglican Church that have declared themselves out of fellowship with the Episcopal Church." While conservatives like Ames are in the minority in the Episcopal Church, their viewpoint probably holds sway when it comes to global Anglicanism. They have been pleading with upset Episcopalians not to leave their churches, but to wait and see what the commission does. As the commission seeks a way to resolve the rift and avoid a schism, the Archbishop of Canterbury has asked for calm. "We have an informal understanding that everything is on hold until the archbishop issues his response," Ames said. "Until then, we -- conservatives and liberals -- are in a period of waiting together."

By Rod Minchin, PA News The Church of England today rejected moves to look at ways of overhauling clergy disciplinary procedures. The General Synod voted against a proposal to create heresy courts to deal with allegations of misconduct by the clergy. It was the first review of disciplinary procedures in relation to doctrine, ritual and ceremonial matters since 1963 and was designed to make the process simpler. Under the proposals, new heresy courts, headed by bishops and advised by panels of theologians, would hear cases in which priests were alleged to have erred on doctrine, ritual or ceremonial. The Church of England has been rocked by a number of doctrinal controversies in the last century, notably that of the teaching of the former Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev David Jenkins, in relation to the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection. However, there were fears the courts could be used to enforce a traditionalist view, targeting clergy who, for example, support same-sex marriages or gay priests. The Venerable Robert Reiss, the Archdeacon of Surrey, warned against a witch-hunt. "If theological conservatives try to use this as a stick to beat liberals over the head with then the church will gravely damage itself," he said. Addressing the General Synod, The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said it was important for the Church of England to be able to speak out against issues like Apartheid. "The question I think we ought to be asking is whether this does or does not serve the integrity or credibility of the church in the long run," the Archbishop said. "I believe that such a measure can serve the integrity and credibility of the church if we do indeed step back in this way. "It is over 20 years since the World Alliance of Reform Churches declared that the theological justification for Apartheid was a heresy. "It would be, I think a very incredible and inadequate Christian church which did not have the resource to say something like that."

News Analysis By David W. Virtue COLORADO SPRINGS, July 10, 2004 Two orthodox ECUSA priests have charged two revisionist Colorado bishops with deception, "secret protocols" and perjury, with one bishop taunting the priests saying "present me if you dare" in response. The Rev. Don Armstrong and the Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner have taken on the former Bishop of Colorado Jerry Winterrowd and the present incumbent Bishop Rob O'Neill in the press and a private letter, charging the bishops with covert blessings of same-sex unions and running the diocese with a wholesale disregard of the church's received teaching on sexuality. The war of words escalated into the media with the Rocky Mountain News screaming in a headline, "Rift over same-sex ceremonies frays Colorado Episcopal diocese. Clergy exchange volleys as church weighs gay rights." The diocese's leading orthodox 'take no prisoners' rector is the Rev. Don Armstrong of Grace Church and St. Stephen's in Colorado Springs, who traces the diocese's decline into pansexuality back to former Bishop Winterrowd who knew these covert blessings were being done and who paved the way for today's disputes by secretly laying down guidelines for same-sex blessings 10 years ago - but testified otherwise during a 1999 lawsuit brought by a lesbian youth minister. "Jerry Winterrowd knew such covert blessings were being done," said Armstrong. "That's a bald-faced lie," Winterrowd retorted. "If Mr. Armstrong feels that way, he ought to make a presentment (church complaint) against me," he told Jean Torkelson of the Rocky Mountain News. Such is the rift between two men who once played tennis and enjoyed dinner together with their wives. Winterrowd bristles at the notion he did anything wrong, saying what he allowed was gay couples "to improvise and write their own prayers" - clearly the right of any Episcopalian under church law, he says. However, he says, he added a crucial caveat: "Under no circumstances may a priest bless that relationship." Winterrowd's policy became important to a 1998 lawsuit brought by Boulder youth minister Lee Ann Bryce, who charged she had been wrongfully fired for participating in a same-sex ceremony with her partner at St. Aidan's parish in Boulder. The bishop won the case. But Armstrong has also blasted the relatively new bishop, O'Neill accusing him of being soft on the issues, unwilling to take a stand for orthodox biblical faith on same-sex unions. In June a number of orthodox priests met to hash things out. At that meeting, O'Neill confirmed what conservatives found startling: that the diocese had "at least 11 same-sex blessings performed," according to a private process Winterrowd set up in 1994. In a letter to the Colorado clergy in anticipation of the article appearing in the press, O'Neill wrote about the deceptions by himself and his predecessor saying, "Although some clergy now allege that there was a 'secret protocol' established by Bishop Winterrowd for 'the blessing of same-sex relationships,' that