Forward in Christ

Vol. 6 No. 1 Egypt’s August, 2013 Churches Burn

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2 Forward in Christ August 2013 4 From the Bishop 23Faith’s After Assembly, Such Knowledge, Sr. Thurley Riley what reports. Forgiveness? Bishop Jack Iker of the Diocese of Fort Worth 5comments In The Newson a legal victory. David Lyle Jeffrey is Distinguished Professor of Literature and the Humanities at Baylor Univer Fr.6 Egypt’sMichael Heidt,Churches Editor. Burn sity and Professor Emeritus of Enlish Literature 25at the Politics University or Christ? of Ottawa. A message from Bishop Mouneer Anis of Egypt Content7 Kirill Blasts Gays and North Africa. The Very Rev. Donald Richmond is a Benedictine Oblate and priest of the Reformed Episcopal 27Church. Listening to a Sermon 8Fr. TheMichael Forward Heidt. in Faith Family Meets

Fr. Gene Geromel is Rector of St. Sr. Thurley Riley, who writes under the name Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Swartz of Mary Ann Mueller, is a Roman Catholic Creek,28 FIFNA MI. Amends Declaration religious journalist and a frequent contributor 12to VirtueOnline. The President’s Address Forward in Faith North America clarifies it’s Declaration.29 Romish Abomination? Bishop Keith Ackerman addresses Forward in 1Faith’s6 Michael Assembly. Nazir-Ali Reflects Forward in Christ 29Republished A Hasty fromResponse VirtueOnline.

interviews Bishop Michael 19 Ecclesiology at the Crossroads Nazir-Ali. Deacon Nathaniel Kidd, Milwaukee, WI., FIFNAresponds Assembly thoughtfully. Photos by Michael Howell. Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali addresses Forward in Holy Cross Sunday Mass Dallas 10.30 a.m. (214) 528-3855 Gospel Preaching Catholic Faith

http://holycrossdallas.org

Forward in Christ August 2013 3 From the Bishop Vol. 6 No. 1 Bishop Iker writes on a legal victory August, 2013 ForwardPublished in by Faith North America Dear Friends in Christ,

We rejoice in today’s ruling by the Texas Supreme Court overturning the sum- Upholding the Faith and Order mary judgment in favor of The Episcopal Church. The Supreme Court ruled that of the Undivided Church the Trial Court erred in deferring to the TEC rather than subjecting TEC’s property claims to the same neutral principles of law that apply to everyone else. The trial Court must now reconsider the merits of the case based upon neutral principles of law, and we are confident that we will prevail when TEC is subjected to neutral Business Office principles of Texas law. In sum, while today’s opinions are not a final victory, they P.O. Box 210248 indicate that a final victory is only a matter of time. Bedford, TX 76095-7248 Email: The decision in our case must be considered in the light of the Supreme Court’s [email protected] ruling in a related case, also announced today – that of the Church of the Good Shepherd, San Angelo. Here too the Court reversed lower court opinions in favor of TEC and directed the trial court to decide that case based upon neutral principles www.forwardinchrist.orgWeb of law, rather than deference to an hierarchical church. www.forwardinfaith.com www.fifna.org Notably, in the Good Shepherd case the Supreme Court ruled that a not-for-profit corporation in Texas can change its articles of incorporation and bylaws, and that 1-800-225-3661 toll free such revisions are secular matters, not ecclesiastical ones. The Corporation of our Diocese, which holds title to all our church property, is governed by Texas corpo- rate law and has authority to control its own affairs without interference from TEC or other parties. TEC’s argument – that its national officers can remove officers of a Editor Texas corporation by decree – simply doesn’t comply with Texas law. The Rev’d Michael Heidt 204 N. Rosemont Ave. As you know, TEC’s claim to our local church property is based upon what is Dallas, TX 75208 known as “the Dennis Canon.” However, the Supreme Court has ruled that any trust Email: that might have been created by the Dennis Cannon was revocable under Texas [email protected] law. Our Diocese never acceded to the Dennis Cannon when it was formed, and our Diocesan Convention specifically revoked any such trust interest by TEC more than 20 years ago. Today’s decisions effectively remove the Dennis Canon as a viable Forward In Christ argument in Texas property disputes. Subscriptions is sent free of charge We wish to express our gratitude to the justices of the Supreme Court for the to all contributing members of hard work that went into these two cases, as evidenced by the time it took them to Forward In Faith North America. reach a decision. We also are deeply grateful for the counsel and guidance of our team of lawyers who are representing us in these legal proceedings – Scott Brister, Non-member subscriptions: Shelby Sharpe, and David Weaver. We thank them for their wisdom and expertise. $30 per annum. Parish bundles of ten $200 per annum. I am especially grateful to all of you, the clergy and laity of this Diocese, for your faithfulness and support during this trying period of time. May God continue to Subscription enquiries should bless you for your courage and steadfastness in the faith. Patience and prayer are be sent to The FIFNA office above. still required, but in the end, we will prevail.

The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker Bishop of Fort Worth Advertising August 30, 2013 Advertising inquiries: Contact Julia Smead Email: [email protected]

1-800-225-3661

4 Forward in Christ August 2013 In the News Diocese of Fort Worth Wins:

After months of delibera- divorced father of two children, was elected a Bishop in tion, Texas’ Supreme Court overturned a ruling by Judge the Episcopal Church in America. This unbiblical decision Chupp, who had ordered Bishop Jack Iker’s traditional- on the part of a church threw the entire global Anglican ist diocese to turn all its property and assets over to the Communion into chaos... There were many attempts by the Episcopal Church (TEC). In a related case, the Court ruled Primates of the Anglican Communion to bring discipline against the application of the Dennis Canon to church to the American Church, but they were not implemented. property in Texas. The Canon statesSee p. that 4. church property And, so the spiritual cancer has spread. “It has infected is held in trust for TEC. The case will go back to Chupp’s the Anglican Church in Canada, the Church of England, the trialAfrican court for Bishop reconsideration. Terminated by Western Gays: Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church of Wales, and even the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.” The The Ugandan Archbishop went on to call for a revival of Bishop of Southern Malawi and chair of the Anglican faithVirtueOnline. to counteract what he regards as the erosion of true Consultative Council, the Rt. Rev. James Tengatenga, was Christianity in Anglicanism. called to be Dean of the Tucker Foundation, which funds Muslims Burn Egypt’s Churches: prestigious Dartmouth College. However, Tengatenga’s name was removed after protests by gays revealed that Enraged Muslim the African wasn’t in favor of homosexuality. Tengatenga mobs torch Christian churches throughout Egypt as they attempted to get around the gay censorship by stating protest the removal of the Muslim Brotherhood from that his attitudes had “evolved” and his ardently pro-gay power and the ouster of President Mursi by the coun- friend Michael Ingham, who is Bishop of New Westmin- try’s military. Christians make up 10% of Egypt’s 90 mil- ster, Canada, wroteForward in his in defense. Christ All to no avail; the Afri- lion population and include Anglicans, led by Archbishop can bishop failed to pass Dartmouth College’s gay sexual MouneerForward Anis. in Christ Anis has appealed for prayer in the wake of orthodoxyVirtueOnline test. wishes Tengatenga luck violent attacks against churches in his diocese. in his search for alternate employment. Keep on Suing: reports p. 6. Obama Boosts. Gays, Scolds Putin: The Episcopal Church (TEC) continues President Obama its litigation against the breakaway Diocese of South Caro- has castigated Russia’s leader for passing laws in support lina and its bishop, Mark Lawrence, who led his diocese of traditional family values and against gay propaganda. “I out of TEC because of its support for homosexuality and have no patience for countries that treat gays or lesbians its attempt to remove him from office. TEC loyalists have ... in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them. ... attempted to block Lawrence from using the title of bish- Nobody is more offended than me by some of the anti-gay op, pending resolution of state court litigation. A decision and lesbian legislation thatForward you’ve in been Christ seeing in Russia,” is expected by the end of summer. TEC continues to sue stated Obama. Putin’s new anti-gay laws are firmly backed theRude Dioceses Rector: of Fort Worth, San Joaquin and Quincy. byLutherans the Orthodox Make Church. History! reports on p. 7. English clergyperson and noted opera For the first time ever in the librettist, Alice Goodman, has been accused of profanity history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, for driving a car with a bumper sticker on it asking “WT- (ELCA) members have elected a woman to be the declin- FWJD?” Irate parishioners complained at the obscenity ing denomination’s leader. Rev. Elizabeth Eaton was one provoking Goodman to respond: “F*** is not a blasphemy, of three female finalists contending for the ELCA’s coveted it’s a vulgarity,” said the well-educated clergy person, “an top job. Described as a “moderate,” Eaton is pro-gay, as Old English word. My bishop knows I have the sticker on is the ELCA, which lost half a million members in 2010 my car, and has no difficulty with it, and I’ve had the for- and 2011 over its homosexual advocacy. Eaton joins the mer Archbishop of Canterbury in my car, Rowan Williams, Episcopal Church’s Katherine Jefferts Schori as a denomi- and he didn’t raise an eyebrow.” The oddly named Good- national leader; both churches recognize each other’s or- manVirtueOnline. is married to Sir Geoffery Hill, who is a professor of dainedReligious ministry News andService. are fervently in favor of gay clergy poetry at the University of Oxford. and bishops. Justin Welby Gets Gay: Primate of Uganda Calls Out Spiritual Cancer: Archbishop of Canterbury, Jus- Arch- tin Welby, has described changing views on homosexu- bishop Stanley Ntegali of Uganda has described gayness in ality as a “revolution” and has pledged to bring the gay the Anglican church as a “cancer.” Writing on the 10th an- activist group Stonewall into church schools to educate niversary of the consecration of Gene Robinson as the first children against “homophobic behaviour or anything that openly partnered gay Bishop of New Hampshire, Ntegali looks like it.” Church of England Clergy can live in same stated: “Ten years ago this month, a gay man, who was a sex “Civil Partnerships.”

Forward in Christ August 2013 5 Egypt’s Churches Burn Archbishop Mouneer Anis pleads for prayer

Scores of Christian churches across Egypt have been at- ers trying to attack the police and the army. There are even tacked by Muslim mobs as supporters of ousted President some rumors that Muslim Brotherhood leaders asked the Mursi fight with police and military. protestors in different cities to attack police stations, take The violent clashes follow the military’s seizure of power weapons, and attack shops and churches. from Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood this summer and subse- A few hours later, violent demonstrations from Mursi sup- quent crackdown on demonstrators loyal to the former head porters broke out in different cities and towns throughout of state. Partly urged on by anti-Christian fanaticism and Egypt. The police and army are trying to maintain safety for the perception that Christians did not support Mursi’s gov- all people and to disperse the protestors peacefully. How- ernment, churches have been especially targeted by enraged ever, the supporters of former President Mursi have threat- Islamicists. Anglican churches have been no exception. ened that if they are dispersed from the current sites, they The Anglican Bishop of Egypt and North Africa, Mouneer will move to other sites and continue to protest. They also Anis, has appealed in an open letter for calm and prayer as threatened to use violence. There have been a number of his churches come under fire from Islamists: fatalities and casualties from among the police as well as the protestors, but it seems that the numbers are not as high as Dear Friends, expected for such violence. How- Greetings in the Name of ever, the supporters of former our Lord Jesus Christ! President Mursi claim that there As I write these words, are very high numbers of casu- our St. Saviour’s Anglican alties. The real numbers will be Church in Suez is under known later on. heavy attack from those Please pray that the situation who support former Presi- will calm down, for wisdom and dent Mursi. They are throw- tact for the police and the army, ing stones and Molotov for the safety of all churches and cocktails at the church and congregations, and that all in have destroyed the car of Egypt would be safe. Rev. Ehab Ayoub, the priest- May the Lord bless you! in-charge of St. Saviour’s +Mouneer Church. I am also aware that there are attacks on other Orthodox churches in In America, which is home to Menyia and Suhag in Upper some 200,000 Coptic Christians, Egypt, as well as a Catholic Bishop Serapion of the Coptic Or- church in Suez. Some po- thodox Diocese of Los Angeles re- lice stations are also under leased a statement calling for “all attack in different parts of the people of the church to unite Egypt. Please pray and ask in prayers and fasting.” others to pray for this in- “What is happening against in- flammable situation in Egypt. nocent Copts is the result of the suffering of Christians for Early this morning, the police supported by the army, en- many decades of hate speech and incitement against them couraged protestors in two different locations in Cairo, to and the repeated attacks on their lives and their churches leave safely and go home. It is worth mentioning that these and their property with the inability of the consecutive protestors have been protesting for 6 weeks, blocking the governments to provide them with security, safety, and the roads. The people in these neighborhoods have been suffer- rights of citizenship,” the bishop said. “We are confident that ing a great deal—not only these people, but those commut- the people of Egypt, both Muslims and Christians, can come ing through, especially those who are going to the airport. together against the evil forces of terrorism.” The police created very safe passages for everyone to leave. Many protestors left and went home, however, others resist- ed to leave and started to attack the police. The police and Forward in Christ army were very professional in responding to the attacks, and they used tear gas only when it was necessary. The po- urges yourhttp://www.friendsanglican prayer and support for- lice then discovered caches of weapons and ammunition in Egypt’sdioceseegypt.org Christians. Contact the Friends of the Anglican Dio- these sites. One area near Giza is now calm, but there is still cese of Egypt to send support: some resistance at other sites. There are even some snip-

