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Rector of St. Stephen's Parish in Sewickley, PA By David W. Virtue January 23, 2004 VIRTUOSITY: A document that you had a hand in writing was leaked to three media this past week - the Washington Post, the Religious News Service and The Guardian. What happened? CHAPMAN: I was leading a Special Projects team to provide Alternative Episcopal Oversight to churches at risk, as recommended by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates late last year. I came alongside the AAC to pioneer this urgent project, though I am not an AAC board member. I had prepared a strategy paper in consultation with a group to guide churches who are seeking AEO, and in working with these churches at risk I tried to listen to two sets of voices - one was the orthodox leadership in the Anglican Communion and the other was the voice of churches who are being systematically repressed because they oppose the Robinson consecration. VIRTUOSITY: Was it a final copy or simply a draft? CHAPMAN: It was a 7-page draft. VIRTUOSITY: Why was the draft prepared? CHAPMAN: The draft was prepared for two reasons. The first was to provide encouragement and guidance to oversight churches (churches that applied for oversight) and secondly to bring that draft to the Network gathering at Plano for their consideration, adaptation and response. VIRTUOSITY: When was this completed? CHAPMAN: It was completed and released to oversight churches on December 28, 2003. VIRTUOSITY: How many was it released to? CHAPMAN: It was released to under 100. VIRTUOSITY: To whom did it go? CHAPMAN: It went to leaders we had been in contact with about oversight issues. Some went to rectors, others to members of the vestry. VIRTUOSITY: When did it hit the three media? CHAPMAN: I got a call on January 12th from Allen Cooperman of the Washington Post who would not say where he got it from. Within an hour I got a call from the Religious News Service (RNS) who also had a copy. I then got a call from the Guardian newspaper in England the next day and five other media in quick order like the Associated Press. I did not talk to the Guardian, but I did talk to the local Pittsburgh newspaper and Focus on the Family. I soon stopped responding to the calls and referred them to the AAC. VIRTUOSITY: Did it surprise you that the document had been leaked? CHAPMAN: Yes it was a surprise and discouraging to realize that people who had been entrusted with an important confidential strategy would put churches at risk by leaking the document. VIRTUOSITY: It is being floated across the Internet that there was nothing essentially new in the document. Is that true? CHAPMAN: Everything in the document had been floated at one time or another. But what was startling about the document was that it laid out a definite strategy for moving churches through the oversight/realignment process. What was also startling about the paper was that it set out a replacement jurisdiction as a possible preferred solution, if measures of international discipline failed, and a readiness, under certain extreme conditions, to engage "faithful disobedience" to canon law as a measure of last resort. Not all the orthodox agrees with these strategies. The national church takes great offense at them. VIRTUOSITY: Do you know who leaked it? CHAPMAN: I don't know. My guess is it went to a circle of churches who shared it with insiders who shared it with a friend who turned out not to be a friend. I do wonder about the timing of the release and to whom it was sent. It was clearly designed to disrupt the formation of the new Network in Plano, Texas. It failed. VIRTUOSITY: Do you think 815, the church's national headquarters might have gotten a copy and leaked it? CHAPMAN: Because of the timing, I have wondered. But I don't know. VIRTUOSITY: What of the memo itself? CHAPMAN: The memo was a work in progress under discussion and not yet seen or affirmed by any of our bishops, though it implied otherwise. That implication was a mistake, premature, and I regret it. It had only provisional status within the AAC, as it was the work of a sub-committee, and had not been seen by the board. It had no status within the Network, as the Network had not yet even been formed. VIRTUOSITY: What is your objective? CHAPMAN: We are working to protect hundreds of orthodox churches in revisionist dioceses whose witness is being extinguished by those charged to uphold and spread the faith. With surprising and troubling frequency bishops who ironically have championed tolerance and diversity in past decades are proving decidedly intolerant of those who hold to the historic faith and the values of the bible and the Anglican Communion. VIRTUOSITY: How serious is the problem? CHAPMAN: Clergy are being threatened, vows of allegiance to the Episcopal Church are being exacted (even while international excommunications are rising), and canons are being misused to take over dissenting biblically orthodox churches. It is religious persecution, widespread, and it must be opposed. I am heartened to see at the end of the week that the Network is determined to work for Adequate Episcopal Oversight, as is the American Anglican council, under the guidance of the Primates and the Archbishop of Canterbury. VIRTUOSITY: Thank you Rev. Chapman.