is simply not accurate. What can be said accurately is this: That Bishop Winterrowd did establish an agreement with some clergy of the Diocese that made provision for honoring same-gender relationships in the context of the Eucharist at the time of the Prayers of the People; and that the agreement specifically excluded the pronouncement of any blessing and required the expressed permission of the Bishop." O'Neill, in effect, denied that the process amounted to "secret protocols," though he conceded "some variations" existed in the ceremonies that could be misconstrued as outright same-sex blessings, he told the Rocky Mountain News. Both Winterrowd and his successor, Rob O'Neill, favor the idea of blessing same-sex unions, but to placate orthodox clergy O'Neill promised in January he would not authorize same-sex blessings until a task force study was finished. The study ended this week but he declined to give details, but he told Torkelson that the findings "don't call for same-sex blessings right now." But Colorado scholar and theologian the Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner joined the fray, and in a letter blasted O'Neill saying: "I feel deceived. Deeply so. I worked for 5 years as missioner of this diocese, struggled to maintain order within a fracturing common life riven by conflicts over same-sex relationships and their affirmation, and none of this was laid out to me within the formal life of our deliberations. Indeed, it appears that some of my colleagues simply went their own way in the shadows, pretending 'dialogue' while moving ahead secretly with agenda that certainly preempted the decision-making of this diocese and church." The Pueblo-based rector outlined four areas of concern. "Firstly, we didn't know about such an agreement beyond mutual thanksgivings in the context of the prayers of the people. Yet you told us 'it was much more than that'. Indeed, I have now been told by one of your chancellors that it was 'much more than that'. You yourself told us of 'guidelines in the files of the bishop's office'. These guidelines are not in the files of any priest I know of. Secondly, we still haven't been told about what exactly this 'agreement' was -- since it apparently included 'far more' than mutual thanksgivings in the prayers of the people. Did it in fact include the exchange of rings, as took place at Good Shepherd? Mutual vows? Just what? But we don't know, and though you seem to think it was 'all discussed' at clergy conference, we have not now -- nor in the past 7 years -- been told what 'more' this is. Thirdly we still have not been given access to these guidelines -- everything you have said has been vague (despite the fact that you claim it was all discussed at some clergy conference). Your response has been: 'wait for the taskforce to explain (maybe)... but meanwhile I'll avoid discipline based on something you don't know about.' Fourthly, in your public letter to clergy of the diocese regarding your response to the Good Shepherd exchange-of-vows, you made no mention whatsoever of any agreement from the past upon which these actions might be happily accepted. Why not, if you knew of some common 'agreement' that would make sense of all this?" Radner said the guidelines were a "protocol" and accused the bishop of keeping them "secret." "Until they are published and made available, so that they can be examined and compared to actions of your predecessor, yourself...they will remain 'secret'." Radner said he felt "deceived" and urged the bishop to "come clean." Is there any chance, as conservatives hope, that O'Neill will reconsider his gay rights stand? "I don't know how to answer that," O'Neill replies. "I believe, in the life of our church, there is room for those who hold different perspectives to live together with integrity and goodwill." Winterrowd, too, is solidifying his gay rights beliefs. He's bitter and regretful now about the vote he cast with the Anglican majority at the 1998 worldwide Lambeth Conference, which asserted that homosexuality is contrary to scripture. Today, Winterrowd calls that vote "a very ugly moment in the long and glorious history of the Anglican church." "If there's no discipline, the communion (the Episcopal church) will probably fall apart," predicts Armstrong. One thing he and O'Neill agree on: The crisis may require an outside body to step in and settle the issue. Says the bishop: "The issue Don is raising is, what is the authority of the worldwide Anglican Communion over individual provinces (such as the U.S.)? That question hasn't been answered yet." It has been the hope of orthodox priests like Armstrong and Radner that O'Neill would "repent" of his pro-gay positions, which they believe is a violation of 2,000 years of church teaching. Both men have founded the Anglican Communion Institute, an organization with international ties to the former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. George Carey. They recently submitted a 50-page document to Lambeth (Eames) Commission arguing that the Episcopal church should be disciplined for its actions in consecrating an openly homoerotic priest to the episcopacy. In Colorado, orthodox priests claim to have the behind-the-scenes support of about 40 clergy in 30 parishes - about a quarter of the total number. Armstrong is a member of the Standing Committee, a diocesan advisory board, and he projects a $500,000 budget deficit because parishes are withholding funds from O'Neill's control, though the bishop disputes that figure. This weekend marks a nationwide campaign to urge church members to support the federal marriage amendment, which defines marriage as solely a union between a man and a woman. It's scheduled for a Senate vote next week.

