We are back to our roots in Jerusalem
Jun 26, 2008
Over 100 Ugandan pilgrims (including 34 Bishops) and another 900 from Anglican Provinces in Israel are here in Jerusalem for the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) that ends on Sunday, June 29.
By David Sseppuuya
Over 100 Ugandan pilgrims (including 34 Bishops) and another 900 from Anglican Provinces in Israel are here in Jerusalem for the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) that ends on Sunday, June 29.
There are three purposes of this week-long pilgrimage:
lTo provide an opportunity for fellowship as well as to continue to experience and proclaim the transforming love of Jesus Christ
lTo develop a renewed understanding of our identity as Anglican Christians.
lTo prepare for an Anglican future in which the Gospel is uncompromised and Christ-centred mission is a top priority.
GAFCON was conceived by the Anglican Archbishops of Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, the Southern Cone (South America), and Sydney (Australia). Evangelical Anglican Bishops from the UK and the US were also involved in its organisation.
We are back to the roots of our faith, to the place where Jesus was born, lived, died, and was raised from the dead.
Lambeth Conference and GAFCON
GAFCON is different from Lambeth. The Lambeth Conference of Bishops is held every 10 years and will be held next month at the University of Kent in England. The Archbishop of Canterbury convenes the Lambeth Conference and invites Bishops and their spouses from all provinces of the Anglican Communion. The purpose of Lambeth is to provide Bishops with an opportunity for worship, study, and conversation about matters that affect the Anglican Communion. GAFCON is different because it includes clergy and non-ordained leaders from the church. GAFCON is the first of its kind and is a one-time event. It is, therefore, not an alternative to Lambeth.
The Bishops from the Church of Uganda are not going to Lambeth this year. The reason is because the purpose of Lambeth is for fellowship among Bishops, and our fellowship has been broken with the American church for three reasons:
lIn direct violation of the Bible and historic Christian teaching, they consecrated as a Bishop a gay man living in a same-sex relationship
lAfter five years of pleading with them, listening to them, and giving them many opportunities, they have not repented of that decision.
lThe Archbishop of Canterbury did not follow the advice of his own appointed Commission to not invite to Lambeth those responsible for the confusion and disobedience in the Anglican Communion. We have not been in fellowship with the Americans who have violated the Bible since 2003. What they have done is a very serious thing, and what the Archbishop of Canterbury has done in inviting them is grievous and we want them to know that.
However, the Church of Uganda is not seceding from the Anglican Communion. We are simply not going to the Lambeth Conference. We are still part of the Anglican Communion, and the vast majority of the Anglican Communion opposes what the American Church has done and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s tacit support for it.
Consequences
The Anglican Communion has been deeply wounded. The 2003 decision of the Episcopal Church in America to consecrate as a bishop a gay man living in a same-sex relationship caused a deep tear in the fabric of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Not only has the American Church not repented of this decision and action, but they have continued to advance non-Biblical teaching and practice. Their Bishops and many clergy have presided at the blessing of same-sex unions. Their Archbishop does not believe the Bible when Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me.†Another American Bishop has said, “The Church wrote the Bible, so the church can re-write the Bible.†It is wrong for them to continue to be Bishops and leaders in the Church. Yet, if their church will not discipline them, we will continue in broken fellowship with them. We cannot tolerate such theological corruption.
Authority on test
The crisis in the Anglican Communion is not about homosexuality. It is about authority. Homosexuality is only the presenting issue. All four Instruments of Unity in the Anglican Communion – The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Lambeth Conference of Bishops, The Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council – advised against the American Church approving homosexual relationships. Yet, the American Church openly defied these resolutions and there was no disciplinary action taken against them. That is a crisis of authority in the Communion. Furthermore, the apparent lack of resolve to take action manifests a deeper crisis, namely a crisis of confidence in the authority of the Word of God as the ultimate standard of faith and moral living.
We hope that GAFCON will reassert as normative Anglican Christianity the reality we know in Uganda – that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can bring substantive change for good in a person’s life, in his family, and in our country. We saw it when Christianity came to Uganda. We saw it when the East African Revival broke out in the 1930’s and 1940’s. We saw families healed, cycles of revenge broken, and oppression from demonic powers lifted. The only hope from the human condition is eternal forgiveness that comes only through Jesus Christ. That’s what the Anglican Church is about, and that’s why we’re at GAFCON and not going to Lambeth.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
GAFCON participants are in Jerusalem from more than 25 countries for the purpose of pilgrimage. Many are from regions that suffer political instability and violence, and we empathise with all victims of injustice and violence in the Middle East. It is our fervent prayer that both Jews and Arabs find ways to work towards reconciliation and a political settlement to begin to bring a measure of security and justice to the peoples living in the region. We share our faith with Arab Christians, our biblical heritage with the Jewish people, and a common humanity with Muslims. We are going to the Holy Land as pilgrims and we stand against any form of unjust discrimination and violence against any people for ethnic, social or political reasons.