6 Forward in Christ August 2013 Kirill Blasts Gays The Russian Patriarch makes a stand

In characteristically vigorous lan- also reacted strongly. ting, the Winter Olympics.” guage, the head of the Russian Ortho- “I have no patience for countries that Regardless of these threats, Russia dox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has blast- treat gays or lesbians ... in ways that in- remains firmly behind its new Church- ed gays, describing their behavior as timidate them or are harmful to them,” backed family values legislation and symptomatic of the end of the world said President Obama, “Nobody is more threatens to arrest anyone making a and a contributing factor in the down- offended than me by some of the anti- gay disturbance at the Olympic Games. fall of societies. gay and lesbian legislation that you’ve “Law enforcement agencies can have Speaking in July, after a liturgy been seeing in Russia.” no qualms with people who harbour in Moscow’s Kazan cathedral, Kirill While the U.S. President stopped a non-traditional sexual orientation weighed in against so-called gay mar- short of withdrawing from Russia’s so long as they do not promote homo- riage rituals, “This is a very dangerous upcoming Winter Olympics, he stated sexuality to minors, do not conduct any apocalyptic symptom, and we must do that Russia would L.A. win Timesmore sporting kind of provocation and take part in the everything in our powers to ensure events if it allowed more gay athletes. Olympics peacefully,” stated a spokes- that sin is never sanctioned in Russia Some, such as the , suggest man for Russia’s Interior Ministry. by state law, because that would mean that Russia’s anti-homosexuality leg- Patriarch Kirill shows no sign of that the nation has embarked on a path islation amounts to the beginning of a backing down in the face of pro-gay of self-destruction.” new internationalL.A. conflict.Times pressure from the Western nations and Kirill went on to urge Russians to “This all feels,” stated the politics Russian Orthodox clergy are in agree- fight against sin and defend freedom, section of the , “like just the ment. “fight for freedom from sins. Where sin start of a new international struggle. Parish Priests like Sergei Sveshnikov is elected through freedom, there believe with Kirill that the gay comes death, terror and dictator- Where sin is elected movement is apocalyptic. ship.” “How should the Orthodox According to polls, 58% of Rus- through freedom, Church approach such changes in sians believe that homosexuality the world today?” stated the Or- is wrong and should be criminal- there comes death, thodox pastor, “All these changes ized. In keeping with this, Rus- show the apostasy, the decay sia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, has and the irreversible processes of cracked down on gay behavior, terror and the corruption of society. In the passing several laws against it. words of Deacon A. Kuraev, tem- On July 3, it became illegal for dictatorship. poral history will end with Chris- Russian-born children to be ad- tianity almost completely defeat- opted by gay couples, or by any- ed, with the triumph of evil and one living in countries that allow the reign of the Antichrist (just gay marriage. Another recent rul- as the earthly life of Christ end- ing has made it a crime to promote gay On one side are the mostly Western ed with the triumph of the devil and lifestyles and engage in “propaganda of countries that are finally beginning to of theocides), before the Resurrection non-traditional sexual relations.” Any- recognize the full citizenship rights of and the advent of the ‘day without eve’ one guilty of pro-gay propaganda will non-heterosexuals. On the other side of the Kingdom of Heaven. So in this be liable to a fine of up to 5,000 roubles are countries in Africa and the Islamic sense, this is to be expected anyway.” for an individual and 1 million roubles world where gays are subject to im- Along with the Orthodox Church, Ro- for an organization. prisonment or even a death sentence.” man Catholicism teaches that homo- These measures have sparked out- Despite media and celebrity protest, sexual behavior is sinful. Pope Bene- rage in the U.S. media. Popular talk none of the gay Western countries, such dict XVI taught that homosexuality was show host, Jay Leno, described the dra- as England and America, show any sign a “strong tendency ordered toward an conian Russian laws as Nazi, “Sudden- of boycotting the 2014 Olympics. David intrinsic moral evil,” and an “objective ly, homosexuality is against the law. I Cameron, England’s Prime Minister, ex- disorder.” mean, this seems like Germany. Let’s plained the reason for this in a Twitter Traditional Anglicanism is in agree- round upWashington the Jews. PostLet’s round up the message to Stephen Fry, who is famous ment with Orthodoxy and Roman Ca- gays. ... I mean, it starts like that.” for being gay and an actor. tholicism, distinguishing it from de- The described Pu- “I share your deep concern,” twitted nominations like The Episcopal Church, tin’s anti-gay stance as “medieval” and England’s Etonian leader, “about the the Evangelical Lutheran Church of “part and parcel of his lapse into xe- abuse of gay people in Russia. However, America, and the Presbyterian Church nophobia, religious chauvinism and I believe we can better challenge preju- of the United States of America. general intolerance.” President Obama dice as we attend, rather than boycot-

Forward in Christ August 2013 7 The Forward in Faith Family Meets Sr. Thurley Riley reports on the Assembly

OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS, Illinois — Bishop Keith Acker- National Catholic Church until the late 1970s when the Pol- man again gathered his far-flung Forward in Faith – North ish church broke off ecumenical relations with the Protes- America (FiF-NA) family around him last month (July 17-19) tant Episcopal Church in the United States of America fol- as that unique part of the Church catholic again met at the lowing the 1976 General Convention’s decision to ordain noted Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to the Blessed Vir- women to the priesthood, thus breaking with established gin Mary in Belleville, Ill. historic catholic faith and order and Apostolic Tradition. he Our Lady of the Snows is so named, not because it is lo- Polish National Catholic Church maintains a married male cated in southwestern Illinois which can get a foot and a half priesthood and episcopate. of snow during the winter, but rather the massive outdoor The Polish National Catholic Church is also in dialogue shrine is named for the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome. with the Church of Rome, seeking full communion with the A legend, going back to the Fourth See of Peter. Its sister church Century AD, holds that it snowed in Poland is the Polish Catholic on August 5 after a couple inter- Church. Both come out of the Old ceded through the Blessed Mother Catholic Church tradition with for favor. The summer snow was a roots which date back to the sign of the Virgin Mary’s answer to 1889 Declaration of Utrecht re- their pleading. jecting the decrees of Vatican I. For 400 years, starting in 1568, Those who participated in August 5 was commemorated as the Third Ecumenical Dialogue the liturgical feast day of the Dedi- included Prime Bishop Antho- cation of Our Lady of the Snows. ny Mikovsky, Bishop Paul So- Now the early August day is called biechowski, Bishop John Mack, the Dedication of St. Mary Major, Bishop Stanley Bilinski, Mari- which has been raised to the rank anist Father Senior Augustus of a major basilica — one of only Sicard, and Father Jaroslaw Ra- four — and is the largest church in falko representing the Polish Rome dedicated to Our Lady. National Catholic Church as well For many years the Illinois Cath- as ACNA representatives Bish- olic shrine has welcomed Forward op Ray Sutton, Bishop Richard in Faith with open arms and it is to Lipka, Bishop Keith Ackerman, Our Lady of the Snows that Bishop Benedictine Abbot Luis Gonzales, Ackerman brings his flock with and Franciscan Father Thomas plans to return again next July Vece. Bishop Hewett attended 9-11, 2014. The OLS grounds are as an observer from the Federa- immaculately groomed, an array tion of Anglican Churches in the of colorful flowers dot the land- Americas.The Road to Unity scape and a field of clover provides Papers were presented entitled a playground for fluffy rabbits, but – a Collection most importantly Christ is revered The Realof Presence Agreed ofStatements Christ in the of Anglicanthe joint and honored as Lord and Saviour. Way The Sacrament ofOld the Catholic Word of – GodOrthodox Theolog- However, before the “family” arrived the FiF-NA leader- ical Commissions, ship gathered to conduct some much-needed behind the and . Presentations scenes family business. were also made regarding Wisconsin’s Nashotah House Diocese of the Holy Cross Bishop, Paul Hewett, reports Seminary and the Polish National Catholic Church’s discus- that at Our Lady of the Snows the days were packed with sions with the Free Church of England. outstanding meetings to advance the cause — the spread of A Fourth Ecumenical Dialogue is scheduled for next Janu- the Kingdom through the re-alignment taking place in glob- ary in Dallas, Texas. al Anglicanism, in concert with ecumenical partners. Then on Tuesday and Wednesday (July 16-17) the Forward On Monday and Tuesday (July 15-16) there was on-going in Faith Council laid some more groundwork in four areas dialogue with the Polish National Catholic Church and the which included networking to bring bodies of traditional, Ecumenical Relations Task Force of the Anglican Church in orthodox Anglicans into even closer cooperation with one North America. It is hoped that ACNA, in the not too distant another; to promote teaching on Catholic Faith and Order future, will eventually be able to enter into communion with through publications such as tracts, books, CDs, lectures and the US-based Polish National Catholic Church. days of witness; working towards the reform of a common The Episcopal Church was in communion with the Polish life to bring about more conciliar governance,at every level,

8 Forward in Christ August 2013 seeking to govern according to the Councils of the undivided by first names, such as Bishop Keith (Ackerman), Bishop Church; and becoming a think-tank in conjunction with the Bill (Wantland), Archbishop Bob (Duncan), Bishop Michael Anglican Association and others, to explore creative ways to (Nazir-Ali) Father Elijah (White), Father Ed (den Blaauwen), strengthen our common life. Father Jim (Guill); Brother Kirt (Gerber). Meanwhile, the rest of the Forward in Faith family was ar- One priest, Father Geoffrey (Boland), brought 10 of his riving by car, rail and air. All roads led to Belleville and Our St. Nicholas parishioners with him from central Florida. He Lady of the Snows. FiF-NA’s Annual Assembly is part family expected that he would be celebrating Sunday’s Eucharist reunion, part revival. Participants arrived from around Il- somewhere in Tennessee as they returned to the Sunshine linois, neighboring Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Indiana and State spiritually renewed, refreshed and revitalized. Kentucky, as well as Texas, Virginia, Florida, Mississippi, Prayer was very much a part of the Forward in Faith fam- New York, Tennessee, California, Colorado, Oregon, Penn- ily event. In addition to the Pontifical Mass in which ACNA sylvania, Michigan, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Ari- Archbishop Robert Duncan participated and gave his epis- zona, Ohio, New Mexico, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and one very copal blessing, there was also a Healing Mass celebrated by special guest from London, England. Bishop William Ilgenfritz, who also preached, and a conclud- By late Wednesday (July 17) afternoon the family had ing Mass celebrated by Bishop William Wantland in which gathered, and turned to God in prayer and praise with a Bishop Donald Parsons preached. Solemn Pontifical Eucharist at the majestic Our Lady of the It was interesting to see how each bishop preached. Bish- Snows Church. op Ackerman proclaimed the Word authoritatively with no Twelve bishops, representing the Twelve Apostles, all notes to guide him. Bishop Ilgenfritz preached from a ful- vested in colorful flowing copes and mitres, participated in ly-typed manuscript, and Bishop Parson referred to hand- the joyful Mass as their written notes. Even in prayers were lifted on his tenth decade of life high by incense drifting his voice is strong and through the skylight to his powerful delivery God. The other bishops was laced with humor present were scattered and antedotes. throughout the congre- Other communal acts gation along with their of prayer included two clergy and people. celebrations of Morn- The preacher was ing Prayer and one Bishop Ackerman who Noonday Prayer, with gave an address on the the final recitation of difference between the Angelus being done power and authority. As to the ringing of the a bishop of the Church, OLS fire alarm. he has authority! The special visitor “There is a difference from London was Bish- between power and op Michael Nazir-Ali, a authority, they are not Pakistani native and synonymous terms,” conservative Church of he taught. “When an England senior cleric institution is in trouble who mesmerized the … when an organization is in trouble… when a family is in Forward in Faith family with his powerful three-part talk trouble is when it doesn’t know the difference between pow- entitled “Ecclesiology at the Crossroads, in which he ex- er and authority.” plored the history, nature and work of the Church, looking “What is the Authority of the Church?” he asked, “What to the past, to see where the universal Church has been and is the Authority of the Creeds? What is the Authority of the looking forward to where the fractured Anglican Commu- Seven Ecumenical Councils?” nion is headed, and and what part faithful Anglo-Catholics Addressing his gathered family as “belovéd,” Bishop Ack- and Forward in Faith must play in the future of Anglicanism. erman stated, “It is until we know the difference, that we “There are certain things Anglicans do have to offer the will not be able to do His work. But when we know the dif- rest of the Church. What are they?” he asked. “The way in ference we will be reminded by Him: ‘keeping all that I have which the historic Liturgy of the Church has been success- commanded you,’ and ‘lo, I am with you, even until the end fully rendered into the vernacular; the way in which the of the ages’.” synodical aspect of the Church has been exercised, as a way Following the Breaking of the Bread at the main Our Lady of gathering the whole Church together; the theological tem- of the Snows altar, the FiF-NA family members then broke per of Anglicanism, that is to say an emphasis not on logic bread at table participating in the first of several opportuni- and syllogism, but on the Ancient Fathers, on the study of ties to gather together in breakfast, lunch or dinner, allow- the Bible, on engaging with the wider community and its ing for fellowship, food and special family time for smiles, concerns — because the Anglican genius has always been laughter, and joy. to engage with the wider community, and the Anglican un- Forward in Faith is a friendly close-knit family which goes derstanding of marriage, as both an Ordinance and a Sacra - Forward in Christ August 2013 9 which he proudly reported that the Missionary Diocese of All Saints has been raised to a full Anglican Church in North America diocese, although the word “missionary” will forever stay in its title. “While we are now at full diocesan status we are not changing our name,” he explained. “We are still the Mission- ary Diocese of All Saints ... a lifeboat sent forth to rescue those caught in the storms of jurisdictions where they are at best ignored and at worst abused.” He also gave a short living history of Forward in Faith in which he traced the group’s early 1970’s DNA back to the Committee for the Apostolic Ministry which then swapped “Committee” for “Coalition.” The Coalition then became the Evangelical Catholic Mission which morphed into the Episcopal Synod of America which then finally transmut- ment, is very valuable. Not just for our- and uphold the sanctity of life from the ed into Forward in Faith. selves, but for others.” moment of conception to natural death. “It’s clear to me that in recent years The fruit of the early behind-closed- Bishop Ackerman has put out the this organism is evolving,” the All doors Forward in Faith Council meet- help-wanted sign for Forward in Saints bishop explained. ings resulted in the 25th Annual As- Faith’s Council. He explained that the Forward in Faith members were also sembly clarifying its Constitution to FiF-NA Council needs some particular- treated to a lively round-robin panel reflect the current reality of Forward ly gifted, skilled and specialized help discussion which Bishop Ackerman in Faith being a living organism rather and has asked family members to step kicked off by noting he has a couple than a static organization. The For- in as adjunct members of the Council to of very interesting groups knocking ward in Faith family also added to the give that leadership body the specific on his door to become Anglican. The family’s “Declaration of Common Faith assistance needed to expand Forward first group is Christian Messianic Jew- and Purpose” by recognizing the his- in Faith’s mission in the world. ish rabbis. That news was met with a toric seven Sacraments; affirming that The help-wanted list includedForward adding in smattering of “Ohhs” and “Ahhs” from marriage is a Sacrament and is the ex- Christadjunct Council members in the follow- the audience. Then he announced that clusive, permanent and lifelong union ing categories: marketing, he is up to his fuchsia fascia (purple of one man and one woman; that the advertising, Myanmar mission bishop’s sash) with a large group Afri- Holy Eucharist is a mystery; that the outreach, the Credo publication, Sun- can-American Pentecostals, including first Seven Ecumenical Councils were day school and catechetical children’s their bishops and clergy, who also want indeed catholic and transmitted the ministries, religious tracts, Facebook, to become full-fledged Anglicans. This Apostolic Tradition of the ancient and fundraising and development, the FiF- time the FiF-NA family members broke undivided Church prior to the 1054 NA website, Festivals of Faith regional out in spontaneous applause. Great Schism between Roman Catholi- conferences, and planning FiF-NA’s sil- Canon Kevin Donlon recounted the cism and Eastern Orthodoxy; and af- ver anniversary. story of encountering an impoverished firming that God, not man, was the Also, Bishop Ilgenfritz gave a re- African bishop who said his greatest creator of human life and will promote port to the Forward in Faith family in need was prayer, even though the bish- The FiFNA Daily Prayer