By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News July 10, 2004 A private same-sex ceremony in April between two Episcopalian women has escalated into charges of deception, "secret protocols" - and even a taunt of perjury against a retired Colorado bishop. "Jerry Winterrowd knew such covert blessings were being done," says the diocese's most outspoken leader of the traditional wing, the Rev. Don Armstrong. He argues that Winterrowd, who retired in January, paved the way for today's disputes by secretly laying down guidelines for same-sex blessings 10 years ago - but testified otherwise during a 1999 lawsuit brought by a lesbian youth minister. "That's a bald-faced lie," Winterrowd retorts. "If Mr. Armstrong feels that way, he ought to make a presentment (church complaint) against me." Such is the rift between two men who once played tennis and enjoyed dinner together with their wives. The rift in the Episcopal Church USA - and the Colorado diocese - illustrates how American society is being riven by the movement to widen marriage to include same-sex unions. This weekend marks a nationwide campaign to urge church members to support the federal marriage amendment, which defines marriage as solely a union between a man and a woman. It's scheduled for a Senate vote next week. Last summer, the gay rights issue made history in the Episcopal Church USA when the church officially approved an openly gay bishop and the right of each diocese to develop so-called same-sex blessings - essentially, a ritual presided over by a priest and the closest thing to an official church marriage for gay couples. In Colorado, both Winterrowd and his successor, Rob O'Neill, favor the idea. But to placate conservatives, the newly appointed O'Neill promised in January he would not authorize same-sex blessings until a task force study was finished. The study just ended, O'Neill said this week. He declined to give details, but said the findings don't call for same-sex blessings right now. In the interim, the traditionalists hoped O'Neill would "repent" altogether from his gay rights stand, which they believe is a fundamental break with historic Christianity. They have founded the Anglican Communion Institute, an international body that has submitted a 50-page document to the London-based worldwide Anglican Communion, appealing for sanctions against the pro-gay American church leadership. In Colorado, conservatives claim to have the behind-the-scenes support of about 40 clergy in 30 parishes - about a quarter of the total number. Armstrong, a member of the Standing Committee, a diocesan advisory board, projects a $500,000 budget deficit because parishes are withholding funds from O'Neill's control, though the bishop disputes that figure. And now, the fragile goodwill on both sides is fraying in earnest. The present tear traces back to April 24, when, at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Centennial, assistant rector Bonnie Spencer "made promises and exchanged rings" with lay leader Catherine Anderson, the widow of an Episcopal priest. They say there was no blessing by a priest. The ceremony had been forbidden by O'Neill. Because of "the current climate," he says, he categorically turned down several requests for same-sex ceremonies, including even low-key prayer gatherings. So, when Spencer went ahead with her ceremony anyway, conservatives were outraged that O'Neill responded with only a light rebuke - 6-week paid leave - which Spencer and Anderson could have used for a vacation. The two women declined to be interviewed. Spencer is expected to resume her parish duties later this month. O'Neill and the affronted traditionalists met in June to hash things out. At that meeting, O'Neill confirmed what conservatives found startling: that the diocese had "at least 11 same-sex blessings