Interview with Rev. Geoffrey Chapman By David W. Virtue January 23, 2004 Reverend Geoffrey Chapman, rector of St. Stephen's parish in Sewickley, Pennsylvania—the largest parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh with 2,000 members—discusses a controversial strategy document that was leaked to major media. Chapman led a Special Projects team providing Alternative Episcopal Oversight to at-risk churches, as recommended by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates. While collaborating with the American Anglican Council, he is not an AAC board member. The seven-page draft was prepared to guide churches seeking oversight and was scheduled for consideration at the Network gathering in Plano, Texas. Completed December 28, 2003, it was released to under 100 church leaders—rectors and vestry members. On January 12, Washington Post reporter Allen Cooperman contacted Chapman about the document. Within hours, Religious News Service and The Guardian newspaper in England also obtained copies, followed by Associated Press and other media. Chapman expressed surprise and disappointment: "It was discouraging to realize that people entrusted with important confidential strategy would put churches at risk by leaking the document." The document outlined a definitive strategy for moving churches through oversight and realignment, proposed a replacement jurisdiction if international discipline failed, and suggested "faithful disobedience" to canon law as a last resort under extreme conditions. Chapman suspects the leak was timed to disrupt the Network formation in Plano—an effort that failed. Chapman acknowledged the memo was premature in implying bishop approval: "It had only provisional status within the AAC and no status within the Network, which hadn't yet been formed. That implication was a mistake, and I regret it." He emphasized the urgency of protecting orthodox churches in revisionist dioceses: "Clergy are being threatened, vows of allegiance to the Episcopal Church are being exacted, and canons are being misused to take over dissenting biblically orthodox churches. It is religious persecution, widespread, and it must be opposed." Chapman expressed hope that the Network and American Anglican Council will work for Adequate Episcopal Oversight under guidance from the Primates and Archbishop of Canterbury. END

By Elizabeth Day January 25, 2004 Professor John Harris, a senior member of the British Medical Association's ethics committee, has provoked outrage by claiming infanticide is "justifiable" in certain circumstances. During a Commons Science and Technology Committee consultation on human reproductive technologies, Professor Harris stated: "I don't think infanticide is always unjustifiable. I don't think it is plausible to think that there is any moral change that occurs during the journey down the birth canal." The University of Manchester bioethics professor, who founded the International Association of Bioethics and authored 15 books on genetics ethics, endorsed infanticide in cases where genetic disorders remain undetected during pregnancy. He declined to specify an age limit for such actions. Julia Millington of the ProLife Party called the admission "absolutely horrifying," noting that infanticide is murder under law. She expressed concern that a person with such views serves on the BMA ethics committee and advises the Department of Health. Professor Harris defended his remarks, asking: "What has happened to the fetus in the time it takes to pass down the birth canal which changes its moral status? I don't think anything has happened in that time." He argued that seriously handicapped or premature newborns are routinely not sustained on life support, calling for more honest ethical discussion. He dismissed "slippery slope" concerns, insisting good decisions can be made now and in the future. Reverend Joanna Jepson, who is challenging late abortions for "trivial reasons" in High Court, called the views "frightening" and "shocking." A BMA spokeswoman clarified: "These views of Professor Harris are personal views and do not reflect the views of the committee or the BMA, which is utterly opposed to the idea of infanticide."

By The Rev. Charles H. Nalls January 23, 2004 Tens of thousands of predominantly young pro-life demonstrators filled downtown Washington streets for the 31st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Between 100,000-200,000 marchers from across America and internationally gathered, with a deafening roar erupting when a speaker asked everyone under 25 to identify themselves. A visible delegation from France joined the predominantly young American crowd. The surprisingly warm weather welcomed participants who came to pray, sing, and demand an end to abortion, assisted suicide, and abortion-based research. Speakers emphasized that abortion numbers are dropping while opposition is growing. President Bush spoke to the crowd by telephone from New Mexico, calling "all life sacred and worthy of protection." He pledged to uphold the partial-birth abortion ban signed into law on November 5 and halt human cloning. The gathering included an orthodox rabbi who offered a fiery sermon and declared excommunicate those who do not respect life from conception. The crowd was addressed by numerous Roman Catholic bishops, Eastern Orthodox prelates, politicians, and representatives from Family Research Council and Concerned Women of America. Marchers noticed greater representation from non-Catholic groups this year, including large contingents of Southern Baptists for Life and Methodists for Life, alongside Eastern Orthodox groups and independent Evangelical churches. Along the route, participants sang hymns, prayed, recited the rosary, and chanted litanies. The march concluded at the Supreme Court, where some knelt in prayer while priests offered blessings. One teenage marcher's shirt captured the spirit: "You will not silence me. You will not mock my God. You will stop killing my generation."