O GOD our Father, bless Forward In Faith. Inspire us and strengthen our fellowship. Help us to witness to the saving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that with love and patience we may win many hearts to Evangelical Faith, Catholic Truth, Apostolic Order, and Godly Life with in the fellowship of thy Holy Church. We ask this through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

10 Forward in Christ August 2013 op was lacking the basic temporal goods to assist him in his ministry. He asked for prayer and not for financial as- sistance. This greatly humbled the American canon. “I think it is always important to hear what the other side of the story is on the ground,” the Canon noted. “As we talk about ecclesiology, let’s never lose sight of the fact that what makes ecclesiology real is pastoral necessity.” A wide range of questions was asked from how to best to evangelize Muslims and what is the common ground of shared stories. “The primary thing we have learned to evangelize the Muslims is that you have to love them more than their own mothers,” explained Bishop Ray Sutton, “this is a new mo- ment for Incarnational theology.” Bishop Nazir-Ali carefully explained that even though Muslims recognize Abraham and Jesus, they have a widely different understanding of them than Christians or even Jews do. “Muslims do have an ideal of a Supreme Being which has to be acknowledged,” the British bishop said. “Otherwise conversation in the Muslim world would become com- pletely impossible.” The Church of England bishop was also asked where he thought the Church of England was headed, to which he replied that he felt his church will be heading down the same path that The Episcopal Church has already taken. “There will be all sorts of irruptions as they do that,” he continued,“Outrage and denials.” He also noted that although the Church of England ini- tially stood the ground on same-sex marriage it did so at the cost of accepting same-sex relationships, an action With GAFCON-II looming, Bishop Ackerman is mount- that he feels will come back to haunt the church, predicting ing a “Send the Boy to Camp” campaign, hoping to generate that within a couple of years the CofE will find a way to bless enough funds to underwrite Forward in Faith’s Executive same-sex relationships. He said the Archbishop of Canter- Director Michael Howell’s trip to Nairobi, Kenya in October bury has warned that even if the General Synod would again to again participate in the Global Anglican Future Confer- reject women in the episcopate, Parliament would legislate ence so that a solid Anglo-Catholic voice can be heard in it, forcing the church to capitulate which would lead to a na- concert with the strong Evangelical and Charismatic voices tional apostasy. of the Global South. Dr. Howell was one of the 1,148 dele- “For Parliament to do this to the Church exposed a weak- gates who participated in the first GAFCON experience held ness, the underbelly of Anglicanism,” he said. “That cannot in 2008 in Jerusalem. The first conference drew nearly 300 be acceptable to any Bible-believing, creedal, Catholic-mind- Anglican bishops and produced the Jerusalem Declaration ed Christian.” as its doctrinal confession. Other questions and comments revolved around Queen Elizabeth II’s recent signing off of the British Same-sex Mar- riage Bill, what influence the new Archbishop of Canterbury might have in the Anglican Communion, GAFCON, the Lam- beth Conference, the Primates’ Meeting, Indaba, the Papacy, Evangelicals on the Canterbury trail, and the Curé d’Ars. “I would just point out the Sees that remain faithful, that God raises up,” explained Bishop Sutton. “We could be wit- nessing this before our eyes with what is happening to the See of Canterbury; we shouldn’t be surprised if the Lord would not raise up another See, or perhaps the Primates will pick another Archbishop to be their representative leader. That could happen, and this happens when Sees become apostate, God raises up other ones, because of the Lord’s promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church.” Again, the gathering broke out in spontaneous applause. Reporting by Sr. Thurley Riley. On the final day Father James Marshall was awarded the St. Stephen Award for Distinguished Service and Ministry. Forward in Christ August 2013 11 The President’s Address Bishop Keith Ackerman addresses the Assembly

As I was recently driving down the highway I saw a sign AUTHORITY. The Authority committed to ME, to the priest that said: “Think outside ‘The Box.’” And of course, that or bishop, at that time. therefore took me back to the very first time that I heard a We also read in the Epistle for today that there is a dif- Confession, where I discovered there is ample opportunity ference between power and authority. They are not synony- to “think inside ‘The Box.’” mous terms. You know, if anybody would take a few minutes It was nearly 40 years ago, I was quite excited, I had just to look at virtually every institution one had ever encoun- been ordained to the priesthood, and the rector had indi- tered, you would discover that when an institution is in cated that I could hear Confessions on the Saturday after trouble, when an organization is in trouble, when a family is my ordination. And so, ready to do so, I had my shiny new in trouble it is when it doesn’t know the difference between Sacristy key out, I opened up the Sacristy door, I went in, I power and authority. genuflected, I went to “The Box” and I sat in there, and I sat It’s when there is an absolute and total confusion as to in there, and I waited in there, and an hour later I got up, I who gives what. From whom does power come and from genuflected, I went out through the Sacristy, locked the Sac- whom is this authority given? risty door, feeling it was time that was well spent, because There are times when the Church has functioned as if She at least I had a chance was both power and authority, to meditate. at least in its local application. Then the next day a And I advisedly use those words gentleman in the Par- “She” and “it” because I’m rather ish Hall took me aside convinced that the time we re- and said,“Father, I just ally began to see troubles in the need to ask you a ques- Church was not at some pivotal tion.” date, when somebody could put I said, “Yes, what is their finger and do the big “Ah, that?” ha! It was that event... It was that He said, “Are you moment... It was this thing that open to some sugges- happened that makes it terribly tions?” clear that we are in trouble.” But How do you answer rather I would say it is a subtle a question like that? error that has occurred when I said, “Well, of one refers to the Godhead and course Sir. What is it?” the Church as “it.” He said, “The next The moment that we began to time you go to hear talk about the Church as an “it” Confessions I would instead of a “She” is the moment suggest you unlock the we began our present day confu- Church door.” sion. It gave me an op- Everything we see very clear- portunity to think a Bishop Keith Ackerman ly in creation involves comple- little bit about what mentarity. In fact, I think after takes place in “The a number of issues which have Box.” In “The Box,” I have been occurring not only in this had a great deal of opportunity to be able to think about the country but also in the United Kingdom, many people have words of Absolution that are often given. The usual Absolu- been looking to the Book of Genesis so that they can discover tion is: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who left power to His Church God’s plan. to absolve all sinners who truly repent and return to Him, of That is, whenever we are in trouble, perhaps we may be His great Mercy, forgive you all your offenses, and by His Au- want to go and search the Scriptures out carefully occasion- thority committed to me, I Absolve you of all your sins, in the ally to see if it reinforces our point of view. Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Complementarity, of course, has always been a part of All the priests here have said that at one time or another. creation. St. Thomas Aquinas is very clear about it. St. Au- Virtually everybody here has made a Confession, I am sure, gustine is very clear about it. As we read the Church Fathers, so you have heard it at one time or another. as we read the earliest writings of the Church, complemen- But did you notice the two words that are operative in the tarity is articulated in all of God’s creation, and certainly in Absolution? First of all, we recognize our Lord Jesus Christ the relationship between Christ and His Church. Who gave POWER to His Church, then we go on to talk about Many controversies, many disagreements occur over

12 Forward in Christ August 2013 that complementarity. Is the priest an has authority to change it? Trinity is, or that we understand what icon of Christ? Does the priest repre- And, of course, that brings us to the it is by virtue of Personhood. sent Christ? Is the priest in relation- remarkable set of circumstances that But the dilemma is that when we be- ship with Holy Mother Church? Is the we find in our own age. Where because gin to alter root metaphors in just sev- Church a “She” because Christ is, as He the average person today has lost the eral generations, as I have indicated, it calls Himself, the Groom? understanding of what debate really becomes enculturated. In this instance, And so it is, today in the church, we is … no longer is the burden of proof one might be able to look at the Trin- see institutional chaos, a confusion of being placed upon those who really ity and say that in some places it seems personhood. And the confusion of per- seek to change things, but the burden to be an apt substitution to refer to the sonhood usually comes from an indi- of proof is now upon those who seek to Trinity as “Creator,” “Redeemer”, and vidual’s thought, which then spreads maintain that which has been. “Sanctifier.” One may even go so far as corporately, that somebody has infi- Now one may say that semantic to say: “But indeed, that indicates to nitely more power than authority. changes are harmless enough, but some extent what the function may be.” Thus we ask: What is the Authority studies have indicated that when root And, thus, we have already made of the Church? What are the circum- metaphors are changed, it takes only the error of making Personhood into a stances whereby the Church can speak several generations before that root function. What is problematic here, is of Herself, and even go so far as to metaphor is assumed by the culture as that there is no way to be able to talk make changes about Herself? Who has reality. about the Father and to limit what He is that Authority? A notable example would be when by merely calling Him a Creator. Jesus What is the Authority of the Creeds? we are talking about the Holy Trinity. does not talk about the “Great Creator.” What is the Authority of the Seven Ecu- One might be able to say that the Holy To speak of Jesus as “Redeemer” is menical Councils? And on and on, one Trinity is a mystery, and that would be functionally correct in one sense but might go through all the various tenets quite correct. One might go far as to say terribly limited. It does not bring into of the Faith and ask the question: Who we understand the essence of what the reality what the nature of the Incarna- Forward in Christ Join Forward in Faith proclaims the Subscribe to the Magazine Catholic Faith given to us by Christ. FiFNA membership, magazine included: Individual: $50.00 Family: $75.00 Magazine subscription only: $30.00

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Forward in Christ August 2013 13 tion is … what the nature of the Atone- vote on certain matters, I suspect that tion from God. Discernment is not done ment is … what the nature of the sal- God does not find all of our voting very in isolation from Holy Mother Church. vific action is … what the nature of the amusing, even though we may be filled Discernment is not so individualized Resurrection is. Nor does it carry with with a sense of certitude. that I become the one who determines it a particular eschatology, because es- Think on that for just a moment. what’s right and what’s wrong. If I do, chatology is not tied up with function, The amount of time, energy and money then although I may have some author- it’s tied up with action and Personhood that have gone into certain elections, ity, I have traded it in for power, and – the Person of Jesus Christ. a certain vote, and then a deep breath, that has not been bestowed. Likewise, and finally, one cannot almost functioning as if we thought, Power alone comes from God: THE speak of the Holy Spirit in terms of be- “God, this is what we’ve done, we know Father, THE Son and THE Holy Spirit. ing just a “Sanctifier.” The Holy Spirit you’ll like it.” And so, I spend a lot of time thinking does more than sanctify. When people tell me they are at- in “The Box.” I’ve heard things that on At this Mass we will call down the tempting to discern what God is call- the one hand have broken my heart. Holy Spirit with the Epiclesis. We are ing them to do, when people talk to Saturday after Saturday I sit in “The talking about the remarkable change me about discernment, I must be re- Box,” and sit in “The Box” … some come, that takes place in the bread and the ally quite direct with you and tell you some don’t. wine by the Power of the Holy It’s always an opportunity Spirit. By the Holy Spirit this for me to look at the Word and bread and this wine is trans- remember Who has the Power, formed into the body and blood and to whom has been given of Christ. The Holy Spirit is much authority. And when we keep more than being just a sanctifier. that straight, then we recog- And so, Belovéd, when we be- nize that we are subject to the gin to tamper with that which Judgment of God, not subject to has always been, we not only the judgment of others — for fall into the trap of a redefini- God Alone is the Power. tion of God’s revealed Self, and I have been encouraging tamper with His revealed Word, people lately to read an excel- but we begin to treat the Institu- lent book about the 97th Arch- tion of the Eucharist as if it were bishop of Canterbury, Cosmo our own, because what we have Lang (1928-1942).The King’s Speech, My reason done is we have said: “I have the is, although I did enjoy the power to do it,” when, in fact, we movie I’m al- didn’t even have the authority. ways suspicious when I see the The positive thing about a de- ways in which the clergy are mocracy is that it gives us an op- portrayed. portunity to see how people feel, Clergy today are by-in-large how they believe and what they portrayed as somewhat inef- think. But because all human in- ficient, ineffective and some- stitutions are fallible, because what idiotic; certainlyThe King’s not Speech a re- all human institutions have the flection on any of us here. potential for error, to be able And yet in , to say that the democratic sys- you may recall that the Arch- tem is without flaw would be, bishop of Canterbury is put in of course, quite naïve and inac- a very awkward situation. He curate. Meaning, then, it is alto- is dealing with a number of is- gether possible for human be- Archbishop Gordon Cosmo Lang, Outside the Box sues that have arisen, and it is ings to think that because they not as if, for Cosmo Lang, it was have the right to vote they have the first problem he had en- the right to be able to vote on any- countered. thing they wish. that on one level it makes me nervous. But being a human being, being like For Christians this is particularly And the reason it makes me nervous is all of us, who know we have to speak problematic, because as Christians, at I find that many people engaged in dis- with Authority under the Power of the least in certain nations, we might say cernment have already made up their Holy Spirit, he did have a concern or “We live in a democracy.” But the real- minds and now they are trying to come two about what the crowd might say. ity of democracy does not exist to erad- up with a few good reasons to support He says, after he had made his fa- icate a theocracy. it. That may include going and asking mous broadcast regarding The (Ed- Democracy was not given so that we questions of those we percieve will ward VIII’s) Abdication – Jan. 4, 1937: can trade God in for some other system. support us. “It was a difficult task, I felt that I could And I might say, even though we might Discernment is never done in isola- not in all honesty and sincerity merely

