Christians recognize God’s grace at work in one another, pope says

From Catholic Sun-

When different Christian Churches recognize the validity of one another’s baptisms, they are recognizing that God’s grace is at work in them, Pope Francis said.

“Even when differences separate us, we recognize that we are part of the redeemed people, the same family of brothers and sisters loved by the one Father,” the pope said Jan. 25 at an ecumenical evening prayer service closing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

The week ends on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, and the papal vespers are celebrated at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the church where, according to tradition, the apostle is buried.

At the beginning of the prayer service, Pope Francis stood before what is believed to be St. Paul’s tomb, accompanied by Orthodox Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy and Malta and Anglican Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi, the archbishop of Canterbury’s personal representative to the Holy See.

More here-

http://www.catholicsun.org/2018/01/27/christians-recognize-gods-grace-at-work-in-one-another-pope-says/

Walking together at Lambeth 2020?

From The Living Church-

Summary: Building on yesterday’s analysis of walking together, this article explores the problems faced by the Lambeth Conference in 2008 and how they continue to be present as we approach Lambeth 2020. To enable as close and truthful a walking together as possible, it suggests the conference may combine the two forms of gathering we have known and build on the decisions of the primates in 2016 and 2017 about consequences for unilaterally departing from Communion teaching. This could take the form of a non-resolution gathering (as in 2008) in which all provinces and ecumenical partners walked together despite the significant distance between them, followed by a more deliberative assembly passing resolutions (as before 2008) involving those living in a higher degree of communion and committed to intensifying that communion.

By Andrew Goddard

The last Lambeth Conference in 2008 was marked by a number of distinctive features. These included the failure of a large number of provinces and so several hundred bishops to attend due to the actions of the American Church and their presence at the conference, the non-invitation of a serving bishop (Gene Robinson) because he was in a same-sex union and another because of corruption (Bishop Nolbert Kunonga), and the decision to have an Indaba and not to pass any resolutions. It is also important to recognize that in his 2007 letter of invitation the Archbishop of Canterbury made clear that there were certain expectations and commitments expected of those attending:

http://livingchurch.org/covenant/2017/10/13/walking-together-at-lambeth-2020/

Methodist Church may get bishops for the first time in UK in mutual recognition pact with Anglicans

From Christian Today-

Methodists and Anglicans are embarking on a process of consultation of towards historic proposals that could  recognise the ministers, priests and bishops of both churches for the first time since they split in the late 18th century.

And for the first time ever, the proposals, if agreed, would  give Methodists in the UK some bishop of their own.

The person elected annually as president as the Methodist Conference would take  the title 'President-Bishop' instead of just 'president' and would  be ordained by at least three bishops including bishops from the Church of England.

The Methodist church in the United States already has bishops but the church in the UK has never adapted to the episcopal model before.

A report being disussed at the Methodist Conference in Birmingham this weeked says that the main proposals, if implemented, 'will enable an interchange of presbyteral ministries between our churches that has not been possible since the parting of the ways between Anglicans and Methodists in the late eighteenth century.'

More here-

https://www.christiantoday.com/article/methodist.church.to.get.bishops.for.the.first.time.in.uk.in.mutual.recognition.pact.with.anglicans/110222.htm

also here-

http://livingchurch.org/2017/06/27/toward-greater-unity/?platform=hootsuite

A CHURCH OF DIVINE MISSION: WILL WE DIE FOR COMMUNION?

From The Living Church-

As I considered Ephraim’s paper, it was tempting to avoid its sharp edge, which is its call for us to conform to Christ’s self-giving love, while considering the ramifications of change and an ecclesiology of change. Also, Ephraim called us to consider at least one practical response to the current moment, that is, a worldwide Anglican Synod — voluntarily joined, for the sake of common counsel and decision-making, to draw our churches closer together in the life of synodality that they have long sought.

Instead of avoiding that edge, it seems best to face it head on, and state as starkly and clearly as possible what seems at stake in most refusals to consider the proposal: I want to probe the wound at the center of the Anglican Communion, that is, the violent divisiveness that lurks in Christian hearts and our lack of “self-giving love.” My response focuses on three ideas, movements, or missions: first, the divine utterance or summons; second, the awakening of a human response or echo; and third, the graceful perfection of all things in the Passion and Resurrection. To each of these movements, I will add a question meant to provoke us to an answer.

More here-

http://livingchurch.org/covenant/2017/06/14/a-church-of-divine-mission-will-we-die-for-communion/

Utah’s Episcopal bishop calls for unity in these divisive, Trump era times

From Utah-

Utah Episcopal Bishop Scott Hayashi is urging his flock to slow down and take a breath amid rising agitation over the election of President Donald Trump and the signing of his controversial executive orders during the past two weeks.