performed," according to a private process Winterrowd set up in 1994. O'Neill denies the process amounted to "secret protocols," though he concedes "some variations" existed in the ceremonies that could be misconstrued as outright same-sex blessings. Winterrowd bristles at the notion he did anything wrong, saying what he allowed was gay couples "to improvise and write their own prayers" - clearly the right of any Episcopalian under church law, he says. However, he says, he added a crucial caveat: "Under no circumstances may a priest bless that relationship." Winterrowd's policy became important to a 1998 lawsuit brought by Boulder youth minister Lee Ann Bryce, who charged she had been wrongfully fired for participating in a same-sex ceremony with her partner at St. Aidan's parish in Boulder. In a deposition, Winterrowd's testimony helped the diocese win. He said Bryce's firing was valid because "it was against the practice of the church for someone who had participated in a public blessing of same-sex union to be a minister of the church." Winterrowd insists his testimony is consistent with his approval of improvised prayers, but Armstrong jeers, "He's parsing words." Is there any chance, as conservatives hope, that O'Neill will reconsider his gay rights stand? "I don't know how to answer that," O'Neill replies. "I believe, in the life of our church, there is room for those who hold different perspectives to live together with integrity and goodwill." Winterrowd, too, is solidifying his gay rights beliefs. He's bitter and regretful now about the vote he cast with the Anglican majority at the 1998 worldwide Lambeth Conference, which asserted that homosexuality is contrary to scripture. Today, Winterrowd calls that vote "a very ugly moment in the long and glorious history of the Anglican church." "If there's no discipline, the communion (the Episcopal church) will probably fall apart," predicts Armstrong. One thing he and O'Neill agree on: The crisis may require an outside body to step in and settle the issue. Says the bishop: "The issue Don is raising is, what is the authority of the worldwide Anglican Communion over individual provinces (such as the U.S.)? That question hasn't been answered yet."

The Christian Challenge June 26, 2004 A noted Anglo-Catholic Episcopal parish in the nation's capital has announced the visits next year of an outspokenly conservative Anglican provincial leader, followed by a liberal one--namely, Episcopal Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold. The invitation by the well known St. Paul's, K Street, Washington, to the presiding bishop--among other things the chief consecrator of openly homosexual Bishop Gene Robinson--raised some eyebrows among local traditionalists. Nonetheless, the rector, the Rev. Andrew Sloane, announced in the parish publication, The Epistle, that Bishop Griswold would be at the parish for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter, 2005. Fr. Sloane did not say what role Griswold would play in these observances. Fr. Sloane also announced that the Archbishop of the West Indies, Drexel Gomez, would be at St. Paul's for Candlemas, February 2, 2005, "to celebrate and preach with the Bishop of Washington's permission. Archbishop Gomez has been to St. Paul's before, and his sister, Myrtle, is a faithful member of our congregation." "These visits speak of the high and broad esteem in which this parish church is held in the wider Church and are also expressive of the respect for diversity that is possible within Anglicanism," Sloane wrote. "We shall be delighted and honored by their presence and their office." Asked about Griswold's visit, one St. Paul's parishioner candidly approached the matter thus: "Fr. Sloane has said many times that one cannot experience Holy Week at St. Paul's without being changed."