14 Forward in Christ August 2013 say kind and true things about the late King’s charm and a church and as Christians is God-given, that it comes from manifold services, but in my position I was bound to say Christ to whom all Power and Authority has been given something about the surrender of a great trust from the by the Father. As Christ receives this gift from the Father, mold of a private happiness, but I added some words, most through His obedience, so too do we, through and in our

sincerely, about that charm, about those services, etc. The obedience to Him. We must therefore keep all that He has , address must have been listened to by millions at home and commanded. We have to be obedient, we have to listen to overseas, it was published the next day in full in the leading Him. newspapers and more or less fully in all the others. As I ful- Such obedience is problematic in a world, and even a part ly expected, my words about the King let loose a torrent of of the church, that has largely forgotten this rule; families abuse from the less-reputable press and from a multitude of are split, friendships are ended and those who had formerly correspondents. On the other hand, there were just as many been together are now apart. letters of gratitude, one which for me was sufficient, was a But, Belovéd, do not grieve, because that is not your re- letter which the Prime Minister sent the next day, written in sponsibility, nor mine; simply be obedient to the Word of his own hand. I had reason to believe that my address was God and the teaching of His church. Act as His servants, set not disapproved by the King (George VI) and Queen (Eliza- apart for a purpose, to preach, to teach, to admonish, to be in beth Bowes-Lyon) or by Queen Mary (Teck).” The Box, and to be outside The Box. Archbishop Cosmo Lang did not have the privilege of be- When we do this, obedient to all that He has command- ing able to think inside The Box. He was constantly being ed us, we will begin to do God’s work with true power and forced outside The Box, not by his own will, but by circum- authority, the Power and Authority of Christ operative and stances around him. alive in the lives of His faithful servants. In being true to And you and I have been pushed outside The Box into lim- this, to “keeping all that He has commanded,” we may be its over the years, not by our own design but — God help sure that Christ Himself will be with us, “even until the end us — by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, because we have of the ages.” sought to be faithful. We have sought to be obedient, and we have sought, not revolution, but to be able to draw the world to Jesus Christ. That brings us then to the words of the Gos- pel. In the Great Commission, Jesus assures us that He’ll be with us. Those are the words we all want to hear. We all want to hear, “Don’t worry. Go out and do this. Don’t forget to do that.” Bishop Keith Ackerman is the President of Forward in Faith But then there is that difficult section that some would be North America and retired Bishop of Quincy. Transcription by just as happy not to hear; the section that says, “Obeying, or Sr. Thurley Riley. keeping , all that I have commanded.” We must never forget that our Power and Authority as

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Forward in Christ August 2013 15 Michael Nazir-Ali Reflects Forward in Christ interviews the not so retired Bishop of Rochester

FIC: What does your name Nazir-Ali mean?

+Nazir-Ali: People who read the Bible should know, because it comes from the same root as the word Nazirite, which means, of course, someone who has dedicated themselves. But, I come from a Shi’a Mus- lim family and necessarily the word means a family or people who have dedicated themselves to Ali (Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib) who was, of course, the nephew and theFIC: son-in-law Christians of arethe slowlyProphet being Mohammad. stamped out of the Holy Land, and the Jews are also a part of the Abraha- mic tradition, along with Muslims. Do you see Chris- tianity being wiped out in our lifetime? I’m six weeks younger than you are, so we are looking at 20 or 30 years. If so, is it permanent or will Christians again repopulate the area?

+Nazir-Ali: Well, I knew you were younger, of course.FIC: Just by six weeks, Your Grace.

+Nazir-Ali: Well, this is not an easy question to answer, because, take the Holy Land itself, meaning Israel and Palestine, the populations of Christians Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali speaks is declining in the West Bank and in Gaza, but it is not declining in Israel proper, in fact it is growing slightly. Well, that itself is a question – why is it so? Of course Christians do experience hardship in Israel also America have helped you in your hour of need. but the reasons it is declining in the West Bank and Gaza have That may well also be the case in England in the coming to do with the overall political situation, of course. They also months and years. have to do with the attacks on them by Islamists who are de- But also, all of us, whether in the North or the South, have termined to drive out Christians from what they believe will to come together, come around a common agenda and that beFIC: a Palestinian The Anglo-Catholics, homeland. the traditionalists, the funda- has to be to affirm our faith in the Bible, of course, but also mentals, the Evangelicals, and the Charismatics have all been in what the Anglican Formularies say, the Book of Common summarily pushed out of The Episcopal Church, the Church Prayer, the Ordinal, the Thirty-Nine Articles. It is not about of England, and the Anglican Church of Canada by revisionist trusting in a person, or a place, or a diocese, or anything else. theology and unbiblical practices, so what is the future that The future lies in the agreement of a common faith which you see for the Church of England, The Episcopal Church and wouldFIC: give What us isa common the future mission. of the Anglican Communion as a the Anglican Church of Canada? Is there any spiritual hope for whole? these Anglican provinces?

+Nazir-Ali: Well, GAFCON II is going to happen in a few +Nazir-Ali: Yes, I think those Provinces that have remained months, and when I arrived — I arrived a bit late for GAF- loyal to the basic formularies of Anglicans, that have re- CON I because I had ordinations in the Diocese (of Roches- mained Scriptural, that have remained true to the Catholic ter) —but when I arrived I saw Anglo-Catholics, Evangelicals, faith in other parts of the world have some obligation to Charismatics all worshipping together, studying the Bible to- make sure that the Catholic faith is not entirely wiped out gether, praising God together, and I said to myself: “Why can’t amongst Anglicans in North America and in Britain. So, that theFIC: Anglican Do you Communion have an answer as a towhole your be question? like this?” means we have to look to others, now, to protect our inter- ests. This is happening, you have already experienced that, of course, here where churches from Africa and Asia and Latin

16 Forward in Christ August 2013 +Nazir-Ali: Well, yes, the answer is to get more and more a bishop has to be called in to offer “episcopal” care this will people to take part in GAFCON and that is what the Anglican result in the gradual Latinization of the Ordinariates as has Communion will be. It’s up to us, I mean, we are not those so often has happened in the Eastern Catholic Churches. who have moved. We have not moved the goal post, we have Secondly, while there is some provision for the formation not changed the faith. The old idea of a schismatic is the one of clergy in the Anglican Patrimony, I don’t believe that the who caused the schism. We are not the ones who caused the provision is enough, because the ordinary formation will schism. So let us continue to celebrate the Christian Faith as be in diocesan major seminaries along with other Latin or- Anglicans have received it and let us pray that GAFCON II, dinands. And, again, this will lead to creeping Latinization. for example, as a gathering will be one quite as impressive What you need is free-standing colleges that would promote as GACFON I was. We need Anglican Catholics to participate the Anglican-Catholic way of doing things in its integrity. therefore to the fullest extent. Thirdly, I think the provision for the continuing ordination But at the same time, I have been encouraging people here of married men is to be made according to ‘objective crite- to call a global gathering, if that is possible and if that is God’s ria’ and I would want to know what those criteria are. For in- Will, of Catholic-minded Anglicans so that they can say some- stance, if the criterion is simply scarcity of priests then it can thing about their identity, they can say something about their be said at anytime “There is no scarcity so we’re not going to vocation, they can say something about the direction which ordain married men.” I think there has to be an explicit rec- GodFIC: is takingDo you them. see the That Anglican will be Ordinariates very useful for as aothers threat to to hear. An- ognition because Anglicans have found married priests valu- glicanism or as the Church of Rome’s attempt to be pastoral able for the Mission of the Church, just as they have found to the disenfranchised Anglicans? Will the Ordinariates be a celibate priests valuable for the Mission of the Church. major force or just a niche? There are some problems in the Ordinariates, but there are alsoFIC: some There positive have beenthings. at least 700 Episcopal clergy — dea- cons, priests, bishops — who have been summarily deposed from priestly orders at the hands of The Episcopal Church, +Nazir-Ali: I think it is like a curate’s egg. There are good most of whom had fallen under the axe of Katharine Jefferts things in it and there are thingsAnglicanorum which I question. Coetibus I think the Schori. As a Church of England bishop, what do you think about good thing is that for the first time, at the highest level, in the heavy-handed methods in dealing with clergy who honestly an Apostolic Constitution ( ) issued by are attempting to be faithful to their vows of ordination and the Pope (Benedict XVI) himself, something called “Anglican the Word and Sacraments? Patrimony” has been recognized by Rome. That is a major advance, there is no going back on that now. So we can ask questions about what precisely Anglican Pat- rimony is? But, anyway, it has been recognized and that is a +Nazir-Ali: I think it is absolutely scandalous, that people good thing. like +Mark Lawrence, who is one of the finest bishops that I For the first time in the West, anyway, Rome has recog- have ever known, who upholds Catholic truth and Christian nized the tradition which has a married priesthood. Now of teaching and the Gospel in everything that he does, should be course, some of the Eastern Catholic churches also have a deposed for doing so, and not for any other reason. I mean, married priesthood, but for the first time in the West, Rome this is a topsy-turvy world that we are looking at where has provided for a system which, while upholding celibacy in the West generally also recognizes that the Anglican tradition has married as well as celibate priests. So that is anotherAnglicanorum advance. Coetibus In the Ordinanates, the Constitu- tion ( ) and the Complementary Norms rec- ognize, for instance, the necessity to involve the laity in the decision making. That is also an advance. But I think there are some short- comings in the Ordinariates. First of all, it is quite strange for one “episcopal church” to provide for another “episcopal church” a sys- tem which has no bishops in it – a presbyterian provision because the ordinary is to be a presbyter (priest). It says that expressly. This Forward in Faith North America listens is very strange and I don’t mean just in theory but in practice because if

Forward in Christ August 2013 17 FIC: And why do you think they have not worked?

+Nazir-Ali: Well, take the Lambeth Conference. I mean the request of Canadian, American and South African bish- ops was to have a general council of the church. What they got was Lambeth. To some extent Lambeth was useful for a while, but because its basic weakness is that it is not a coun- cil it did not have any authority beyond the moral; all of those things meant that in the end it didn’t work. And the same can be said about every Instrument. So what we need is a more robust way of thinking about ourselves as church and a more robust way, particularly, of how the church is governed. I’ll be addressing that in the next couple of FIC:days. If you were the Archbishop of Canterbury, and I know that your name has bubbled up before, how would you lead and guide fracturing Anglican Communion?

+Nazir-Ali: We can’t keep going back to what hasn’t Pope Francis, simplicity worked. We have to find new ways of gathering, new ways of consulting, new ways deciding together. I think that the tensions of being the Archbishop of Canterbury between the Church of England, the State, and the Anglican Communion people are being deposed for being Biblical, for being creed- are probably not ones that can be resolved. So we have to al, for being Catholic by others who, if you read what they find new ways of leadership. New Instruments of Commu- write or say, clearly seem to be heretical in their exegesis of nion, because whatever we do, the old ways aren’t working the Bible, their doctrine of the Church, in what they believe andFIC: I don’t What think challenges they can does be Justinrescued. Welby have, and will he be about the Person and work of Jesus Christ and so on. up to the task? I certainly have no difficulty, and I think other people in the Church of England also have no difficulty, in continuing to recognize people like +Mark Lawrence, or ++Bob Duncan, or +Jack Iker and their priests and deacons as in good standing +Nazir-Ali: Enormous challenges, an unenviable task, an deaconsFIC: What and ispriests your relationship and bishops with in the the Church Episcopal of God. Diocese of impossible job for anyone. I think that we should pray that South Carolina right now? God will bless him in his work and in his ministry. But as I say the significant things will be the new things, the new ways of

+Nazir-Ali: For some years now I’ve been what they call a visiting bishop for Anglican Communion matters because Bishop Mark has had this program of developing Biblical An- glicans for a global age. I have also helped them, in a small way, in their relationships with the rest of the Anglican Com- munion by giving them some kind of theological grounding in how to think of themselves for the future. Of course, when I began they were still part of The Epis- copal Church so all of this has been quite prophetic in many ways in what was done there and still needs to be done of course.FIC: It seems that the four Instruments of Anglican unity or communion are now ineffective. Do you ever see them being revitalized?

+Nazir-Ali: I’m going to talk about them the day after to- morrow. I think there are some problems with all of them and there have been. They were provisional; even those peo- ple who proposed them and developed them never regarded them as final. They regarded them as provisional. Archbishop Justin Welby, Etonian They have not worked as you say.