Political divisions within families and with co-workers have resulted in "the breaking of familial bonds and friendships," Hayashi said in a pastoral letter to be read Sunday at Episcopal churches across the state. "This is deeply troubling and heartbreaking to me."

The Utah church as well as the national Episcopal Church unswervingly support gender equality, efforts against gender violence, and the protection of the environment, the letter said, and works to address systemic racial injustice as well as many other social-justice concerns.

More here-

http://www.sltrib.com/news/4901061-155/utahs-episcopal-bishop-calls-for-unity

Has The Episcopal Church Been Penalised For Its Support Of Gay Marriage – Or Not?

From Christian Today-

Senior members of The Episcopal Church of the United States have said they are "dismayed" by an Anglican Communion report that they did not vote on "doctrine" at a recent meeting

The Episcopal Church, which endorses gay equality, consecrates gay bishops and clergy and allows same-sex marriage.


As a result, the Church had "consequences" imposed on it by Anglican leaders at last January's primates' meeting in Canterbury.

These consequences, which the primates insisted were not "sanctions", included not permitting members of The Episcopal Church to vote on matters of doctrine at Anglican Communion meetings of policy bodies such as the Anglican Consultative Council.

Rosalie Simmonds Ballentine, Ian Douglas and Gay Clark Jennings, who attended the 16th Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Lusaka, Zambia last April on behalf of The Episcopal Church, say in a post on the Episcopal Digital Network that they were dismayed to read on the Anglican Communion News Service "an article that claims we did not vote on matters of doctrine or polity at the most recent meeting of the ACC."

More here-

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/has.the.episcopal.church.been.penalised.for.its.support.of.gay.marriage.or.not/104358.htm

Theologian: Christian unity possible but not a 'call to ignore realities'

From Pittsburgh Catholic-

The pope traveled in October to Sweden to an event commemorating the Reformation. The 16th-century Protestant Reformation began when in 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany, separating from the Catholic Church. The event subsequently gave rise to a variety of Christian churches. It also led to violence on both sides.

On Jan. 18, the Anglican archbishops of Canterbury and York in England, while mentioning the blessings of the Reformation, also said the events surrounding it had caused "lasting damage done five centuries ago to the unity of the church, in defiance of the clear command of Jesus Christ to unity in love."

Root, the theologian at the Washington event, said that over the last century, Christian churches have experienced "a renewed commitment to the pursuit of a deeper unity with one another." While it's yielded fruits, it's also important to learn how to "live with the limitations of our pursuit of greater unity. The call to unity is not a call to ignore realities," he said.

Franciscan Father Larry Dunham, guardian of the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, where the event was held, said the week's theme "Reconciliation: The Love of Christ Compels Us" is not only appropriate given current world and international events but also because this year marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

More here-

http://www.pittsburghcatholic.org/News/Theologian--Christian-unity-possible-but-not-a--call-to-ignore-realities---27992661

Warring Anglican Primates Summoned To New Meeting In October

From Christian Today-

The Archbishop of Canterbury has called the heads of warring Anglican factions together for a second meeting in two years.

Justin Welby wrote to the Anglican primates in November, the website Anglican Ink revealed, confirming details of an upcoming gathering in October.

Rather than being an official "Primates meeting" the leaders of the different Anglican provinces will meet "only as Primates of the Communion in 2017", Welby said.

The meeting will take place in Canterbury from 2-6 October and will be the first time all the leaders of the different Anglican provinces have met since January 2016.

That gathering resulted in The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the USA facing "consequences" for changing its teaching to welcome gay marriage.

More here-

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/warring.anglican.primates.summoned.to.new.meeting.in.october/104107.htm?print=1

Bishops’ consultation helps keep Communion together, says Hiltz

From Canada-

Seven years after the first Consultation of Anglican Bishops in Dialogue was held at the Anglican Communion offices in London, England, in 2010, a record 24 bishops—including four primates—came together in Accra, Ghana, from May 25-29 to learn about the unique contexts and challenges different parts of the African, North American and English churches are facing.

In a testimony released following the consultation, titled “Unity in Diversity,” the bishops looked back on what has been accomplished since 2010, and said that in order to build a stronger sense of unity, the Communion needs to turn to the past.

The testimony held up the concept of sankofa, common to the Akan people of the Gold Coast, as a useful way of doing so.

Sankofa can be translated as meaning “it is not a taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.” As the testimony explains, it is a way of seeing the past as a dynamic reality that should be examined and used as a resource for shaping the present and the future.