COMMENTARY   By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org March 4, 2026   The push to form a rival Anglican Communion has reached a climax at the G26 gathering of primates meeting this week in Abuja, Nigeria's capital.   The move culminates more than 28 years of theological conflict over the authority of Scripture and human sexuality — disputes that have plagued the Communion through four successive Archbishops of Canterbury and now threaten to transform long-simmering divisions into a permanent split. GAFCON, which claims to speak for nearly 100 million Anglicans, represents the majority of the global church.   At the heart of the dispute lies Lambeth Resolution 1.10, passed at the 1998 Lambeth Conference, which upholds marriage as a lifelong union between a man and a woman and affirms abstinence for those not called to marriage. Four archbishops — George Carey, Rowan Williams, Justin Welby, and now Sarah Mullally — have each failed to hold the Communion together. The institution today lies in tatters, as Global South primates move to reconstitute it along orthodox lines.   At the four-day conference now underway in Abuja, GAFCON — a global movement of "authentic Anglicans, guarding God's gospel" — plans to elect its own "first among equals," just weeks before Archbishop Mullally's formal installation at Canterbury Cathedral. The timing is no coincidence.   Mullally will be installed as spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans in a ceremony later this month, but her appointment has deepened existing fractures across the Communion. Not all Global South bishops align with GAFCON's position: the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and Kenya's first female bishop, Emily Onyango, both welcomed Mullally's appointment.   Founded in 2008 in response to theological disputes over same-sex unions, GAFCON last October resolved to "reorder the Anglican Communion," refusing to participate in meetings convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury and urging members to sever remaining ties with the Church of England. The movement has consistently maintained that it has not left the Communion — rather, the Communion has left them, having embraced what GAFCON calls "strange and erroneous doctrines."   At the opening press briefing in Abuja, the Rev. Canon Justin Murff, GAFCON's Communications Director, addressed the question that has shadowed the movement since its founding: whether it constitutes a break from the Anglican Communion. "The goal is not to break apart the Communion," Murff said. "This is a claim to continuum." He emphasized that GAFCON defines itself through the Jerusalem Declaration — the theological statement adopted at its inaugural 2008 gathering — which articulates not what members oppose, but what unites them: a Communion anchored in the authority of Scripture. "We will be reaffirming and upholding the Jerusalem Declaration," he said.   Formally, the Anglican Communion is held together by four "Instruments of Communion," headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The majority of Global South primates have now rejected all four.   "This is a schism, even if they don't want to say that," said Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford. The election of a rival global spiritual leader, he told the BBC, is "a very aggressive thing to do." MacCulloch is an openly gay Anglican academic.   The Anglican Communion comprises 42 provinces across 165 countries. Its member churches share a common heritage and liturgical tradition while maintaining independent governance. It is the third-largest Christian denomination after Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy — a platform that carries significant weight on issues ranging from climate change to human rights and global peace.   "We see ourselves as a family of autonomous, yet interdependent churches," Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, told the BBC.   The relationship between the Church of England and the broader Anglican world has never looked more precarious.

(Image: The Sun's Rays Streaming Through Stained Glass Windows of a Cathedral) By The Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore The Southern ANGLICAN Mar 04, 2026 There has been a subtle but unmistakable shift in our culture. Once, our public spaces were warm — wood, color, texture, earth tones. Even secular architecture carried a sense of rootedness. Restaurants were vibrant. Homes were paneled in natural wood. Cars came in blues, greens, reds, and deep autumn shades. Christmas lights glowed in multi‑color joy. Today, much of what surrounds us is monochrome: white, gray, black, steel, glass. Neutral surfaces. Muted tones. Controlled environments. Even sacred spaces sometimes feel hesitant to declare anything boldly. This is not merely a design preference. It reflects something deeper. We are living in an age of metaphysical anemia. Color itself is not the central issue. Wood paneling and fall tones were once common — browns, oranges, yellows. What has changed is not hue, but atmosphere. We have lost a sense of glory. And when glory fades, surfaces flatten. The Fading of Glory Consider the common assumption about Greek and Roman statues. For centuries, we admired them as pure white marble — austere, rational, restrained. Yet archaeology has shown what we now know clearly: they were painted. Brightly. Vividly. Blues, reds, golds. They were alive with color. The white statues we inherited are not original purity. They are the residue of time. The paint flaked away. The vibrancy