The writer is the Media Adviser on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Over 100 Ugandan pilgrims (including 34 Bishops) and another 900 from Anglican Provinces in Israel are here in Jerusalem for the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) that ends on Sunday, June 29.
There are three purposes of this week-long pilgrimage:
lTo provide an opportunity for fellowship as well as to continue to experience and proclaim the transforming love of Jesus Christ
lTo develop a renewed understanding of our identity as Anglican Christians.
lTo prepare for an Anglican future in which the Gospel is uncompromised and Christ-centred mission is a top priority.
GAFCON was conceived by the Anglican Archbishops of Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, the Southern Cone (South America), and Sydney (Australia). Evangelical Anglican Bishops from the UK and the US were also involved in its organisation.
We are back to the roots of our faith, to the place where Jesus was born, lived, died, and was raised from the dead.
Lambeth Conference and GAFCON
GAFCON is different from Lambeth. The Lambeth Conference of Bishops is held every 10 years and will be held next month at the University of Kent in England. The Archbishop of Canterbury convenes the Lambeth Conference and invites Bishops and their spouses from all provinces of the Anglican Communion. The purpose of Lambeth is to provide Bishops with an opportunity for worship, study, and conversation about matters that affect the Anglican Communion. GAFCON is different because it includes clergy and non-ordained leaders from the church. GAFCON is the first of its kind and is a one-time event. It is, therefore, not an alternative to Lambeth.
The Bishops from the Church of Uganda are not going to Lambeth this year. The reason is because the purpose of Lambeth is for fellowship among Bishops, and our fellowship has been broken with the American church for three reasons:
lIn direct violation of the Bible and historic Christian teaching, they consecrated as a Bishop a gay man living in a same-sex relationship
lAfter five years of pleading with them, listening to them, and giving them many opportunities, they have not repented of that decision.
lThe Archbishop of Canterbury did not follow the advice of his own appointed Commission to not invite to Lambeth those responsible for the confusion and disobedience in the Anglican Communion. We have not been in fellowship with the Americans who have violated the Bible since 2003. What they have done is a very serious thing, and what the Archbishop of Canterbury has done in inviting them is grievous and we want them to know that.
However, the Church of Uganda is not seceding from the Anglican Communion. We are simply not going to the Lambeth Conference. We are still part of the Anglican Communion, and the vast majority of the Anglican Communion opposes what the American Church has done and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s tacit support for it.
Consequences
The Anglican Communion has been deeply wounded. The 2003 decision of the Episcopal Church in America to consecrate as a bishop a gay man living in a same-sex relationship caused a deep tear in the fabric of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Not only has the American Church not repented of this decision and action, but they have continued to advance non-Biblical teaching and practice. Their Bishops and many clergy have presided at the blessing of same-sex unions. Their Archbishop does not believe the Bible when Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me.†Another American Bishop has said, “The Church wrote the Bible, so the church can re-write the Bible.†It is wrong for them to continue to be Bishops and leaders in the Church. Yet, if their church will not discipline them, we will continue in broken fellowship with them. We cannot tolerate such theological corruption.
Authority on test
The crisis in the Anglican Communion is not about homosexuality. It is about authority. Homosexuality is only the presenting issue. All four Instruments of Unity in the Anglican Communion – The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Lambeth Conference of Bishops, The Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council – advised against the American Church approving homosexual relationships. Yet, the American Church openly defied these resolutions and there was no disciplinary action taken against them. That is a crisis of authority in the Communion. Furthermore, the apparent lack of resolve to take action manifests a deeper crisis, namely a crisis of confidence in the authority of the Word of God as the ultimate standard of faith and moral living.
We hope that GAFCON will reassert as normative Anglican Christianity the reality we know in Uganda – that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can bring substantive change for good in a person’s life, in his family, and in our country. We saw it when Christianity came to Uganda. We saw it when the East African Revival broke out in the 1930’s and 1940’s. We saw families healed, cycles of revenge broken, and oppression from demonic powers lifted. The only hope from the human condition is eternal forgiveness that comes only through Jesus Christ. That’s what the Anglican Church is about, and that’s why we’re at GAFCON and not going to Lambeth.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
GAFCON participants are in Jerusalem from more than 25 countries for the purpose of pilgrimage. Many are from regions that suffer political instability and violence, and we empathise with all victims of injustice and violence in the Middle East. It is our fervent prayer that both Jews and Arabs find ways to work towards reconciliation and a political settlement to begin to bring a measure of security and justice to the peoples living in the region. We share our faith with Arab Christians, our biblical heritage with the Jewish people, and a common humanity with Muslims. We are going to the Holy Land as pilgrims and we stand against any form of unjust discrimination and violence against any people for ethnic, social or political reasons.
The writer is the Media Adviser on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land