By Francis Ayieko, The Nation (Nairobi) January 15, 2004 The Uganda Anglican Church's decision to withdraw its invitation to the Episcopal Church USA for the enthronement of Archbishop Henry Orombi confirms an open split between liberals and conservatives in the 450-year-old Anglican Communion. The unprecedented move, protesting the installation of gay American Bishop Gene Robinson, represents the biggest jolt to the communion since Robinson became head of the New Hampshire diocese last November. Following his ordination, several countries announced they had severed or were contemplating severing ties with Episcopal Church liberals. Uganda and Kenya became the first African nations to formally declare separation from the Episcopal Church. The action reflects widespread belief within African Anglicanism that their voices are not being heard, despite Africa being home to the highest number of Anglicans worldwide. East Africa alone boasts 12.5 million worshippers compared to fewer than five million practicing Anglicans in the US and Britain combined. Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria has been among the most vocal opponents, making clear that no communion exists between liberals and conservatives. The controversy has placed pressure on Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams's special commission appointed to resolve the crisis. African Anglican leaders have indicated willingness to accept financial consequences of breaking with the wealthy Episcopal Church rather than "sacrifice their faith at the altar of financial support from American liberals." Archbishop Akinola warned of potential financial backlash but maintains African churches must become self-reliant. In Kenya, Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi stated no further support, including missionaries, from the US would be accepted.

Feast of St. Hilary, January 14, 2004 An Anglican Church in America priest has challenged the Episcopal Bishop of Colorado to a public debate on whether "the devil has entered" the Episcopal Church. Father James C. Barlow of St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church in Estes Park issued the challenge to Bishop Robert O'Neill, proposing debate on one of three resolutions regarding demonic influence, spiritual discernment, and the authenticity of recent Episcopal Church decisions. The challenge follows an African archbishop's public declaration about demonic influence in the Episcopal Church and Bishop O'Neill's statement that "we have more in common than what divides us." Father Barlow proposed using National Forensic Society debate rules with impartial university judges and mutual preparation time. He cited historical precedent from theological debates throughout Christian history, from the early church fathers through the Reformation. The challenge included extensive bibliographical references on discernment, spiritual warfare, and church authenticity, ranging from ancient church fathers to contemporary theologians.

January 22, 2004 Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold has issued a comprehensive letter addressing the state of the Episcopal Church following recent controversies. In his message to the House of Bishops and the wider church, Griswold expressed gratitude for how bishops and clergy are helping their dioceses navigate these challenging times with grace, regardless of individual perspectives. Griswold emphasized that despite internal difficulties, the church remains focused on mission—"the restoration of all people to unity with God and one another in Christ." He noted that General Convention devoted significant attention to reaching beyond the church's walls, with the current budget reflecting this outward commitment. Acknowledging divergent views on scriptural interpretation and the work of the Holy Spirit, Griswold stated: "There is no neutral reading of scripture, and we interpret various passages differently while seeking to be faithful to the mind of Christ. People of genuine faith can and do differ in their understandings of what we agree is the 'Word of God.'" The Presiding Bishop addressed tensions arising from different expectations of what the church should be versus what it might become. These differences were dramatically exposed at General Convention last summer when consent was given to ordain as bishop a man in a committed same-sex relationship. Griswold highlighted the Anglican tradition's distinctive ability to accommodate difference within common prayer: "Our differences are reconciled not by our cleverness or ability to compromise but through our common adherence to the risen Christ who meets us in word and sacrament." He spoke of what he calls "the diverse center"—people across theological perspectives who share commitment to one another as members of Christ's body and can live with tension, seeing it as potentially creative rather than threatening. The Presiding Bishop concluded by noting that the church's renewed commitment to mission and its difficult season of living with differences are both connected to faithfully proclaiming the Gospel. He assured readers of his prayers and requested theirs in return.

Press Association (UK) Up to 95% of lesbians and gays are not truly homosexual but "sexual perverts," Belgian Cardinal Gustaaf Joos claimed in a recent interview. "I will sign here in my own blood that of all those who say they are lesbian or gay, at most five to 10 percent are genuinely lesbian or gay," stated Cardinal Joos, 80, in comments to P-Magazine. "All the rest are simply sexual perverts. Don't hesitate to write that down." Joos, who studied with Pope John Paul II and was appointed cardinal last year, made his remarks during an interview about Roman Catholicism in Belgium, where the legislature legalized gay marriage last year and may soon permit same-sex couples to adopt children. "Real homosexuals don't walk the streets in colorful suits," Joos said. "They are people with a serious problem who must learn to live with it. If they err, they will be forgiven. We must help those people, not condemn them." The cardinal insisted his church "rejects homosexuality, not homosexuals." He was equally forceful in questioning democracy: "Politics, democracy—don't make me laugh. The right to vote, what is that? I find it curious that a snot-nosed 18-year-old has the same vote as a father of seven. One has no responsibilities whatsoever, the other provides tomorrow's citizens."