faded. And modernity canonized the faded version. There is something symbolic in that. We have grown accustomed to surfaces stripped of depth. We call it sophistication. We call it minimalism. But often it is simply the normalization of absence. The world God created is not monochrome. The sky is not gray. Birds are not grayscale. Flowers do not bloom in black and white. The Tabernacle of the Old Covenant was not bare linen and concrete. It was scarlet, purple, blue, gold — richly woven, deliberately beautiful. The heavenly vision in Revelation is not described in neutral tones but in jewels and radiance. Glory is not excessive decoration. Glory is weight. It is density of meaning. When a culture loses its sense of transcendence, its architecture becomes cautious. When it loses confidence in objective beauty, it retreats to neutrality. Monochrome is safe. It proclaims nothing. It offends no one. It demands little. But glory demands something. The Root Problem: Hurry Yet the greater danger may not be gray walls. It is hurry. We live in a culture engineered for distraction. Everything competes for attention. Very little deserves it. “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) Stillness is now countercultural. The modern world does not argue aggressively that God does not exist. It simply ensures we never sit quietly long enough to perceive Him. And this spirit of hurry has entered the Church. We hurry through the Mass. We compress sacred time into manageable segments. We rush the Collects. We shorten silence. We move briskly from confession to absolution, from Gospel to sermon, from Communion to dismissal — as though eternity must keep pace with the clock. But the Eucharist is not a meeting squeezed between errands. It is participation in sacred time. When we hurry the liturgy, we allow secular time — chronos — to govern what belongs to kairos. Hurry flattens glory. The Priest Must Believe Renewal will not begin with committees or aesthetic campaigns. It will begin with priests. If a priest truly believes: ·         That Christ is risen. ·         That heaven is real. ·         That angels attend the altar. ·         That the Sacrifice is not metaphor but participation. ·         That history bends toward resurrection. How can he preach without wonder? Tone reveals ontology. A man who stands under glory cannot speak in grayscale. Even if his voice is calm, it carries weight. Even if his gestures are simple, they carry conviction. If the priest does not believe deeply, no stained glass will save the sanctuary. If he does believe deeply, even a wooden altar can feel luminous. Slowness as Recovery The first concrete step toward reopening our eyes to glory is not architectural. It is temporal. We must address the hurry. Silence in the liturgy is not empty space. It is hospitality to transcendence. After the Gospel, let the Word linger. After confession, let repentance settle. After Communion, let thanksgiving breathe. At first, silence may feel uncomfortable. That is not failure. That is detox. We have trained ourselves to fear stillness because stillness exposes interior noise. But silence is the natural climate of awe. In Revelation there is silence in heaven. If there is never silence in our worship, we subtly catechize our people to believe that awe is optional. Slowness thickens the Mass. It does not lengthen it artificially; it deepens it. When sacred time is experienced rather than rushed, something changes. Adults settle. Children notice. The atmosphere shifts. Glory is not announced — it is perceived. Individual Renewal This recovery will not come primarily from institutions. It will come from individual priests and parishes who refuse shallowness. History shows the pattern clearly. Every great renewal began locally. A handful of men believed something profoundly, and the parish changed. Then the diocese changed. Then the Church changed. The parish is a micro‑civilization. If sacred time is guarded there, if silence is restored there, if preaching is done with conviction there, then glory begins to reappear there. And where glory appears, beauty follows. Art does not precede belief. It flows from it. Rest, Not Resistance When I sit in silence before the altar, the first thing that comes is not resistance. It is rest. That alone tells us something. We are not made for velocity. We are made for communion. The world keeps us from being still because stillness reveals what is real. If we wish to recover glory, we must first recover attention. If we wish to recover attention, we must recover stillness. And if the priest recovers stillness, the parish will learn it. Then — slowly, patiently — color will return. Not as trend. Not as nostalgia. But as expression of a people who once again believe that heaven touches earth. Glory is not gone. We have simply forgotten how to look. And the first act of looking is to stop rushing. Dr. Moore blogs at the Southern Anglican through Substack