18 Forward in Christ August 2013 gathering, the new ways of deciding, +Nazir-Ali: Basically to continue to to pray for, this is why I think gatherings the new ways of leading that will take work for the provision within these like GAFCON are so important because usFIC: forward. ARCIC is hopelessly compromised situations for orthodox Anglicans who that is where you meet global Anglican- because Rome will not bend on priestess- want to hold as much of the fullness ismFIC: and Just therefore quickly definethe future. your topic: “Ec- es and bishopettes so what hope is there of the Catholic faith as is possible for clesiology at the Crossroads?” of ultimate corporate unity? And with them to do within these situations and that in mind, what do you think of the to continue working for that; but, also new Bishop of Rome and his simplicity? at the same time to be the impetus in the drive for catholicity which is intrin- +Nazir-Ali: What it means for me is sic to Anglicans. Anglicanism has a ten- that we are in a critical situation where sion between fragmentation on the one we have to articulate for ourselves what +Nazir-Ali: It’s wonderfully refresh- hand and on the other impetus towards weFIC: mean Do by you “The mean Church” the Church today. Catholic, ing to see the simplicity. I would say, greater catholicity. Successive Lambeth Anglicanism only, or the entire Body of and who am I to say? If I had an oppor- Conferences have said this and have ap- Christ? tunity to say something, I would say pealed to other churches also to recog- that Rome needs to develop a system of nize this. differentiated dialogue. This is a term I think what liberal Protestantism has I have used before, and I use it again. become in its different aspects will be +Nazir-Ali: We must always think of Of course, they need to continue to be basically sectarian — a series of sects. the Church Catholic, but I think also the friendly with all sorts of people and to So who is going to uphold the need for local church. The local church is very talk to all sorts of people. Christians Christians to work towards the unity important. I mean we must never lose should. Catholic Christians should. That that is an aspect of the Gospel itself? the sight of the local church in all these is what the Mission of the Church is all So I think that is the kind of vocation global issues that we face. The Church about. But at the same time there are that Forward in Faith can have to re- in every possible way and I hope to do people in different denominations who mind Anglicans all the time, even ortho- that,FIC: of Yourcourse, Grace, in the I want next dayto thank or two. you share more and more of the Catholic dox Anglicans, that their vocation is to so very much. faith with one another and with Rome. greaterFIC: Will catholicity. Anglicanism ever recover her Basic creedal issues, for instance, Bibli- original orthodoxy herself? cal matters, moral issues, and it would be wise to talk to them as well, because +Nazir-Ali: You’re welcome. obviously the prospects for unity on those matters is much greater with +Nazir-Ali: Yes, I don’t see why not, them than let’s say with the liberal because the vast majority of Anglicans ProtestantFIC: What denominations. role do you see Forward in the world are orthodox. We mustn’t in Faith continuing to play within the forget this. The revisionists that you Church of England, The Episcopal Church are talking about are really quite a few and the Anglican Church of Australia? in number. They may be very powerful, Sr. Thurley Riley conducted this inter- they make the headlines, at least in the view with Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali. West, but they are not the majority by Ecclesiology at theany manner Crossroads of means. So, there is a lot Bishop Nazir-Ali explores the nature of the Church

OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS, Illinois — Ecclesiology is Son and Holy Spirit, and of course, Jesus in particular, as the defined as “the theological study of the Christian Church,” Rock on Whom the Church is founded. Let us be quite clear while crossroads means “a place where two or more roads about our point of departure.” meet.” Church of England Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali tackled And from that point of the departure, the learned and the theme of “Ecclesiology at the Crossroads” for his topic at very well-read Anglican bishop brought his audience back to the Forward in Faith-North America Assembly. He spoke on the very beginning of the Christian Church — a time remem- the subject for nearly three hours spanning three sessions bered through the eyes of early saints, patristic fathers, the during the three-day conference. New Testament, and ancient writings which have survived “We are here to think about the Church and when we the ravages of time. think about ‘The Church’ we must always begin with the The early Church — the New Testament Church — first Lord of the Church,” he said as he launched into his topic out- met in homes: references to these small household congre- lining the history, nature and work of the Church following gations are peppered throughout Paul’s writings in Romans, Morning Prayer on July 18. “There is no thinking about the First Corinthians, Second Timothy, Colossians and Philemon, Church without thinking about the Blessed Trinity: Father, as well as The Acts. Many times women are in a leadership

Forward in Christ August 2013 19 role: the names of Priscilla, Nympha, would be preached with ministries de- never set on the British Empire, and Chloe, Lydia, and Phoebe tumbled from fined and exercised. therefore on the Anglican Commuion. his lips with practiced ease. “I think the point about gathering, Bishop Nazir-Ali was able, without Bishop Nazir-Ali was quick to point and gathering for worship, is impor- notes, to speak authoritatively about out that these household churches tant,” he explained. Any kind of Chris- the early Church Fathers and the roles were only a part of the makeup up of tian gathering in the end must be Eu- they played in the infant Church. He the New Testament Church. When the charistic, and ‘Eucharisticizing’ as the has vast knowledge of Cyprian, Am- family household groupings gathered Didachē puts it, so that it is not just a brose, Cornelius, Irenaeus, Athanasius, together in a more open communal celebration of the Eucharist, but it ac- Anthony the Great, Justin Martyr, Ig- setting these larger public gatherings tually blesses the people who gather to natius, Polycarp and others. He also is were led by the men. praise the Lord.” conversant in places and events includ- “If there are these sorts of gather- “So the bishop, the presbyters ing the Seven Churches of the Book of ings … household church … that is what (priests), the deacons, and the people the Revelation, the primatial sees in the ‘ecclesia’ means, of course, there is also are gathered together and it is in the East, the patriarchs in the West, and is then, at the same time, the wider gath- gathering in this kind of gathering well-versed on the Church of Rome and ering. The church of the household is which is common — that is where we can recite Latin with the relative ease characterized by likeness, by homoge- get the word ‘common prayer’ from — of a pre-Vatican II Catholic priest cel- neity while the town or city church is the gathering of all the Christians in a ebrating the Tridentine Mass. characterized by unlikeness or hetero- particular place,” he noted. The well-read bishop readily quotes geneity,” he explained. “People of dif- The New Testament household from a wide range of ancient andEpistle cur- ferent kinds, differ- rentof Mathetes documents to Diog in- ent backgrounds, cluding:netus the different races — Jew and Gentile , theAn Essay Didachē, on — men and wom- Johnthe Henry Development New- en, slave and free, man’sof Christian Doc- wealthy and poor trine, are all gathered to- gether and it is part Vatican II’s of what it means to Dogmatic Consti- be church for this tution on Divine way of gathering to Revelation,Ut Unum Sint Pope be a people who are JohnRedemptoris II encyclicals Missio not necessarily like , and one another.” Trans-, The Forward in alelating Professor the Messag Lam- Faith Assembly is in Sanneh’s that type of New e, Testament wider Pope Benedict public gathering of XVI’s Faith, Regensburg Reason Christians where Universityand the University lec- clusters of smaller ture— Memories and groups — families, The British in India, Hodson’s Horse Reflections parishes, dioceses — come together The Gospel, and Arch the- to share a common Catholic Church bishop of Canterbury experience: worship, the Eucharist, church was just a beginning: the TheMichael Fate Ramsey’s of Communion: The Agony of teachings, fellowship, and prayer. Church spread across the Holy Land Anglicanism and ,the Ephraim Future of Radner’sa Global “It is important for God’s people to and Northern Africa to Asia and Eu- Church come together — to gather — just as we rope eventually to the New World and have gathered,” he said, “and to gather the whole earth. Anglicans eventually , The Thirty-Nine Articles and in every sort of way, and at every kind had a hand in helping spread the Gospel both the Old and New Testaments. He of level, to gather as God’s people in the worldwide because the British brought also references William Tyndale, Wil- parish and to gather as a diocese.” their Reformation faith with them as liam Shakespeare, Newcastle Bishop The bishop explained that the wider they established new holdings for their Andrew Graham, Oxford Professors community church complete with its growing empire — Colonial America, J.N.D. KellyAnglicanorum and John Webster, Coetibus Thomas gathering of bishops, priests, deacons Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, Cranmer, Presbyterian Tim Keller, the and laity became the normative way various parts of Africa, Egypt, Burma, Qur’an, , ARCIC of being The Church in the New Tes- Ireland, as well as many Polynesian, and GAFCON to drive home his points. tament, a setting in which the Sacra- Caribbean and oceanic islands. At one He uses all his wealth of knowledge, ments would be celebrated, the Word point in history it was said that the sun vast information, theological insight 20 Forward in Christ August 2013 and personal connections to weave a at Harvard Divinity School. man, Rowan Williams. colorful tapestry of the Church and A young Michael Nazir-Ali was or- Since retiring in 2009 from the Her story as it unfolds through time, dained an Anglican priest in 1976 and Rochester bishopric, he has travelled picking up threads of history here and served in Karachi and Lahore in his the world preaching and teaching strands of Scripture there to complete native land. In 1984, he took the pur- and is a frequent visitor to the United a three-dimensional portrait. ple as the First Bishop of Raiwind. At States, attending various Anglican “In the New Testament we find that that time he was the youngest bishop events including the Forward in Faith groups of churches are already men- in the Anglican Communion. Two years Assembly where he was the keynote tioned together,” he said as he explains later, and fearing for his life, the then thematic presenter. He also stayed over how the early churches started to Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Run- to present a study on Ephesians to the group together into a diocesan and or cie, helped him flee from Pakistan to clergy of the ACNA Diocese of Quincy provincial setting. “I have taught and Britain where he has remained and before returning to England, where he said and written, indeed, how rash one gained citizenship. During his early is the president of the Oxford Centre can be … that Anglicanism, deliberately days in England, Bishop Nazir-Ali was for Training, Research, Advocacy and or accidently — so many things about an assistant for the 102nd Archbishop Dialogue (OXTRAD) in Oxford, which Anglicanism are accidental — we may of Canterbury and was instrumental in works with the persecuted church and say is ‘Providential,’ let’s say, because helping to plan the 1988 Lambeth Con- those who minister in and to it. we are believers.” ference. “What happened to the church in “I think Anglican ecclesiology at its In 1994, he became the Bishop of the home?” the bishop queried. “Well, best is Cyprianic,” the former I suppose it survived in the Bishop of Rochester contin- terms of Family Prayer, and ued. “That is how is how should that is very important. The be, that it takes a view of the wider gathered church be- local church. I mean, Cyprian came more and more the par- apologizes to his church for li- ish church in England, cer- censing a reader without their tainly. That is where servants permission. Well, I must say, and masters, for instance I wouldn’t have gone so far in serfs and their overlords, Rochester.” could gather.” Bishop Nazir-Ali became “How did all these aspects the 106th Bishop of Roches- of the Church fare at the Ref- ter, in charge of an ancient ormation and after the Refor- diocese in Kent, near London. mation in the Anglican Tradi- His See was first established tion?” he also asked. in 604AD. “The diocese was retained, Michael Nazir-Ali, who the bishop was retained, turns 64 this month, was born but I think the whole idea of in Karachi, Pakistan, once the bishop with his presby- a part of the British Empire ters and deacons, along with but now a fiercely Islamic na- the people constituting the tion. He has Shi’a Muslim Church became, let us say at- family roots and as such has tenuated,” he explained. “It intimate knowledge of Islam was not there in that full Igna- and has written and spoken Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali tian sense that we encounter widely about that faith and in the early Church, and dio- the growing threat it poses to ceses became more and more the Christian world. He has pub- administrative units, hence lished several books and many articles Rochester, a post he held for 15 years; the bishop became characterized not on the subject. he was the first man of color to be- by presence, but by absence, and you Anglicanism was spread to the Do- come a diocesan bishop in the Church know what I mean. Something was minion of Pakistan by the British mis- of England, thus paving the way for there, but not the fullness, and the pro- sionaries during the second half of the John Sentamu to become the Arch- vincial idea was transmuted into the 19th Century. At 20, Nazir-Ali joined bishop of York a decade later. In 1999, ideal of a national church. The Church the Church of Pakistan and took his An- as the Bishop of Rochester, he entered of England, as you know, has two prov- glican theological studies at Cambridge the British House of Lords — the up- inces (Canterbury and York). What has and Oxford, eventually returning to per house of Parliament — and was the been important since The Reformation that venerable 900-year-old institu- first Asian to do so. He is now a Lord is the idea of a national church. tion to teach. Following ordination he Spiritual because of his episcopal se- “I think we are once more again in also studied religion at the Australian niority. In 2002, he came within a close danger of the State seeking to encroach College of Theology in Sydney and the to becoming the 104th Archbishop of on the life of the Church,” he warned, Center for the Study of World Religions Canterbury, but was beaten by a Welsh- “and you will see in the coming months Forward in Christ August 2013 21 why … because when the national Church is in a relationship tial feature of the Good News so that the proper doctrine of with the State that is highly dangerous.” God is obscured. The corruption of essential doctrine is be- Something of that dire danger unfolded as Bishop Nazir- ing seen nowadays in the way the Trinity is referred to by Its Ali was at the Forward in Faith gathering. Queen Elizabeth attributes as “Creator,” “Redeemer,” and “Sanctifier” rather II was either compelled or forced to sign off on the Same- than by Its Divine Personages of “the Father,” “the Son,” and sex Marriage Bill on July 17, making it a law in England and “the Holy Spirit.” Wales. In so doing, she compromised her 1952 Coronation “The whole of the Blessed Trinity is involved in creation Oath in which she is spiritually bound to uphold the laws of and redemption and the sanctification of God’s people. It is God as Queen and as the Supreme Governor of the Church of heretical, actually, to say “Creator,” “Redeemer”, and “Sanc- England. She is also the Defender of the Faith, a title which tifier,” as a substitute for “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Spirit,” was first bestowed on King Henry VIII in 1521 by Pope Leo X and a false simile of the proper doctrine of the human per- for his Defense of the Seven Sacraments, a treatise he wrote son, and of human society,” he explained. “So many of our after reading Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. problems have arisen because of defective anthropology, “The Lambeth Conference was an attenuated attempt at not only a defective theology but a defective anthropology.” being conciliar,” the bishop explained, “but it was resisted by The Pakistani native is quick with a smile while sweep- the English lawyers because they thought a genuine ‘Council ing the room with individual eye contact. He keeps his arms of the Church’ would compromise the Royal Supremacy, the moving to provide emphasis to what he is saying, yet oc- same Royal Supremacy which consented to the Same-sex casionally and absentmindedly fingers his unique pectoral Marriage Bill two days ago.” cross. Every once in a while he comes out with a witticism in The Second Act of Supremacy dates back to Queen Eliza- the form of a personal comment which will leave his listen- beth II’s namesake and distant cousin Queen Elizabeth I in ers in the wake of mirth. As a result he kept his Forward in 1558 and was a part of the Elizabethan Settlement to resolve Faith audience on the edges of their seats. Pens and pencils the religious turmoil created during Henry VIII, Edward VI and laptops were kept busy taking notes as Bishop Nazir-Ali and Bloody Mary’s reigns. spoke revealing the inner self of the Church. Bishops, priests, “The theological temper of Anglicanism is an emphasis deacons, religious, the laity and reporters were all scrib- not on logic and syllogism but on the Ancient Fathers, on the bling notes or quietly keyboarding. The clergy were note- study of the Bible, engaging with a wider community and its taking for sermons and teaching, the religious for prayer concerns,” he said. “This is why I think it is such a pity that if fodder, the laity for spiritual enhancement and the report- Western countries lose one-by-one a public doctrine of mar- ers for the news factor; all were enraptured by the British riage which is based on a Christian view of marriage, that speaker, with a lilt in his voice, and at the end rewarded him we will be pushed back into a purely ecclesial way of deal- with sustained applause and a standing ovation. ing with marriage. I think that’ll be a great pity, because the He sees GAFCON as a Spirit-led movement which is a Anglican genius has always been to engage with the wider gathering of the Church in God’s presence — movements are community, and the Anglican understanding of marriage as people who were called by God to take the Gospel to the ut- both a creation Ordinance and a Sacrament is very valuable, termost parts of the earth, which furthers the mission of the not just for ourselves, but for others.” Church. He hopes that the GAFCON movement within Angli- “We may be facing a new kind of barbarism now,” he can orthodoxy is also properly ecclesial, meaning that it re- warned. flects the four Marks of the Church – one, holy, catholic and Bishop Nazir-Ali explained that as the early Church spread apostolic in nature. out and grew and matured, She found the need to be able to He hopes that Anglo-Catholics will have a strong voice at relate to different cultures and different people in different GAFCON-II. It is hoped that Forward in Faith’s Executive Di- times and localities: to do this the Church learned to “speak” rector Michael Howell will be able to attend and represent to the various cultures without compromise or capitulation, FiF-NA at the GAFCON conference scheduled for late Octo- in part through the Scriptures and in later years through the ber in Nairobi, Kenya. development of the Book of Common Prayer. “I think it would be a great boon for the whole of Anglican “This principle of translatability is retained in the Pref- orthodoxy if Catholic Anglicans could globally state what aces to the Prayer Books as they were issued,” he explained. they are about and how they see the Church going and de- “Every church, every particular church has this responsi- veloping in the future,” he noted. bility of translation so that the needs of its culture may be “When we are at a crossroads, it is necessary for us to met in terms of the Church’s worship and of the Church’s life. take a particular direction if we are not to be sort of frozen This process, of course, continues today in the Mission of the by the difficulties that lie ahead,” he concluded. “I hope that Church. Again and again, I find people reading the Bible or in some ways I have indicated something of the direction we being able to worship in their own language and how mov- need to take, and I look forward to what happens as a re- ing it is for them to be able to do so.” sult.” But he pointed out that while on the one hand contextu- alization remains important, so that the Church can speak to a culture yet, on the other hand over-contextualization results in muting the Church’s voice because the Church has become a reflection of the culture. Reporting by Sr. Thurley Riley. He noted that John Paul II pointed out that the process of enculturation or contextualization must obscure an essen- 22 Forward in Christ August 2013 After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness? By David Lyle Jeffrey