TAS gets $10 Million & VTS Gets $5 million from Lilly//ACNA Dean Resigns//DOMA Bishop Faces Inquiry//Pannenberg: NO to Gay Marriage   QUOTES OF THE DAY The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve. --- John R.W. Stott Half of Episcopal churches have an Average Sunday Attendance under 50. On the other hand, five percent of the nation’s congregations contain 30 percent of Episcopalians, and these tend to be the churches with the largest endowments. – TLC The grand finale regarding Catholicism—that “only Catholicism is 100% biblical”—rests on the notorious “30,000 denominations” trope, a sociological statistic with no doctrinal relevance. Historic Protestantism is unified on creed, gospel, and Scripture. The deeper issue is untouched by slogans: the New Testament nowhere teaches a perpetual Petrine office, nowhere grants Rome unique succession, and nowhere grounds the church’s indefectibility in a monarchical episcopate. Christ, Scripture, and the Spirit uphold the church, not a chair that the Bible itself never builds. – J Neil Daniels ChatGPT has an astonishing 800 million weekly users, and over a million of them talk to ChatGPT about suicide.   Dear Brothers and Sisters, www.virtueonline.org December 12, 2025   BREAKING NEWS… ACNA Archbishop to Face Trial on Three Charges.  Archbishop Steve Wood, who is under presentment will now go to trial for violation of Canon 2 following three charges: They are: Violation of Ordination Vows (Canon IV.2.1.3); Conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power (Canon IV.2.1.4); and Sexual Immorality (Canon IV.2.1.6). The Board of Inquiry found that there is probable cause to present Archbishop Wood for trial. ***** The Episcopal Church (TEC ) has plateaued post-COVID, says demographer Ryan Burge, but It could be the calm before the storm. A deep dive into the flailing denomination from their 2024 Parochial Report, which came in a PDF file, revealed a church in free fall well before COVID-19. Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) was 724,845 in 2009 and had dropped to just 547,107 a decade later. In percentage terms, that’s a 24.5% decline. But then the lockdowns in 2020 threw a wrench into all attendance-related statistics.   First things first — they don’t have any membership data in this update. Their rationale is: “The committee experimented with new ways to ask about and count total churchwide membership, and the data collected revealed confusion in how churches understood and reported this topline number. The presiding officers are collaborating to devise a process that provides clearer data on total membership in future years.”  There’s still plenty of analysis to dive into.   By 2021, ASA had fallen to 292,851. That was undoubtedly the low-water mark. There has been a nice rebound in attendance over the last couple of years. There was a big recovery in 2022 as people began returning to normal rhythms of life, and attendance has crept up since then. It was 410,912 in 2023, and the most recent figure is 413,034.   “I think it’s more than fair to say that any type of COVID bounce is now over,” writes Burge. “Overall, ASA was up just half a percentage point — a little over 2,000 attendees — across the United States. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if attendance doesn’t move much over the next couple of years. It could even begin to decline again in the 2025 data.”   Of course, the church is declining. There are multiple factors. The church does not do evangelism or discipleship. Most Episcopalians are pay, pray and obey, they do not lead people to Christ; more than likely to DEI. The average age of an Episcopalian is well into the 60s and their children have long since given up on church. As reported earlier half the churches have an ASA under 50 and cannot support a full-time rector. Only those with endowments can call a rector. Dioceses are beginning to merge as the cost of a full-time bishop with fancy headquarters and near empty cathedrals predominate. The whole homosexual agenda has failed to bring in new converts, with gay marriage being a non-starter for church growth. Raging on about racism has similarly failed to bring in new converts. Whatever the church cares about, even about immigration, it has failed to ignite the masses. There are just over 348 million Americans, which means less than 1.5% of the population even knows about the Episcopal Church or cares what it preaches.   By 2030 TEC will be suffering from late arterial ecclesiastical sclerosis, and by 2040 just a small handful of dioceses and large churches will still be around waiting for the ecclesiastical sclerosis to metastasize. Mission will be defined to provide low-cost housing as churches close, which is undoubtedly designed to please the Almighty. The Great Commission permanently sidelined.   *****   She hasn’t been full installed as the next  Archbishop of Canterbury  and Sarah Mullally is already embroiled in a safeguarding issue. Lambeth Palace and Bishop of London have both issued statements about an individual known as ‘N’ who submitted a complaint in 2020 against the Bishop of London under the Clergy Discipline Measure. The complaint was not taken forward or appropriately followed up. The Bishop of London was unaware of the matter, said a release from the palace.   The Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, said: “N has been let down by the processes of the Church of England. While his abuse allegations against a member of clergy were fully dealt with by the Diocese of London, it is clear that a different complaint he subsequently made against me personally in 2020 was not properly dealt with. I am seeking assurance that processes have been strengthened to ensure any complaint that comes into Lambeth Palace is responded to in a timely and satisfactory manner.”   