By
all reputable accounts I’ve heard, GAFCON 3 was an excellent conference. And I concur in its closing Letter to
the Churches.
At
the same time, there was a serious shortcoming that occurred before the
conference began. And if this
shortcoming was addressed during the conference, I am not aware of it. GAFCON leaders failed to address with
adequate firmness the consecration of a woman bishop in South Sudan in
violation of an agreed moratorium.
Yes, there was a response of a sort early this year. But she was apparently free to come to
the Jerusalem conference as a full participant this past week.
It
appears that because of that a number of Anglo-Catholics decided not to attend,
including Bishops Keith Ackerman and Bill Ilgenfritz. It turns out the South Sudan delegation did attend due to
visa issues. But that did not become
clear until near the beginning of the conference. In any case, the damage was done; the number of
Anglo-Catholics at Jerusalem was fewer than in the past.
As
for ACNA, I will not rehash the aftermath of the Conclave concerning Holy Orders. Nor will I dive into the
thorny topic of just what assurances were or were not made to traditionalists
concerning Holy Orders at the formation of ACNA. But communion with Anglo-Catholics is certainly frayed and
even impaired as is the case with the Diocese of Ft. Worth.
We
can hardly undo the past. But as
for the future, probably the most urgent matter for GAFCON and ACNA is to
restore as much as possible communion and fellowship with Anglo-Catholics. That is easier said than done although
it is perhaps not too late to enact a moratorium on women’s ordination in ACNA
and to strengthen a moratorium on women bishops in GAFCON.
Also,
future GAFCON and ACNA meetings should reflect the importance of
Anglo-Catholics among us, including in worship meetings. Frankly, the next ACNA Provincial
Assembly next year presents a danger.
With it being in Plano, Texas, I presume it will be hosted by Christ
Church Plano, which is a large parish in the Diocese of Churches for the Sake
of Others (C4SO). It is safe to
say C4SO has a talent for rubbing Anglo-Catholics and other traditionalist
Anglicans (including yours truly) the wrong way. If the Assembly turns out to be like an expanded C4SO Synod,
that would not assist any remaining traditionalist patience with ACNA.
That Assembly and the time leading up to it should instead be used by both ACNA and GAFCON to mend fences with Anglo-Catholics.
Any
form of Anglicanism without a robust and enthusiastic contingent of
Anglo-Catholics is an impoverished Anglicanism. I pray that GAFCON and ACNA bishops address that danger
wisely and soon.
1 comment:
I live just a half mile from Christ Church Plano. I have visited several times. Under their new Rector, Fr. Donison, the liturgy is a bit more “Anglican” to me than it was under their former Rector but it also comes across as terribly “entertaining” and even Fr. Donison’s sermons has too much of an entertainment bent IMHO. He has a charismatic personality no doubt and I cheer that he had brought more of the BCP liturgy to their service but the Eucharistic prayer is rushed and there is no bowing or kneeling or elevation of the elements during the consecration and that is a huge turn off to me. The Church Of The Holy Communion as you well know is not far away from Christ Church Plano and there is much more of a reverence and a sense of the sacred in their Eucharistic service. I am not a member of either although I have often wondered why I have never joined COTHC.
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