More here-

http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/bishops-consultation-helps-keep-communion-together-says-hiltz

Group of ACC members, secretary general dispute meaning of resolution

From ENS-

Two Anglican Communion leaders and some outgoing members of the Anglican Consultative Council are at odds about what exactly happened on the last full day of last month’s ACC-16 meeting in Lusaka, Zambia.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has said that the council passed a resolution accepting the so-called “consequences” called for in January by a majority of the primates – leaders of the Anglican Communion’s 38 provinces – for the Episcopal Church’s decision to allow same-sex marriage. However, some ACC members dispute that interpretation.

The latest two chapters in the continuing disagreement opened May 6 when six outgoing ACC and Standing Committee members released a statement saying the council did not accept or endorse those consequences.  The statement also said that the ACC imposed no additional consequences.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/05/09/group-of-acc-members-secretary-general-dispute-meaning-of-resolution/

Anglican chief counters accusations of 'Lusaka six'

From Christian Today-

Further Anglican divisions have emerged after six delegates to a recent influential meeting last month of church leaders denied that they had either endorsed or affirmed the actions of the Anglican Communion primates in January.

Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, rejected criticism from six delegates to the Anglican Consultative Council's meeting in Lusaka, Zambia.

The six outgoing members of the council and its insisted their meeting had "neither endorsed nor affirmed" the consequences contained in the primates' communiqué from their meeting at Canterbury cathedral.

Christian Today was among the news outlets that reported the Anglican Consultative Council had unanimously backed the primates in outlining "consequences" to the decision by The Episcopal Church to back gay marriage. The primates had voted to limit participation of The Episcopal Church for three years.

More here-

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/anglican.chief.counters.accusations.of.lusaka.six/85682.htm

Holding together in diversity – reflections on the ACC meeting in Lusaka

Justin Welby via ACNS-

Having come back from Lusaka on 20 April, after 16 days in Zambia and Zimbabwe, once again the experience of a big Anglican Communion meeting has had an impact on my thinking about the Communion.

As usual, the impact is largely positive. Any time the Communion gets together, especially the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) which has representatives from most Provinces who are bishops, priests and laity, I am more and more struck that we hold together, more or less, despite our diversity, because of the work of God among us. God is at work in the Anglican Communion, and my awareness of that has grown a lot in the last month. There are plenty of problems, I’ll come to those in a moment, but the central news is that if God, by his Spirit, is working among us, that the future is one of hope, of purpose and of blessing in our call to fulfil the mission of God in the world.

More here-

http://www.anglicannews.org/comment/2016/04/holding-together-in-diversity-reflections-on-the-acc-meeting-in-lusaka.aspx

Two candidates for chair of Anglican Consultative Council

From Anglican News-

Members of the Anglican Consultative Council, meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, will elect a new chair tomorrow and will have the choice of two candidates with significant knowledge of global Anglicanism: Professor Joanildo Burity from Brazil and Archbishop Paul Kwong from Hong Kong.

Professor Burity is the lead researcher and director of the School of Postgraduate Studies and Professional Development at Fundação Joaquim Nabuco. He was elected to the ACC Standing Committee at ACC-15 in New Zealand in 2012.

“I believe that the Anglican Consultative Council provides us a way to express the ministry of all believers and especially the power of lay and clergy ministry to bring contributions to the church and the world,” he said. “The ACC is also a place where bishops, clergy and lay people can relate to one another in an equal and collegial forum. The ACC should remain a place where honest conversation about our differences can happen in an atmosphere of charity and mutual affirmation.”

More here-

http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2016/04/two-candidates-for-chair-of-anglican-consultative-council.aspx

Episcopal Church commended for respecting differences on marriage

From ENS-

The Episcopal Church and its individual members earned praise here April 11 from Anglican Communion Secretary General Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon for working hard to walk together despite differences over same-sex marriage.

The secretary general’s remarks came in his report to the Anglican Consultative Council about this work since he took up his post last July.

The 78th General Convention’s decided last summer to change canonical language that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman (Resolution A036) and, in Resolution A054,  to authorize two new marriage rites with language allowing them to be used by same-sex or opposite-sex couples. Resolution A054 also requires bishops who oppose same-sex marriage to “make provision for all couples asking to be married in this Church to have access to these liturgies.”

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/04/11/episcopal-church-commended-for-respecting-differences-on-marriage/

Brazil and Cuba to be represented at General Synod 2016

From Canada-

Representatives from two of the Anglican Church of Canada’s global partners—the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil and the Episcopal Church of Cuba—will be in attendance when General Synod meets this July.

Archbishop Francisco de Assis da Silva, primate of Brazil, and Bishop Griselda Delgado del Carpio will be representing the churches of Brazil and Cuba, respectively.

Da Silva’s visit comes at a time when the Canadian and Brazilian churches are moving toward re-establishing a formal relationship after a six-year lapse, Andrea Mann, the church’s director of global relations, told Council of General Synod (CoGS) March 11.