The whole safeguarding business has been an enormous unresolved mess in the CofE. The Archbishop of York should have stepped down over his safeguarding failures but did not. Justin Welby laid down his crozier over failed safeguarding issues by a sadistic bottom beater in the person of John Smyth. Lord George Carey faced disciplinary action over his failed safeguarding in the case of John Smyth, and the former Archbishop of York John Sentamu faced disciplinary actions due to his handling of safeguarding issues during his tenure. He was stripped of his preaching powers by a bishop after refusing to apologize for his comments regarding the importance of safeguarding and the impact of church-related abuse on survivors.   Now comes word that Pope Leo and Archbishop Mullally are birds of a feather in a very unchristlike way. Canon Gene Thomas Gomulka reports that after recently reporting how new information strengthens allegations that Pope Leo XIV covered up sexual abuse in his Diocese of Chiclayo and spearheaded the laicization of a canon lawyer who accused him and other Peruvian bishops of covering up abuse (”Should Leo Resign Due to Sex Abuse Cover Up?”), a new article was just published entitled, “Next Archbishop of Canterbury accused of mishandling abuse complaint.” (see above). You can be sure that neither leader will be held to account.   *****   Anne Dyer is the first female Bishop in the Scottish Episcopal Church  when she was appointed more than seven years ago. But since then, accusations of bullying and misconduct have dominated her period in charge - even for a time leading to her suspension and calls for her resignation.   Bishop Dyer denies any wrongdoing, while the church itself acknowledges there are deep wounds within the diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney.   Now File on 4 Investigates has discovered new complaints against the bishop, which she says are "totally without merit". You can hear more here:  https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/m002n7qw   Now you know why Anglo-Catholics and a number of evangelicals have problems with the ordination of women. The Church of England is about to be run by a woman; a lesbian runs the Church in Wales, and the Bishop of Orkney has been accused of bullying!   *****   The Anglican Church in North America  is deeply mired in doodoo even as Archbishop Steve Wood faces a trial following presentment charges. The show is being run for the moment by Bishop Julian Dobbs of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word. REC Bishop Ray Sutton begged off citing health issues.   The province kept issuing updates that read like a menu at a high-class restaurant with cognac to finish the meal. Well, that became unacceptable to a “Concerned Anglican” who wrote; “Make no mistake, the ACNA’s future stability depends on the decisions made this week. A province that loses millions in an avoidable lawsuit, allows faithful leaders to be destroyed by anonymous accusations without defense, refuses to acknowledge its own canonical failures, and fails to address its deeper cultural dysfunction will struggle to maintain credibility or unity.” You can read his full report here:  https://www.virtueonline.org/post/urgent-call-for-stability-what-the-acna-college-of-bishops-must-address-this-week To date it has had close to 3,000 reads clearly concerning a lot of ACNA laity.   Another priest, Randall Graf, weighed in with criticism that the ACNA bishops were sounding more like risk management players rather than true shepherds of the flock. He bemoans what he calls a "significant deficit of trust" toward the College, a failure in the sacred trust of oversight, and a lack of clarity in our disciplinary canons. Its effort at confession is deeply undermined by its method of communication, he says.   “Where we needed specific admissions of procedural failures, suppressed information, or concrete acts of omission, we received vague, internal descriptions. By offering these abstractions, the College of bishops performs a nebulous confession. And a nebulous confession, by definition, cannot lead to authentic self-examination or meaningful healing.” This is must reading. His scathing condemnation of the bishops can be read here:  https://www.virtueonline.org/post/when-repentance-sounds-like-risk-management-a-call-for-a-covenant-of-courage-from-the-acna-bishops   To cap off ACNA’s problems the  Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC)  is threatening to sue ACNA for millions of dollars over Bishop Derek Jones’ inhibition. This week Jones held out an olive branch to the ACNA and wrote this; “At the request of the ACNA, the JAFC attorneys have sent an 'offer of compromise subject to Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of Evidence’ on December 2nd, and we await what we pray will be a positive response." So far, the JAFC is winning the legal battle and VOL was told that two thirds of the JAFC bishops have remained with Jones and his bishops.   If ACNA screws this up it could be the beginning of the end for the ACNA. This situation is way over Dobbs’ head to resolve. Dean Chuck Collins, an historian with decades in church ministry believes that ACNA bishops need to hire outside independent church trauma experts to openly assess the cases in front of hem and advise the church on its disciplinary canons, “there might be hope for our future.”   “Bishops disciplining bishops behind closed doors is a silly unworkable solution. And the next time we elect a primate, we must call it an assembly, not a conclave. We are electing a leader, not a pope.”   Another open ACNA wound is the  Bishop Stewart Ruch  imbroglio which has carried on for six years. In May 2019, a nine-year-old girl in Illinois reported to her mother that Mark Rivera, a volunteer lay leader at Christ Our Light Anglican Church in Big Rock and neighbor to the girl, had sexually abused her.  Rivera is in jail for his sins and Ruch faces allegations of mishandling sexual abuse allegations in the Upper Midwest Diocese and is presently on trial. This should not have taken six years to resolve.   Reflecting on the situation, Dr. Kendall Harmon, a canon theologian bemoaned the situation and said, “What we are looking at here, brothers and sisters, is a colossal mess which has so many things out of kilter one hardly knows where to start.”   The question now is how it will all end.   *****   The  Lilly Foundation  is throwing money around like a drunken sailor. A number of TEC dioceses have been the recipient of most of the money, but recently  Trinity Anglican Seminary  got $10 million, the largest amount ever given to an Anglican institution. The grant is to establish the Anglican Formation Network, which aims to strengthen Anglican ministry formation across North America. This initiative is a collaborative effort with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and several regional formation centers. One can only imagine the gnashing of teeth at TEC HQ.  Virginia Theological Seminary  was awarded a $5 million grant to help revitalize faith by sharing personal narratives. The grant, which is the largest in the Seminary’s history, is funded through Lilly Endowment’s National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life. Other awards Lilly has made since 2023 include: The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida received a $500,000 sustainability grant to continue its clergy mentoring and development programs through 2028, building on a previous $1 million grant that fostered emotional, spiritual, and professional support for clergy. (One can only imagine a progressive priest sitting in a therapist’s office complaining that his parish is slowly disappearing with more parishioners in columbaria than pews, and the therapist asks, “and how does that make you feel?”) The Episcopal Diocese of Albany received $1,250,000 The Episcopal Diocese of Iowa received $1,250,000 The Episcopal Diocese of Spokane received $1,244,259 The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont received $1,168,637   One wonders why and who the deep thinkers are at the Lilly Foundation who are throwing good money after bad at dying Episcopal dioceses. Is no one reading the statistics on the church’s decline and inevitable demise?   *****   On a brighter note, an  ACNA missionary couple  working in Middle East Muslim countries report tens of thousands of converts from Islam to Christ. In an exclusive interview, Jerry Kramer reports that we are living in the midst of the biggest move of God in history…   “What we’re seeing is unprecedented. And it’s happening all over the planet, largely in the same way. Through what we are calling Disciple Making or Kingdom Movements. Our little team, over the past three and a half years, now has a network of over 4,000 churches. In ten countries.  And we’ve reached 14 generations of disciples and church plants. A disciple who has made a disciple who has made a disciple …  to the fourteenth generation. A church that has planted a church that has planted a church … to the fourteenth generation. In three and a half years. That’s what Movement looks like. But this move is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.” You can read more of my interview with Jerry here:  https://www.virtueonline.org/post/we-are-living-in-the-midst-of-the-biggest-move-of-god-in-history-an-exclusive-interview-with-the-r *****   In keeping with the growth of the church in the Global South, GAFCON announced that former  Bishop John Guernsey  of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic has been appointed the new Chairman of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA), whose Trustees govern and support the ministry of Gafcon and the Global Anglican Communion. In this governance role, Bishop Guernsey will lead the board of trustees, who continue to work with the General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison, to provide administrative and logistical support for the Primates Council, under the leadership of its Chairman, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, Primate of Rwanda.   *****   On a sadder note,  Dean Michael Guernsey  (Bishop John Guernsey’s son) has resigned as dean of Holy Cross Cathedral. Over the past several months, concerns from staff and parishioners (and former parishioners) were brought to the attention of Diocesan Leadership and the Cathedral Chapter regarding various aspects of parish leadership, communication, and Fr. Michael’s overall health and wellbeing.   *****   With a lesbian archbishop in place in the  Church in Wales,  a road map for same sex blessings is now in the works. There will be no stopping it of course, but it is always nice to pretend that folk have a choice and the voice of the remnant orthodox will be heard…and then ignored.   *****   There’s a huge mess brewing at  Incarnation Anglican Church in the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic , and its bishop, one Chris Warner is handling it so badly that an inquiry is being requested into his behavior. Incarnation Anglican Church in Williamsburg, VA has experienced a series of crises, one result of which is a request for a formal inquiry into Bishop Chris Warner’s conduct under Title III, Canon 8 to determine whether his actions constitute canonical violations, abuse of authority, or neglect of episcopal duty. Part of the battle is over a woman priest foisted on the church that has been described as “a battle between the women and the men.” If you want to read the full story, click here:  https://www.virtueonline.org/post/inquiry-requested-into-dom-bishop-chris-warner   ***** A feud has broken out in the usually bucolic Province of Rwanda.  GAFCON Chairman Archbishop Laurent Mbanda  is in the midst of a feud with retired bishops blasting the GAFCON leader over ‘uncanonical’ conduct. You can read more here:  https://www.virtueonline.org/post/gafcon-chairman-archbishop-laurent-mbanda-s-feud-retired-bishops-blast-gafcon-leader-over-uncanoni   *****   Should we support gay marriage?  No says Wolfhart Pannenberg. “Can love ever be sinful? The entire tradition of Christian doctrine teaches that there is such a thing as inverted, perverted love. Human beings are created for love, as creatures of the God who is Love. And yet that divine appointment is corrupted whenever people turn away from God or love other things more than God.” You can read his full take here:  https://www.virtueonline.org/post/should-we-support-gay-marriage-no-1   *****   VIRTUEONLINE  is preparing for our biggest and best year yet, and we need your support to make it happen.   