With apologies to that prince of tue” (2 Peter 1:3). This knowledge, the brotherly kindness, to brotherly kind- Anglo-Catholic poets, T.S. Eliot (in his Apostle writes, enables us to be more ness love” (vv. 5-7). A sound recipe for poem “Gerontion”), his famous line than exemplars of instructed human building successfully on the foundation carries overtones for many of us these nature but to be “partakers of the di- laid down for us in Scripture and faith- days which implicate ourselves—even vine nature, having escaped the cor- ful Christian tradition may according- those with clerical vocation—in the ruption that is in the world because of ly be given in just two words: imitate fear of judgment. We hardly need to sinful desires” (v. 4). Christ. For the sake of our own health call to mind particular examples of How should those who teach pre- of mind, and for fruitfulness in all we sensational betrayals of Scripture or pare, in such a time as this, to inculcate do, we should openly affiliate with Him the Articles of Faith in contemporary such knowledge? First and foremost, at every turn, in every gesture. preaching and practice, though readers we need to keep authentically Chris- Doing this authentically in the of this magazine will be pain- Church today is likely to be as fully aware that perfidy and daunting as it would be in the hubristic heresy reach all the pagan world. Happily, howev- way to the top of some ecclesi- er, for the serious follower of astical hierarchies. It is easy to Christ it is also a wonderfully become preoccupied with these mind-expanding exercise. “It is subversions, but we can ill af- no small thing,” said St. Augus- ford to let that happen. tine in his commentary on the While we must entirely ac- Psalms, “to join yourself to Him cept that it is God alone who who IS knowledge” (sup Ps 36, knows what souls are his, it Serm 2.1). is possible for laypeople to That the Scripture and the make guarded assessments church fathers should so of- concerning whether or not the ten speak of Christ in terms of preaching they hear articu- knowledge immediately alerts lates religious knowledge that us to the richer range of mean- may without prevarication be ing for this term in a Christian called Christian. Reasonably context. To begin with, on the instructed laity, after a season classic Christian view, some of listening, can usually discern kinds of knowing require faith whether a priest has the mind as a prerequisite. That “we of Christ and seek to encour- walk by faith and not by sight” age it in others. Though highly (2 Cor. 5:8) means, among oth- placed clerical voices may ar- er things, that there is a kind ticulate strange doctrines and of knowing which does not re- utter incoherent, self-contra- duce to data, or even to concep- dictory statements, we want to tual reasoning. trust that Christians in the pew On the Christian view, will have acquired sound Chris- knowledge that rests only on tian knowledge and will know empirical or social observa- when the voice they hear is not tions contextualized by some that of a faithful shepherd, and Saint Augustine governing hypothesis, when when teaching does not reflect ‘achieved,’ too often leads to the mind of Christ. pride in the knower. Pride, as But can we be sure of this? we should know—especially in- Those whose calling is pastoral care tian knowledge fresh and growing tellectual pride—is an insidious dis- need to see how ongoing catechesis for in our own minds. If we are to perse- order of our affections in which, little those in the pew is as urgently needed vere in that calling wherewith we are by little, self becomes the center of our today as at any time in the history of called, we will need to keep right on universe. May we who teach always re- the Church. learning, and, as our text says, with “all member that pride’s opposing virtue is What is necessary Christian knowl- diligence,” adding “faith to virtue, to not just humility, but obedience, a dis- edge? The Scripture makes clear that virtue knowledge, to knowledge self- position of the affections and the will foundationally this knowledge is of control, to self-control perseverance, in which it is evident that God is at the Christ, “who called us by glory and vir- to perseverance godliness, to godliness center of the universe, and not we our -

Forward in Christ August 2013 23 selves. 7. The soundly educated Chris- in any discipline (Prov 15: 7, 14). It is all too obvious that many who tian is thus able to see the fallacy and Of course all of this is, in itself, now speak for ‘Christianity’ do not incipient entrapment in narrow secu- partial knowledge, knowledge of par- think this way. Many passages in the larist definitions of freedom as licen- ticulars. Our personal learning—even gospels and epistles warn us against tious, autonomous individualism, and when theologically informed, is inher- “those who have taken away the key exemption from communal responsi- ently provisional. That is why the col- of knowledge” (Lk 11:52), or who have bility. The accurately instructed Chris- lective teaching of the Church, against “the form of knowledge” (Rom 2:20) tian knows that real freedom comes and across time, is a much more secure without the transformative power of from self-transcendence, and is often grounding for ‘the faith that is within it. This is a judgment which applies to expressed most perfectly at the point us’ than any assertion whichAugustine amounts some ‘scribes’, educated persons in any of self-sacrifice (John 8:31-32). merelyand the toDisciplines: ‘this I believe,’ from Cassiciacumsay Karla Poll to- age, including our own. The genuine These are the kinds of things Anglo- mannConfessions and Mark Vessey, in empowerment in authentic Christian Catholic Christians should know, and knowledge is always unsettling to such keep freshly in mind because they are (New York: Oxford Univer- folks, irritating and unwelcome be- continually being taught in the Church. sity Press, 2005), esp. 69-75. cause it escapes privileged attempts at It may be observed that all of these The prophet Habbakuk tells us that individualistic mastery or institutional principles are to be found in the teach- only when the Lord Himself returns to control. ing of the Church, even in the Thirty- his people in final splendor will there How should Christians in the pew nine Articles of the Prayer-book. Per- be that fullness of knowledge for which fortify themselves against those who haps we may think further that this every authentic seeker yearns. On that have, in fact, rejected the knowledge was after all the point of catechesis Day, Habbakuk says, “the earth will be made known in Christ? Let me offer a before confirmation, and no longer a filled with the knowledge of the Lord” provisional check-list for those who, matter for pressing concern. That con- (Hab 2:14), and, according to the apos- grounded in the knowledge of Christ, clusion would be both wrong and, in tle, on that day alone shall we know, wish to think consistently with their our time especially, a dangerous error. even as we are known. founding principles. Knowledge which is static soon ceases Finally, at its most exciting (and to be functional knowledge. Knowledge also most exacting) reach, authen- 1. A thinking Christian rejects which is not reiterated soon becomes tic Christian knowledge offers noth- the delimiting assertion of those who an artifact of the past. This is particu- ing less than glimpses of the Christ of claim that all truth claims are merely larly true of theological knowledge. whom Scripture speaks. He, of course, subjective, namely the popular fic- Knowledge is enduringly important already knows us far better than we, tion which claims that there is no such to the lover of God at two complemen- with our utmost diligence, can in this thing as mind-independent Truth. tary levels: first, if for no other reason mortal life know Him, but if we truly 2. A thinking Christian debates than that, as 1 Sam 2:3 this counter-factual claim intelligently, puts it, “the Lord is a God yet, as the apostle Peter says, “with of Knowledge.” No one gentleness and respect.” who knows this fact about 3. The person possessed of a God will be persuaded to Christian mind will have a high degree check their brain at the of sales resistance to political and in- door in coming to wor- tellectual fashions. “gods of the pres- ship Him. Indeed, to know ent age” such as have become a form of Him ever more deeply is slavery to many in our wider culture. the central objective of 4. An instructed Christian knows a God-directed life, for that faith is neither feeling nor fashion, “knowledge of the Holy that it is a knowledge tradition arising is understanding” (Prov from historical facts and acts (1 Cor. 9:10; cf 10:14, 11:9, 12:1). 15:14). As maturation of Chris- 5. The Christian whose mind is tian understanding pro- formed in Christ knows further, that in gresses, it provides for practice authentic Christianity is not the Christian a mental some sort of theory about life, a mat- platform; we come to see ter of personal preference or opinion, that knowledge of God but a principled commitment to moral may be sought by us in action and a desire for spiritual rather many ways: in the cosmos, than merely material goods (Matt. where “night unto night 6:20ff; Matt. 22:37-40). shows forth knowledge” 6. The Christian grounded in the (Ps 19:20), in the study of knowledge of Christ knows that Christ human affairs (2 Chron Saint Thomas Aquinas does not belong to us, but we to him 1:10-12; Ps 119:66), and in (Acts 17:28). the councils of the learned 24 Forward in Christ August 2013 and with perseverance persist in our effort at knowing God, of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the again and again we will look up from our work and wor- stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13). ship to discover Him, awaiting with pleasure our tentative This is the ‘knowledge vouchsafed to the Church’ (Pope and stumbling discoveries of the manifold mysteries of his Gregory the Great). If those of us who have learned it should love and grace. When we come by faith and reason to under- cease to live in it and proclaim it authentically—what for- stand that in HIM “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom giveness indeed? and knowledge” (Col 2:3), then we will not fail to connect at last our diligent pursuit of truth in the world and capital ‘T’ Truth in our pursuit of the knowledge of the Holy. That sort David Lyle Jeffrey is Distinguished Professor of Literature and of integration is the ultimate goal of faithful Christian learn- Humanities at Baylor University. ing, and we must not lose sight of it, till, as the Apostle says, “we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge Politics or Christ? Fr. Richmond makes a case against politics and nationalism