Issued by the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC) March 4, 2026   The International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC) welcomes the ‘Not Guilty’ decision of a Malta court in what is believed to be the first criminal trial of so-called ‘Gay Conversion Practices’   The case featured Matthew Grech, 36, a Maltese Christian, a co-worker in Core Issues Trust (of which the IFTCC is a project) and co-director of X-Out-Loud.   Mr Grech, a ‘Malta X-Factor finalist,’ faced trial because Malta bans the advertising of ‘conversion practices’. If convicted, he would have faced five months in prison, and/or fined 5,000 Euros. Such a decision would have sent a chilling challenge to the freedom of the press, and to anyone wishing to publicly discuss professional client-centered therapy options of people seeing help with unwanted sexual desires.   In April 2022, Mr Grech was invited by PMnews Malta to share the story of how he had become a Christian, leaving behind a homosexual lifestyle and unwanted same sex attraction. The interview was advertised on the channel’s Facebook page. The programme presenters chose the topic of interview. Mr Grech was simply a ‘guest.’   Mr Grech shared details of his childhood sexual confusion and relationships, stating that as an adult, he had been involved in homosexual relationships before becoming a Christian which, he said, had changed his life dramatically. At no point during the programme did Mr Grech invite listeners to attend therapy, or to encourage anyone to get help for unwanted same-sex attraction, although the IFTCC was mentioned. However, Silvan Agius, a cabinet expert for the European Union’s Commissioner for Equality reported Mr Grech and the presenters to the police.   In the programme, Mr Grech stated that he did not agree with the term ‘conversion therapy,’ adding that for over 2,000 years, globally, all the mainstream Christian denominations have believed that sexuality was not an ‘identity’ in itself. Mr Grech has always contended he was aggressively targeted by members of the Malta Gay Rights Movement, who say Christian beliefs on marriage, human identity - and any debate surrounding LGBT lifestyles - should be treated as a criminal offence.   In 2016, Malta became the first EU country to ban what LGBT campaign groups describe as ‘conversion therapy’. However, like the UK Government, the Malta Government is struggled to define what ‘conversion therapy’ is.   The IFTCC has welcomed today’s judgment (MAR4) concerning Matthew Grech.   We are grateful that the Court has affirmed an important principle: that speaking about one’s own lived experience and faith does not constitute criminal conduct. The clarity provided by this decision is significant, not only for Matthew personally, but for all who value the rule of law and the careful application of criminal statutes.   Throughout the proceedings, references were made in court documents to IFTCC and to Core Issues Trust, reflecting Matthew’s past and present association with lawful organisations engaged in pastoral and educational work. It is therefore important to note that the outcome confirms that lawful discussion, testimony, and association within civil society must not be conflated with criminal activity.   This case has highlighted the importance of precision in legislative drafting and the need to ensure that criminal law is applied proportionately and with clarity. Where laws are ambiguous, there is a risk of unintended chilling effects on lawful speech, professional dialogue, and religious expression. Legal certainty benefits everyone - regardless of viewpoint. The IFTCC remains committed to professional standards, transparency, and respectful engagement within the framework of the law. We continue to pursue constructive dialogue with regulatory bodies and remain dedicated to supporting individuals, practitioners, and faith communities who seek clarity, compassion, and integrity in matters of sexuality and personal development.   We are thankful that this case has now reached resolution and trust that today’s decision will contribute to greater legal clarity going forward.   Dr Michael Davidson, Chairman of the London-registered IFTCC, who gave evidence in the case, said: “We are relieved that the Court has provided clarity in this case. At its heart was a simple but vital principle – that individuals must be free to speak about their own lived experience without fear of criminal sanction. We remain committed to upholding professional standards, lawful dialogue, and careful engagement on matters that are often deeply personal and complex.”   • For a video of Matthew’s reaction to the court verdict, visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Dn4QKatGz/?mibextid=wwXIfr   The IFTCC advocates for individual rights and freedoms to seek and to receive professional and pastoral help to live according to their primary values concerning their sexual identity and practices. For further details, visit: www.iftcc.org .   For information about Core Issues Trust and X-Out-Loud, visit www.core-issues.org

By David W. Virtue, DD www.virtueonline.org March 4, 2026   The Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs, currently serving as interim ecclesiastical authority of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), has filed suit against the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones, head of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC), alleging defamation arising from statements Jones made during a Zoom call with chaplains and others last September. Those statements revived allegations — first raised six years prior — that Dobbs had committed "financial indiscretions." Dobbs contends that a prior investigation into those allegations found them unsubstantiated, thereby establishing the falsity required to sustain a defamation claim.   The 25-page complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama — where Jones resides and the JAFC maintains its principal place of business — traces the history of animosity between the two bishops, which appears to have originated in a dispute over JAFC's remittance of funds to the ACNA in 2019. Specifically, Dobbs is alleged to have improperly retained $48,000 of those funds.   