With my new Substack  davidvirtue2.substack.com  on the Middle East, we are expanding our coverage in 2026 to include:   ·       The rise of Anglicanism in the Global South as it separates from the Global North.   ·       The decline of liberalism and progressive theology, and the growing threat of Islam to our faith.   ·       The increasing decline of the Anglican Church of Canada, The Episcopal Church, The Church of England, the Church in Wales and the Scottish Episcopal Church.   ·       The rise of GAFCON and the GSFA to counter the threat of western liberalism and secularization.   ·       Financial influence by TEC to influence the Global South with money aimed at persuading African Anglicans to accept pansexuality.   ·       How oil-rich Middle Eastern nations use their wealth to shape Western minds and promote Islam while systematically undermining the Christian West.   ·       The persecution of Christians throughout the world.   ·       We need to raise $30,000 by December 31st to continue our coverage of the Anglican Communion. 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BY Fr Randall Graf Dec 08, 2025 (Source Material: Report from the College of Bishops Meeting in Plano, TX) The decision of the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America to meet in early December was necessary, and their stated commitment to prayer and self-reflection in the midst of crisis is a welcome signal of seriousness. Our Province needed to hear from its shepherds. Yet, as a priest, I am compelled to speak. My motivation is the apostolic command that God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV). It is in this spirit—one of disciplined power and love for the Church—that I must address the language of the report itself. The document rightly identifies critical symptoms: a "significant deficit of trust" toward the College, a failure in the sacred trust of oversight, and a lack of clarity in our disciplinary canons. But its effort at confession is deeply undermined by its method of communication. A bishop's confession must be a model for the faithful; instead, the Province received an institutional statement designed to mitigate liability and manage risk. This is the core problem: The College has described the crisis of faith using the language of the Boardroom, not the language of the Bible. The resulting ambiguity is not humility; it is corporate double speak. Where we needed specific admissions of procedural failures, suppressed information, or concrete acts of omission, we received vague, internal descriptions: "We recognized moments of weakness in our relationships with one another..." "...instances where our courage has flagged..." By offering these abstractions, the College performs a nebulous confession. And a nebulous confession, by definition, cannot lead to authentic self-examination or meaningful healing. In this act, the report becomes a microcosm of the very crisis it claims to address. It offers a vow of good intent ("we will endeavor to grow in grace") but provides none of the covenantal terms (specific accountability) that trust demands. This is the first failure: sacrificing the spiritual credibility of the episcopate for the sake of institutional stability, which is a false and damaging trade-off. The Theological Failure: Nebulous Confession and Healing The crisis facing the ACNA is fundamentally a crisis of integrity, stemming directly from this unwillingness to speak plainly. For the Church, confession is not merely an institutional duty; it is the covenantal key to healing. Our tradition holds that true restoration is rooted in specific, humbling admission. The Apostle James lays out the standard for the community of faith: "Therefore, confess your sins one to another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV) The Failure to Confess for Healing By substituting abstract spiritual language for concrete admissions, the bishops prevent the very healing they pray for. Healing—for the wounded, the Province, and the College itself—requires a clear definition of the injury and the sin. A nebulous confession attempts to bypass the painful process of public truth-telling. The College’s statement reads like a carefully worded legal brief designed to limit exposure, rather than a pastoral lament seeking forgiveness. This is where the corporate double speak does its deepest damage. By using generalized terms, the bishops are engaging in semantic evasion—a classic tactic of risk management—that seeks to confess only what is legally or institutionally unavoidable. We see a leadership that is prioritizing image control over truth-telling, sacrificing its spiritual integrity for the sake of its organizational stability. Sidebar: The Evasion Tactic We understand this evasive language from the world of politics: the act of using a technical definition to deny a plain truth. The infamous denial, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman..." was a legalistic evasion that hinged on a semantic loophole. The College is attempting the same by confessing to generalized "weakness" while sidestepping the plain, specific truth of procedural negligence and failure of oversight. Falling Short of Being "Beyond Reproach" This failure to communicate with integrity violates a primary mandate of the bishop's office. Scripture requires that leaders be "above reproach" (1 Timothy 3:2). This does not mean sinless, but it means their character and conduct must be so transparent that they do not give the world or the flock a legitimate reason to reproach the Church. The College’s evasive language gives the entire Province reason to question their moral fitness for oversight. By failing to take clear responsibility for the procedural and ethical errors that caused this crisis, they: Sacrifice credibility by appearing to prioritize self-protection over truth. 