Having successfully completed almost fifteen years of Although God did (and does) have a particular plan for service in a Para-Church setting, I am now seeking more ap- the nation of Israel, this plan cannot be translated into na- propriate employment. Re-evaluating my calling and train- tionalistic or political arenas. God’s plan of salvation, as seen ing, I am once again seeking a pastoral posting. As might in the history of covenantal relationships, bridges all bound- be expected, particularly in an Anglican setting, this is not aries. The proclamation of Christ and his ultimate victory easy. Many factors contribute to this difficulty, but one of are not of a political nature. People from every nation, tribe them I found both surprising and disturbing: Politics. A re- and tongue will fall before the Throne of the Thrice Holy cent interview will illustrate this. regardless of political or national identity. The Christian’s After passing through the preliminaries of the interview- identity is in Christ, and his or her nation is the Kingdom ing process, I was jubilantly told that I was the right man for of Heaven. We are indeed to “render unto Caesar” as appro- the job and that I was a great match for that ministry. The priate, but such rendering does not extend beyond proper committee, however, had one more question to ask: What obedience to duly established (and exercised) authority and was my political standpoint? I bluntly told the committee the paying of our taxes. In no place, particularly in the New that I refused to become involved in politics, supported no Testament, is nationalism or political allegiance supported. political party, resisted any reference to politics in public ThisThe is mostpractice clearly of politicsillustrated and and nationalism articulated are through contrary the ministry and that my role was to proclaim Christ. tostory Church of Jonah. as Church. “But we are a God and Country kind of parish,” they said. “I am a God alone guy,” I responded. This exchange is troubling on many levels, one of which What is the Church? Although many answers might be is that the Church in the United States is so sunk in a morass offered, at least one answer is dominant: The Church is the of political self-will and rampant nationalism that Christ Body of Christ on earth with Christ as its Supreme Head. and his cause are considerably compromised. Such a ques- While each denomination will have unique ways of living this tion should not even be considered in a church-related in- reality, this reality must be entirely embraced. As Christ’s terview, let alone asked. (In fact, strictly speaking, I believe Church on this earth, what are our primary responsibili- it is against the law.) If I am intent upon proclaiming “the ties? Again, as above, one answer dominates: The role of the cross of Christ,” Christ alone, my politics should have abso- Church is to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. It is the lutely no bearing upon whether I am hired or not. That the exercise of the Great Commandment through the Great Com- “deal breaker” was a political issue, a God AND Country is- mission. When the Church loses sight of this, when it engages sue, clarifies how very misguided American Christians re- itself in politics and (especially) nationalism, it compromis- ally are. es its ability to communicate Christ. Christ has no political But I must, in light of both the biblical narrative and this agenda. Christ has no national agenda. Christ, although a experience, take my assertion further than this: The Church Jew, is without a nation. He continues to have nowhere to of Jesus Christ has absolutely no business in direct political lay his head. NOR SHOULD WE!! To make our bed with the action. Beyond this I emphatically assert that the spirit of linens of nationalism -- the “red, white and blue” -- means American nationalism is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. To that our witness will be tainted, if not entirely smothered. pledge allegiance to any flag is to deny Christ. Pledging alle- Christ told us, in St. Matthew 28, to go and preach the gospel giance to anyone or anything apart from Christ (and his pri- to every creature of every nation. To proclaim Christ’s good orities)The practiceis that small of politics pinch of and incense nationalism offered upon are contrary the altar news to every nation requires that we suspend our pretense toof Diocletian.Holy Scripture. There are several reasons for these assertions. of national and political superiority. Again, as noted above, Jonah learned this lesson the hard way. Similarly, in the New Testament, St. Peter finally understood this when he said Forward in Christ August 2013 25 The practice of politics and nationalism is dangerous and“Now destructive. I know that God is no respecter of persons.” cal agendas have upon foreign missions? Are we seeking to make good citizens or vibrant Christians? Politics and na- tionalism distract and distort the Christian message. There Without in any way wanting to overextend myself, let is noThe North, practice South, ofEast politics or West and in Christ. nationalism We are all militates citizens me cite two examples of this. When Constantine legalized againstof Christ’s the kingdom. biblical doctrines of personal and social sin. Christianity, what happened? Christianity became a fad, a robust and prophetic faith became compromised and nation and religion became dangerously linked. In part this is why Let me, under this subheading, be both bold and brief. If many Christians fled into the desert. They saw the “ship” the biblical doctrine of human corruption is correct, our em- of the Church dangerously compromised by these turns of phasis upon majority rule asserts (in practice) that “might event, and their concerns were entirely warranted. This was is right.” Again let us recall that just seventy years ago borne out when we consider that, for political and national Germany, and German “Christians,” thought it appropriate reasons, Christian doctrine was sometimes compromised. to malign and murder Jews. The vast majority of Germans How often did Arianism have the upper hand simply because embraced this. “Majority rule” often means little more than it was supported by both national and religious leaders who that sin prevails! We are not far removed from a time in this were joined in unholy wedlock! Similarly, the situation in country when the “majority” will determine that Christian- Germany from 1933 – 1945 might also be cited as an exam- ity is both dangerous and outlawed. (The question of wheth- ple. How very few churchmen resisted National Socialism er we are, or ever were, a Christian The nation practice is a topic of poli that- and saw it for what it really was! How very rare were men should also be carefully considered.)tics and nationalism like Barth and Bonhoef- creates discord. fer who resisted and re- nounced this deceptive alliance between Church I have a great many and State. And, at the risk friends who cannot in of the ire of these read- any way see how a Demo- ers, let me ask one more crat can be a true Chris- question of far more con- tian. Similarly, there are temporary relevance: those who think that How many of our “God Republicans are in bed and Country” Christians with the Devil. Many ever considered that “wa- Americans cannot appre- ter boarding” is torture ciate how anyone can be and that torture is con- a Christian Socialist or a trary to the biblical ideal Christian Communist. To of the inherent dignity have absolutely no na- of all humankind? I will tional or political agenda bet that many “God fear- – such as I embrace – is ing” Christians simply Bad National Politics to engender the hatred overlooked the indignity of all. Woody Allen, the of tortureThe practice in the name of politics of and nationalism distracts us comedian, once quipped from“national the security.”gospel imperative and grossly distorts the gos- that he was never discrimi- pel message. nated against because, as a Jew, he was equally hated and abused by everyone. Funny ---- until you experience it. It is not at all funny to be spiritually and professionally evalu- One of my pet peeves is having a flag – both national and ated upon the basis of politics. How much time and effort, denominational – on the podium. It is not that I do not ap- not to mention friendships, have been wasted over issues re- preciate the freedoms that this great country provides. lated to politics? How many useless and fruitless arguments I very much appreciate this country. In fact, I come from and discussions? How many times have souls been lost be- a military family and, at one time, intended to go to West cause we were hell-bent upon our own political and national Point. Moreover, it is not that I am not in support of the “An- agendas? glican way,” particularly the “way” that has been preserved While I could spend a great deal more words, space and in the A.C.N.A. Nevertheless, to have either “flag” (literally time establishing and defending my position, I thought it ap- or figuratively) posted at the front of the Church distracts propriate just to state it and make a few comments. Be as- us from what we are called to do: Worship Christ who “died sured, when and if pressed, I can defend every point both for our sins and was raised for our justification.” Christ is biblically and theologically. We are here to worship and pro- center stage. The cross is center stage. The resurrection and claim Christ. Every other agenda must bend beneath this ascension are center stage. Christ is the flag we should be priority. Any other priority or practice is to compromise waving. If Christ is the center of our message, what does a Christ and his cause. We need to radically rethink our poli- national flag communicate to foreigners who frequent our ticsFr. Donald and nationalism. Richmond is a priest of the REC. churches? Moreover – and it was a hard lesson learned (but not entirely learned) – what impact does national and politi- 26 Forward in Christ August 2013 Listening to a Sermon By Fr. Gene Geromel

It was the first sermon I ever wrote or delivered. I hadn’t Yet the truth is that your mind will wonder. He might even been to seminary. In fact, I had only one interview with mention X and you start thinking about your relationship my Bishop. But the parish priest who brought me back to the with your spouse or boss or children and what God wants church and encouraged my vocation wanted me to preach a you to do in those situations. That is not a bad thing. In fact, sermon. So I did. As soon as the service was over he came it may be precisely what God wants you to hear that day. A up to me and said, “Boy, you really hit Mort with that one harmful distraction is when he mentions the feeding of the line,” which he then quoted with relish. Sadly, I had put that five-thousand and you begin to think about what you are go- thought in with that man, my priest, in mind. As I look back ing to make for lunch. upon the experience, I realize that I was presumptuous. I When you have small children, who, by the way, belong in also realized that frequently thoughts which should apply church, you might ask them questions about the lessons and to us; thoughts which should cause us to grow; fly right past the sermon, not at the time, of course, but on the drive home us. We see how they apply to others, especially those we or at lunch. “What were the lessons about or why did Jesus don’t like, but we usually fail to see that it is we ourselves say that to the woman at the well?” “What was Father’s ser- who need to grow. So how do we listen to a sermon? mon about?” “What did you like about Father’s sermon?” Before a priest or pastor begins a sermon the first thing “Father talked about tithing, should you be giving part of you they are expected to do, is pray. They ask Our Lord to guide allowance to the Church?” “He talked about Jesus cleansing the work they are about to embark on. Many clergy begin the Temple, when is it ok for you to get angry?” a sermon with the words, “Let the words of my mouth and Now, as I’ve already said, each sermon has a specific pur- the meditations of my heart, be always acceptable to thee O pose. On Trinity Sunday, we learn about who God really is Lord”. As a listener, before your priest delivers his sermon, and how God wants us to know that there is One God and do you say a prayer? Do you ask God to open your heart and Three Persons. We are taught what the Church teaches. In your mind to the sermon you are about to hear? Do you ask the early church, this was known as Didache. If we do not God to give you the grace to hear this day that which you know what is true about God and our life in him how can should hear? We should begin every action with a request we live as a Christian? Therefore there will be some ser- for His grace. This isn’t as impossible as you might think. In mons about history, some about Theology, and some about previous generations, it was the custom, when entering a practical things such as how we pray. “Why the Temple was room or a workplace, to either say “God bless all present.” Or important to the Jews and why we don’t need that particular “God bless the work.” We still say “God bless you” automati- building anymore.” “Why did the Jews sacrifice animals in cally when someone sneezes. The trick is to practice this the Temple and where does our worship show us God’s true habit enough to establish it! sacrifice?” “What really happen in that Little Town of Beth- A few weeks ago my Deacon jested that we should preach lehem and why does it change our life?” in tag team. One of our parishioners observed, “Those There is also an element in sermons which is expected would be three very different styles.” Every preacher is dif- to change our lives. In the early Church this was called Ker- ferent. No priest can be perfect at all things. Your priest ygma. George Herbert states that the purpose of the Church may be great at pastoral care and only average at preaching. is to enflame. A sermon is intended to excite you about God. A few may be downright awful. I have a parishioner who It is preached to change your life. A sermon should make you would take his grandfather to a local church. In the bulletin want to turn back to God. You are to repent. A sermon should was always a glossary of the words the pastor would use in rekindle your love for your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. that Sunday’s sermon. My first thought was ‘why would you Now obviously a single sermon cannot do all of the above use words in a sermon which you knew your parishioners in one Sunday for all members of the congregation. This is wouldn’t understand?’ Yet, even a stopped clock is correct one of the reasons why it is so important for us to be there twice a day. You may not like your priest, you may think every Sunday and every Holy Day. Even in modern medicine, that he is a not good preacher; you may think he is boring; there are very few, if any, single treatments that will totally you may dislike his politics but you cannot deny that even if restore us to health. Our soul is like that. The spiritual life he says one thing that God wants you to hear it is time well is one of continual learning and conversion. Sermons heard spent. For the majority of you, think how fortunate you are frequently do more for our growth in Christ than most that your priest is a good preacher who takes his faith seri- people realize. Sometimes they may literally mean the dif- ously. ference between life and death. You see, the priest I spoke Now when your priest writes his sermon he has a definite about at the beginning of this article, died in prison. He nev- purpose – target if you will – that he hopes you will hear. er heard what he needed to hear for his soul’s health, instead Since it takes about one hour preparation for every minute he focused on the faults of others. preached I am sure he hopes that you will follow the entire Fr. Geromel is rector of St. Bartholomew’s, Swartz Creek., flow of the sermon from the introduction, where your atten- Michigan. tion is grabbed; to the middle, where the ‘meat’ is; until the end, where everything is summed up.

Forward in Christ August 2013 27 FIFNA Amends Declaration Forward in Faith North America changes its Declaration

FIFNA clarified its Declaration of belief at this year’s Assembly to read:

1. I believe our Lord Jesus Christ has given His Church an Order which claims the loyalty of faithful Christians above and beyond any deviation sanctioned by any humanly-invented institution, whether secular or ecclesiastical.

2. I accept the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as “containing all things necessary to salvation,” and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith and morals.

3. I accept the Apostles’ Creed as the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of the Chris- tian faith.

4. I accept the historic episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the na- tions and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church. I affirm the Christian ministerial priesthood as male, and that the churches of the Anglican Communion have no authority to change the historic tradition of the male priesthood. I pray that God grants me the strength and ability to uphold the Church’s Order, both materially and spiritually as concerns the ministerial priesthood of His holy Church. Accordingly, I will reject any and all actions that might signify acceptance of a deviation from the Church’s Order regarding the Christian ministerial priesthood.

5. I recognize the seven Sacraments of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church – Baptism and the Supper of the Lord – ministered with unfailing use of Christ’s words of institution and of the elements ordained by Him, Confirmation, Matrimony, Ordination, Reconciliation of a Penitent, and Unction of the Sick.

6. I believe that, in the Sacrament and mystery of the Holy Eucharist, Jesus Christ is truly, really and substantially present in the Body and Blood in the outward and visible sign of Bread and Wine. (cf. 1 Cor. 10:16-17, 11:23-29, John 6:32-71)

7. I affirm our Lord’s teaching that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is in its nature the exclusive, permanent and lifelong union of one man and one woman.

8. I believe all Seven Councils are ecumenical and catholic on the basis of the received Tradition of the ancient Undi- vided Church of East and West.

9. I affirm that God, and not man, is the creator of human life. Believing that the unjustified taking of life is sinful, I will promote and uphold the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

In making this Declaration, I accept all the responsibilities which pertain to the common witness of all who participate in this endeavor and I ask God’s blessing upon our labors.