Until 2010, Mann said, the two churches had enjoyed a long relationship that included regular meetings and visits, grants and scholarships from the Canadian church, mentoring and other programs. Canadian Anglicans volunteered in Brazilian missions. But in 2010, General Synod, in consultation with the Brazilian church, withdrew from its formal partnership. Instead the Canadian church decided to focus on partnering with one province in each of the Communion’s six global regions. Within the Latin American/Caribbean region, the Episcopal Church of Cuba became the Canadian church’s strategic partner, she said.

- See more at:

http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/brazil-and-cuba-to-be-represented-at-general-synod-2016#sthash.TLISjJNa.dpuf

African bishops to boycott Anglican conference over gay marriage

From TruNews-

An Anglican clerics meeting scheduled for next month in Zambia may be cancelled due to the church leader’s promotion of same same-sex marriage.

Bishops in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria said they are boycotting the event until a “Godly order” is put back into the Church, according to All Africa.  They make up a large percentage of the congregation, representing 42 of the 57 million Anglicans on the continent.

“It will be unwise to deliberately walk into a well-prepared camp of recruitment, blackmail, indoctrination and toxic relationship,” said Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, primate of the Church of Nigeria.

The meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council will take place April 8-19 in Lusaka.

Read more at

http://www.trunews.com/african-bishops-to-boycott-anglican-conference-over-gay-marriage/#okB6tSCcQz5kWj1M.99

African bishops to boycott meeting of Anglican council over Episcopal Church attendance

From Colorado (via RNS)

The Anglican Church in Kenya has become the latest province to announce it will boycott the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Zambia over the participation of the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church was recently censured at a primates’ meeting in Canterbury, England, because of the American church’s willingness to ordain and marry LGBT people.

According to the sanctions, the Episcopal Church cannot represent the communion at the April meeting or vote on doctrine and polity.

More here-

http://gazette.com/african-bishops-to-boycott-meeting-of-anglican-council-over-episcopal-church-attendance/article/1571938

Draft programme for Anglican Consultative Council meeting published

From ACNS-

Anglican Bishops, priests and laity from across the world will gather in Lusaka next month for the 16th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-16). Members will discuss a range of issues around the theme “Intentional discipleship in a world of difference” – how Christians can be faithful to the Gospel in all aspects of their lives in the different cultures and situations that Anglicans find themselves in.

The Anglican Communion Office is now inviting applications for media accreditation for journalists who wish to attend ACC-16.

The ACC facilitates the co-operative work of the 38 autonomous but interdependent national and regional Churches and the six extra-provincial churches and dioceses that are in Communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Through the ACC, churches of the Anglican Communion exchange information and co-ordinate common action. The ACC also advises on the organisation and structures of the Anglican Communion, and seeks to develop common policies on world mission and ecumenical matters.

More here-

http://www.anglicannews.org/features/2016/03/draft-programme-for-anglican-consultative-council-meeting-published.aspx

Episcopalians urged to take ‘gospel high ground’ after primates’ action

From ENS-

The Episcopal Church is still part of the Anglican Communion, despite actions taken by the primates in January, Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry said Feb. 26, adding he hopes the church “will be able to bear witness” to the entire communion.

Curry’s comments came during his opening remarks to the Executive Council at the beginning of its Feb. 26-28 meeting at the American Airlines Training and Conference Center here.

“At this point in time, we’re part of the Anglican Communion and my prayer is that we will always be a house of prayer for all people and that we will be able to bear witness to what Jesus taught us about that in the Anglican Communion,” the presiding bishop said. “And that we’ll do so with love and charity, and we will show the same love and charity and honor that we do for all of our people – gay and lesbian and bisexual and transgender – that same love and honor and respect to our brothers and sisters who are part of the communion.”

If the church can take “that gospel high ground,” the Episcopal Church in time may be an example for the rest of the communion, he said.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/02/26/episcopalians-urged-to-take-gospel-high-ground-after-primates-action/

And on the PB's health-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/02/26/presiding-bishop-michael-curry-says-hes-reasonably-back-to-normal/

Australian Church too divided, says bishop

From The Church Times-

THE Bishop of Newcastle, in New South Wales, the Rt Revd Greg Thompson, has refused to attend the forthcoming annual Australian bishops’ conference over the issue of homosexuality.

The Newcastle Herald reports that Bishop Thompson has written to the Primate, Dr Philip Freier, the Archbishop of Melbourne, declining the invitation to the conference, which is due to begin on 6 March, because “it would give the impression of a united Church that conflicted with reality”.


The report says that Bishop Thompson has accused the diocese of Sydney of demanding that the bishops sign up to a protocol on homosexual clergy; or the Sydney bishops would not attend any further bishops’ conferences.


More here-


https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/26-february/news/world/australian-church-too-divided-says-bishop