2. Obscure the path to healing by refusing to define the sin. A leader's silence, or their chosen words, must not be used to protect themselves. It must always be used to protect the integrity of the Gospel. The Vow Must Become a Covenant: A Call to Radical Transparency The College of Bishops closed its report with a promise: "We recognize that trust cannot be demanded, and we will endeavor to grow in grace so that, by God’s help, we may become increasingly trustworthy." As a statement of vow, this is insufficient. The Province is waiting for a covenant—a binding, two-way commitment defined by action and accountability. Trust is not a gift earned through spiritual aspiration alone; it is a debt repaid through verifiable change. To confuse "growing in grace" with the verifiable implementation of "covenantal accountability" is to confuse piety with governance. For the College to demonstrate that its repentance is more than just institutional damage control, it must immediately embrace radical transparency and specific, costly reforms. The Tangible Work: Title IV and Systemic Change The one concrete promise in the report is the commitment to the proposed canonical revisions concerning discipline, misconduct, and abuse (Title IV). This is where the work of restoring trustworthiness must begin, by fixing the structural failures that allowed errors and secrecy to flourish. The Province needs the College to champion the following: Abolish Adversarial Process: Fully implement the shift from the attorney-driven adversarial system to the new Inquiry Model, ensuring investigations prioritize truth and reconciliation over legal maneuvering. Centralized, Neutral Investigation: Fully empower the proposed Reports Administrator and the standing Reports Investigation Committee (comprised of clergy and laity). This removes the power of initial investigation from individual bishops who may lack courage or competence, and places it in a dedicated, neutral body. Presumption of Publicity: The canons must establish a clear "presumption that the proceedings are public." The widespread damage caused by this crisis demands an end to the self-protective confidentiality that has shielded bad actors and managerial failure in the past. The Accountability of Communication Beyond the canons, the College must change its communication style to match its office. The current crisis was deepened by a failure to act swiftly, clearly, and decisively. To become truly trustworthy, the College must commit to: Specific Self-Definition of Error: Issue a follow-up statement that defines the specific procedural failures—the what and the when—that led to the crisis of trust. This is the covenantal admission that validates their general repentance. External Reporting: Establish a public, external mechanism to track and report on the progress of the canonical reforms, moving them outside the secretive chambers of the College and into the view of the Provincial Council and the people. Conclusion: A Call to the Gospel Standard The Church of Christ is not a corporation, and its leaders cannot behave as corporate executives. The integrity of the Anglican Church in North America is tied directly to the integrity of its shepherds. The standard is not the world’s, but the Gospel’s: servant leaders must exhibit the historical biblical quality of servant—a quality rooted in humility, truth, and sacrificial transparency. The College of Bishops has named the deficit of trust. Now, out of love for Christ’s Church and in the spirit of power and self-control, they must choose the covenant of courage over the vow of convenience. Let their next actions be so clear, so specific, and so radically transparent that their deeds finally drown out the corporate double speak and restore faith in the office they hold. Father Randall M Graf, Ph.D. is a priest and psychologist. He publishes his articles here, exploring faith, wellness, and contemporary life.

By J. Michael Garrison “The Fair Share” is how our diocese supports the wider Episcopal Church. Each parish’s annual commitment makes our giving a sign of God’s generosity. But now, some parishes—angered by GC’s confirmation of Bishop Robinson—are withholding or diverting funds. St. Stephen’s (Niagara Falls), St. Bartholomew’s (Tonawanda), St. Michael’s (Buffalo), and St. Mary’s (Salamanca) are sending only a pittance. St. Mark’s (Orchard Park) cut its pledge by one-third. Total shortfall: ≥ $135,000. This will reduce staff or cut programs—punishing workers and the diocese’s mission, not General Convention or its deputies. Withdrawing support is spiritually arrogant—a childish act, like a child taking toys and running away. Our Church’s full name: The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Born in dissent—I fully support the right to protest. But this is not protest. It signals a profound disconnection as the Body of Christ. After listening visits, I’ve been vilified—even likened to Satan. How, then, do we model what Jesus would do? Recall Paul in Galatians: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Without this fruit, how do we disagree agreeably? How do we cherish each other as beloved children of God? For those of us who supported GC: we acted prophetically, striving for justice and respecting every human’s dignity—answered, in God’s time. In the meantime: let us remain in the way of Jesus. Shalom, The Rt. Rev. J. Michael Garrison Diocese of Western New York

By James Murray The Australian April 1, 2004 Priests in Australia’s largest Anglican diocese (Sydney) must now complete an 8-page questionnaire about sexual history—including relationships outside marriage—as part of a child-abuse crackdown. Also asked: involvement in the occult, cruelty to animals, internet/porn use, driving offenses, gambling, homosexual relationships, or charges involving minors. Required for new priests, transfers, and license renewals. “Yes” answers could lead to rejection. Some bishops criticize it as too intimate—precluding repentance and healing—and fear it may encourage dishonesty. A national debate is planned in October to seek unified standards. Meanwhile, 60 leaders from 12 denominations recently met in Canberra to discuss abuse, aiming to “develop a positive culture in which abuse and misconduct will not take place.”