The Declaration proved controversial to someSave and drew severalthe articlesDate! in response. See the following. pages.

Your Assembly Committee is already hard at work planning Assembly 2014. The theme will be “Year of Prayer: Keeping a Holy Hour”.

July 9-11, 2014 at Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL.

28 Forward in Christ August 2013 Romish Abomination? Someone doesn’t like the Declaration

Forward in Faith North America just concluded an as- sacred images idols. Anathema to those who say that Chris- sembly and put forward A Declaration of Common Faith and tians resort to the sacred images as to gods. Anathema to Purpose that includes this statement for members to affirm: those who say that any other delivered us from idols except Christ our God. Anathema to those who dare to say that at I believe all Seven Councils are ecumenical and catholic on any time the Catholic Church received idols. the basis of the received Tradition of the ancient Undivided How does this match up with our Articles of Religion? For Church of East and West. example: General Councils may not be gathered together without This sounds great, right? Well, take a look at the 7th Coun- the commandment and will of Princes. And when they be cil for a minute and try to use logic to apply it to the Anglican gathered together, (forasmuch as they be an assembly of Communion. Canon VII of the Seventh council reads: men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word Let relics of the Holy Martyrs be placed in such churches of God,) they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in as have been consecrated without them, and this with the things pertaining unto God. Wherefore things ordained by accustomed prayers. But whoever shall consecrate a church them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor au- without these shall be deposed as a transgressor of the tra- thority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of ditions of the Church. holy Scripture. This canon assumes that *every* church must contain ‘rel- Or: ics’ and that if it is not consecrated with relics, then whoever The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, consecrated the church is a transgressor of tradition. How Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Relics, is this in any way Scriptural? It is an unnecessary binding and also Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing, vainly invent- of the conscience and makes most Anglican churches in the ed, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather world illegitimate. Has your parish been consecrated with- repugnant to the Word of God. out relics? If so, your priest should be deposed as a trans- The Seventh Council and the Anglican Reformation cannot gressor of the traditions of the Church according to FIFNA’s coexist. FIFNA chooses the Seventh Council, so be it, then logic. have the honesty to take the Articles on head on, rather than And what about this set of anathemas? working your way into leadership positions and subverting We salute the venerable images. We place under anathema Reformed Anglicanism from within. those who do not do this. Anathema to them who presume to apply to the venerable images the things said in Holy Scrip- This article is republished with permission of VirtueOnline. ture about idols. Anathema to those who do not salute the Aholy andHasty venerable images. Response Anathema to those who call the Deacon Nathaniel Kidd responds thoughtfully

Since the FiFNA Assembly adopted its new Declaration for which the change occurred, (2) failing to appreciate the of Common Faith and Purpose on 18 July, a number of peo- extent to which the new Declaration stands within the his- ple have noted that it stands in tension with the historical torical tradition of Anglicanism, and (3) failing to explore constitution of Anglicanism represented by the 39 Articles, how the FiFNA Declaration can be harmonized with the Je- as well as more contemporary expressions such as the Je- rusalem Declaration. rusalem Declaration. And fair enough: the new Declaration First, the new Declaration needs to be placed within the certainly does take a distinctively Anglo-Catholic theologi- context and direction of Forward in Faith as a movement. cal stand, appealing to Seven Councils (rather than the usual Regrettably, AnglicanInk did not help this by posting the four), and seven Sacraments (rather than two), and speaking new Declaration without any context or comment and ahead of Christ as “substantially” present in the Eucharist – which of any reporting on the event as a whole. This presentation some have equated with Transubstantiation. caused the Declaration to seem like a much bigger deal to There seems to be some unnecessary anxiety, however, FiFNA than it actually was. Furthermore, since it appeared about what this means vis-a-vis Global Anglicanism. Some to come out of nowhere, it seemed to many like an action interpret it as a complete “departure” from, or even a “re- directed generally against the prevailing winds of the Angli- jection” of historical formularies, and (by consequence) can realignment. something of an attack on the fragile consensus of Confess- Nevertheless, the organizational context for this declara- ing Anglicanism. But such an interpretation is entirely un- tion is a matter of public record, and to the extent that – by warranted as (1) failing to inquire as to the actual purpose sheer oversight – it is not, details and clarification should be Forward in Christ August 2013 29 sought from the organization’s leadership. Suspicion, specu- 25 acknowledges seven Sacraments – although it makes a lation and rumor are exceedingly poor grounds for discern- strong distinction between the Dominical and common ing the intention of such actions. Sacraments that the FiFNA Declaration overlooks. (This To comment briefly on the context the of the revision as is maintained implicitly, however, insofar as it is specially one present at the Assembly (but admittedly rather new to noted that the Dominical Sacraments should be “ministered FiFNA more generally), Forward in Faith is in the process with unfailing use of Christ’s words of institiution, and of of transitioning from a lobbying organization with a pri- the elements ordained by Him.”) mary purpose of defending traditional orders to a teaching There is, further, no contradiction between Article 28 organization with a broader concern for articulating and and the FiFNA affirmation, unless we define that receiving promoting Catholic faith and practice within the Anglican Christ in “an heavenly and spiritual manner…[by] faith” is Tradition. Accordingly, the chief interest of the document necessarily opposed to Christ being “really, truly, and sub- is in defining what, precisely, that broader vision is. It is IN- stantially present in the Body and Blood in the outward and TERNALLY, not externally focused: seeking to clarify the visible sign of Bread and Wine.” Both approaches maintain a standards of its own membership, rather than impose its clear distinction between the “outward and visible sign” and views on any Anglican body. the “inward and spiritual grace.” It is the breakdown of that The Declaration serves to delineate the common inheri- distinction in the medieval doctrine of Transubstantiation tance towards which the movement looks, and not rubrics that “overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament.” FiFNA artic- of ultimate ecclesiasti- ulates the Sacramental re- cal authority. As a pan- alism that has become com- jurisdictional movement, mon in Anglican liturgical FiFNA defers this to the and spiritual practice, but ecclesial structures with- it does not necessarily ad- in which its members are vocate transubstantiation embedded, but seeks to or a return to the “many support them through superstitions…repugnant its own structures if and to the plain words of Scrip- whenever those ecclesial ture.” structures become hos- With respect to the tile to them for their com- Seven Councils, we are left mitment to this under- with significant room to de- standing of the faith. bate what exactly it means If it might seem some- to acknowledge them as what combative to phrase “ecumenical and catholic this in a “Declaration,” on the basis of the received this must be attributed Tradition of the ancient Un- to the history of the or- divided Church of East and ganization, rather than West.” The standard Angli- its present intention. It can line (also ensconced in so happens that FiFNA the Jerusalem Declaration) is an organization with a has been Four Councils, Declaration rather than a largely because (histori- statement of faith, and so cally speaking) Councils that is what is updated for 5-7 were received some- purposes such as these, what unevenly in the West. with the unfortunate A Church Council Anglican conversations side-effect that it seems with Orthodoxy have gen- much more concerned with erally broadened our view on the broader Anglican land- this question, however, and scape than it actually is. among Anglo-Catholics, acknowledgement of Seven Coun- Second, the Declaration stands very much within the his- cils has become normative. Nevertheless, the hermeneutic torical stream of the Anglican Tradition. Points 2-5 essen- demanded by Article 21 is not at all abrogated: Scripture re- tially follow the four points of the Chicago-Lambeth Quadri- mains the ultimate guide to receiving Counciliar authority. lateral, although the priority of Orders and Sacraments have To acknowledge Seven Councils, then, means we must been reversed (implying a subordination of Sacramentality at least agree with the Orthodox numbering as defining to ecclesiality) and the point on orders has been extensively the classical period of the Undivided Church. (So instead expanded in defense of the historical male Orders. of Lancelot Andrewes’ “four councils, five centuries,” we’re We now have a further addition to these: that seven Sac- looking more in the neighborhood of Seven Councils and ten raments are upheld rather than two, and the “true, real, and centuries.) At most, it means that a person has very carefully substantial presence” of Christ in the Eucharist is separately studied the decrees of the Councils, and is ready to defend affirmed. This is not a rejection of the broader, historic An- all the major points on the basis of Scripture. Most people glican position, but a particular subset of it. Indeed, Article who would affirm this probably fall somewhere in the mid- 30 Forward in Christ August 2013 dle: assuming the contents of the Councils to be Scriptural Articles to the extent it aligns with FCA. By the same to- on the basis of their ecumenical status, but not necessarily ken, however, item 12 acknowledges a “freedom in second- having done all the work to connect the dots themselves. ary matters.” Unless there are particular issues that need So if significant portions of the FiFNA Declaration are to be addressed in a conciliar manner under the rubrics of rooted in historical Anglican documents, changes to those the authority of the Articles, these remain secondary issues, documents are identifiable with trends in the ongoing life since the mode by which the authority of the Articles is to of the Communion, and apparent discrepancies between the be received and interpreted remains somewhat ambiguous. Declaration and the 39 Articles can be easily reconciled, in In brief, the FiFNA Declaration implicitly includes and what sense is it appropriate to say that FiFNA is “rejecting then exceeds the points of the Jerusalem Declaration, de- historical Anglicanism?” There are bound to be those within fining a particular subset of Confessing Anglicans whose Anglicanism who disapprove of this direction for various theological position tends toward the Anglo-Catholic, rather reasons, but to immediately anathematize them in this way than the Reformed-Evangelical. It is not the intention of ei- is crude sensationalism and extraordinarily uncharitable, ther party to anathematize the other, but to labor together particularly given the urgent need for cooperation. at this moment of crisis and continue to grow together in Finally, let us consider the place of the FiFNA declara- mutual love and understanding. To the extent that this is not tion within the context of global Confessing Anglicanism, in manifestly the case in the specific composition of the two particular, vis-a-vis the Jerusalem Declaration. We should documents, steps should be taken to resolve this discrep- note, first of all, that the starting point of the Confessing An- ancy. While we disagree with one another on certain issues, glican movement and the FiFNA Declaration is essentially we can still move forward in faith, working together for the the same: they both claim the authority of God over and glory of God. against the decadence of the prevailing culture. As phrased Forward in Faith is not threatening the peace and unity by the FiFNA declaration: “Our Lord Jesus Christ has given of Confessing Anglicanism: what threatens the unity of Con- His Church an Order which claims the loyalty of faithful fessing Anglicanism is the kind of alarmist attitude that, in Christians above and beyond any deviation sanctioned by making strident judgments without carefully considering any humanly-invented institution, whether secular or eccle- the issues at hand, undermines our mutual trust and keeps siastical.” us in a combative mode, rather than inspiring us to Godly FiFNA is a confessing movement, taking a bold, costly love and mutually enriching fellowship in spite of and even stand against the disintegration of faith and morals within through our disagreements. Combativeness is not always an ecclesiastical institution too submitted to culture. As bad, of course: there have been essential moments in Church such, it can joyfully stand and cooperate with GAFCON and history where it has been absolutely necessary to take a FCA where they have also made bold statements for the stand — some of them in recent memory within the Epis- Faith over and against the culture. Although some of the copal Church. But now is not the time to fight battles over particular concerns of the FiFNA Declaration are not up- Churchmanship — there are more pressing issues at hand. held by the Jerusalem Declaration (most notably, its stance Thanks be to God, this is the direction that we are pursu- on Holy Orders), there are extensive places of overlap that ing in the Anglican Church in North America. In maintain- define a common faith and common cause. Most obviously, ing the focus on the main work of building a united, Bibli- item 8 of the Jerusalem Declaration and item 7 of the FiFNA cal, missionary Anglicanism that is reaching North America Declaration are in total agreement on urgent cultural mat- with the transforming love of Jesus Christ, our Bishops have ters, but this goes completely unmentioned as commenta- avoided these kinds of divisive arguments, and called us to tors rush to pull out differences. Given the common history keep our focus on the main thing. Let us pray that the Lord and substantial and urgent agreement that FiFNA and GAF- will continue to bless this work, and help us to align our CON share, it is thus hardly surprising that much – if not all hearts and minds with what he is doing among us. – of FiFNA also supports GAFCON and the Jerusalem Decla- ration. But while FiFNA is a confessing movement, it resists hav- ing a confession as such. FiFNA is held together by common principles, common interests, a common ethos, and a com- mon opponent, but it is not interested in tying up all the loose ends by magisterial action. This does bring FiFNA into conflict with that sort of Evangelical who wants to treat the This article by Deacon Nathaniel Kidd, Milwaukee, WI, first ap- Jerusalem Declaration and the 39 Articles in a more strictly peared on the Sed Contra blog. confessional manner, or even put a more comprehensive confession in place. However, to what extent is this pre- scribed by the Jerusalem Declaration? Unlike the FiFNA Declaration, the Jerusalem Declaration explicitly invokes the 39 Articles, and upholds them as “con- taining the true doctrine of the Church agreeing with God’s Remember Forward in Faith in Word and as authoritative for Anglicans today.” The fresh commendation of the 39 Articles is certainly meaningful, Your Will! and perhaps it would be appropriate for GAFCON II to en- courage FiFNA to clarify its own mode of reception of the Forward in Christ August 2013 31 Forward in Faith North America P.O. Box 210248 Bedford, TX 76095-7248

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orthodox Anglo-Catholic

We are an Anglo-Catholic religious order of Third Order Available digitally and in paperback from brothers and sisters serving to preserve the Anglican-Cath- Amazon.com olic faith. Our brothers and sisters live and minister in the The Parish Press world in which they live. We are open for men and women 18 years and older who are members of Anglican/Episcopal Tel: 214 256-1497 Church throughout the world.

Upcoming Titles If you would like further information concerning our The Theology of Henry Scott Holland vocational life contact Fr. John Mark, OSF, Minister-General, Priesthood Trinity Episcopal Church, 106 N Grove St, Marshall, TX 75670, A Sonnet for Satan e-mail: [email protected] or call 903-938-4246.