The complaint is at times difficult to follow, as it references several bishops who, though not named as parties, were involved in the 2020 investigation into Dobbs' financial transactions. It also acknowledges separate, ongoing litigation between JAFC and ACNA concerning the alleged misappropriation of intellectual property, including trademarks — litigation the complaint expressly characterizes as unrelated to the present defamation action.   Dobbs seeks unspecified compensatory damages for harm to his personal and professional reputation within the ACNA, as well as punitive damages in an amount likewise left to the jury's determination. Notably, the complaint asserts that the rift between JAFC and ACNA has caused the ACNA to forfeit $1.2 million in "gifts and tithes" from chaplains. Whether this figure represents contributions from the chaplains themselves or from service members under their pastoral care is not specified. More significantly, the relevance of this alleged financial loss to Dobbs' personal defamation claims is neither explained in the complaint nor readily apparent from its allegations.   Further complicating the matter, a number of other ACNA bishops — including some reportedly involved in the original 2019 investigation — have themselves been inhibited for alleged canonical violations. Dobbs has added to the turmoil by recently inhibiting five additional bishops. The institutional situation within the ACNA has become sufficiently entangled as to be difficult to follow without detailed familiarity with its internal governance.   This litigation represents yet another disheartening instance of Christian leaders seeking resolution of ecclesiastical disputes through civil courts, in apparent tension with St. Paul's admonition in 1 Corinthians 6:1–8. Additional information bearing on what appears to be a serious personal conflict between two senior clergy may be forthcoming.   The complaint is publicly available at CourtListener.com : Dobbs v. Jones, No. 2:26-cv-00267 (N.D. Ala.).

To all Virtuosity readers: Please read the following statement which came unsolicited from a long-time Virtuosity subscriber. Fellow Virtuosity Readers around the World, How important is it to you to keep the lights on, the telephone service working, and your other household or church utilities in good working order? Such support services are essential, aren't they? When you think about your mission and ministry budget, support services don't generally inspire a lot of excitement for the spread of the Gospel. All too often we take them for granted, but as you well know, they're essential. So it is with the cyber journal Virtuosity. I for one think it's essential, especially in these days of great turmoil, reformation, and realignment in the Anglican Communion. I am guilty of taking Virtuosity for granted. I expect to receive the Virtuosity Digest in my inbox every few days now because David has been giving us increased coverage and analysis with so much happening in the Church on a daily basis. In fact, I usually check the website daily to be sure I haven't missed something. Frankly, our impassioned (remember to count to 10, David) cyber journalist has been working overtime to keep us informed. I e-mailed him yesterday telling him how critical I thought the upcoming African Bishops Conference in late October will be since it comes shortly after the release of the Lambeth (Eames) Report, and to a large degree the future of the Anglican Communion is in the hands of the Global South Primates. I asked David if he'd be there to cover it for us. I frankly expected him to be there since he's traveled to so many important events to give us reliable and timely coverage and analysis. Some have said David's a bit fiery, but, for my money, he's the most accurate and comprehensive reporter we have. I do believe that God has raised him up for a time such as this. David had to tell me that he doubted that he would be able to travel to the conference since, frankly, he is extremely short on the minimum funds needed to keep his service up and running. Friends, this is not just a "we're running a bit behind" message. This is a serious "not sure if I can continue" situation. I've supported David from time to time in the past, but not on a regular basis. My wife Ginny and I are going to dig into our reserves for now, and we're going to put him in our 2005 monthly budget. As Dean of the Network's Southeastern Convocation, I need current information and analysis on the Anglican Communion. Other than my weekly conversations with the Network leadership, I rely on David as my primary news source over all the other excellent websites, listservs, and blogs. I know that thousands of you rely on David as well. I encourage those of you who do to keep the lights on and the service working. Check your personal offerings budget and your discretionary funds to get Virtuosity through 2004, and when you're setting your parish and personal budgets this fall for 2005, prayerfully consider adding Virtuosity to your monthly giving. Your brother in Christ, Rev. James K. McCaslin, Jr. Dean, Southeastern Convocation Anglican Communion Network Rector, All Souls Church Jacksonville, FL 32257 You can send your tax-deductible donation to: VIRTUOSITY 1236 Waterford Rd. West Chester, PA 19380 OR through PayPal at the Virtuosity website: www.virtuosityonline.org Your donation will be responded to promptly. Thank you, David W. Virtue, DD London: Telegraph Editorial Blasts Nazir-Ali as Possible Success