THE P RTAL
March 2014
AU Page 3
Anglican Future
by J. T. Stockman
Taking note
of events in the Anglican Communion throughout the world, one can only feel
dispirited with the dissolving of the church’s commitment to Biblical truth and the willingness for
compromise.
The Global Anglican
Future
Conference
[GAFCON] originated
in 2008 when moral
compromise, doctrinal
misinterpretation and
the questioning of
Biblical authority in
parts of the Anglican
Communion,
had
risen to a level where
Anglo
Catholics
and
Evangelicals
determined to combine
and take a united
position for the sake of
gospel truth.
It is symptomatic of the deconstructionism
that has manifested itself in the latter half of the 20th
Century, where longstanding traditions, ethical and
religious concepts have been eroded in the name
of democracy, political correctness and secular
‘progressive’ thinking.
Jerusalem Declaration
This resulted in the Jerusalem Declaration which
states in part:
“We are committed to the unity of all those
who know and love Christ and to building
authentic ecumenical relationships. We
recognise the orders and jurisdiction of those
Anglicans who uphold orthodox faith and
practice, and we encourage them to join us in
this declaration.”
reception of females into the Episcopate in the UK.
We have witnessed the decay and upset caused by the
liberal approach and subsequent reception of active
homosexuals into the ministry in the Episcopalian
Church USA. Similarly, in Australia, we have observed,
with dismay and incredulity, the “back-door” means
of admitting females to the Episcopate by revising
Apostolic Tradition in the Synods of individual
provinces.
informal same-sex unions blessings
Recently, the English College of Bishops met to
reflect upon the ‘Pilling Report’, commissioned to
reflect on how the Church of England should respond
to the question of same sex relationships.
Its “key recommendations were that informal
blessings of such unions should be allowed in parish
churches and that a two year process of ‘facilitated
1662 Book of Common Prayer
conversation’ should be set up to address strongly held
The GAFCON (or more appropriately termed differences within the Church on this issue.”
Traditional) Anglicans, maintain their “sacramental
and liturgical heritage as an expression of the gospel, into the bosom of Mother Church
and uphold the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a
As a practicing Anglican, one feels saddened and
true and authoritative standard of worship and prayer, distressed. A hope remains that GAFCON can
to be translated and locally adapted for each culture”. reverse the corrosion; meanwhile the Ordinariates,
as they grow and develop, provide a means of hope
Anglicans have been manifestly made aware of for drawing like minded people into the bosom of
the problems and concerns expressed relating to the Mother Church.