GSFA meeting in Cairo, 10-14 June
The Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) on 19 June released the final version of the “Ninth Trumpet: Communique from the First Assembly of the GSFA Churches.” You can find it here: https://www.thegsfa.org/news/communique-from-the-first-assembly-of-the-global-south-fellowship-of-anglican-churches
Reports from Phil Ashey of American Anglican Council who was present at the meeting:
On the eve of the historic reset – the aim of the GSFA conference is to establish a ‘covenantal structure’ among faithful Anglicans across the world
Chasing the snake from the tent: Archbishop Badi’s opening address to the GSFA assembly
Recovering a passion for the lost: Archbishop Samy Shehata’s call to put mission at the heart of re-set Anglicanism
Day 3: The ratification of the Cairo Covenant, in which members of GSFA agree to a biblical foundation for the re-set Anglicanism, because “The authority of the scripture is its Spirit-bestowed capacity to quicken the Church to truthful speech and righteous action.” But some differences remain and need to be prayerfully resolved.
Day 4: The structures come together, including elections of office holders from different regions to represent working groups in the new GSFA global Assembly.
In his final reflections on the GSFA meeting [sent by email to subscribers] Canon Phil Ashey surveys with honesty the missed opportunities and need for ongoing work in many forms. He says: “Many came with hopes of dramatic action that would signify the reset of the Anglican Communion. They were disappointed”. But then, he mentions a number of good things which demonstrate a journey towards unity in global orthodox global Anglicanism, and concludes “…the Reformation took more than a week! …We are in the middle of yet another one.”
See all the AAC reports here.
Anglican Futures reports:
Three articles on the history of GSFA, where it aligns with Gafcon and where its aims and activities are different; what the Cairo conference hopes to achieve.
Can the GSFA help the CofE bishops tell right from wrong?
The bishops [of the C of E] can’t make a decision [about whether same sex relationships are acceptable to God or not] because the only criteria they have for discerning the truth is the subjective sense of how 'genuinely' those speaking hold their beliefs. They are not interested in weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of different arguments - favouring instead the 'feelings' which people attach to them.
Listening in to the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) Assembly this week provided a helpful insight into how the Anglican Communion got into this mess, and also hope for a way out.
GSFA: A new wineskin and a new instrument?
The Cairo Covenant sets out the doctrinal foundations of ‘the historic Anglican doctrine and teaching’, to which all members of the GSFA must submit, and, perhaps more importantly, the means by which membership can be terminated…Is it possible that the GSFA have, in fact, replaced the Archbishop of Canterbury - not with a person - but with a covenant? If so, the GSFA have radically remodelled the wineskin.
See our June 2024 editorial: Same old temptations threaten gospel simplicity and humility
LLF and C of E
“…the full College of Bishops met and heard directly from members of the LLF working groups who reflected a strong desire from across the range of views to remain together as one church despite differences.” C of E press release.
Resetting LLF: Whose unity? Which doctrine? Andrew Goddard, writing in Psephizo, gives analysis and comment on the likely direction of LLF, in particular hints that the bishops are considering the formation of “distinct, boundaried spaces” so that “we might hold our differences yet maintain our unity”.
What is now being proposed for LLF? Andrew Goddard looks at the paper for the July Synod, GS 2358,and says: “the bishops…have apparently focussed their self-understanding on being “a focus of unity” in a manner which is divorced from their call to uphold doctrine and is even consistent with pressing for changes in doctrine.
The urgent need for a CofE ‘settlement:’ key questions. John Dunnett, writing in Evangelicals Now, argues for seeking a legally binding self-governing space for the orthodox within the Church of England, against those faithful Anglicans who believe it’s not necessary.
How broad can an Anglican church be? By Martin Davie. In the 1960’s, theologians such as Bishop John Robinson reinterpreted the Christian faith in ways they believed would be credible and attractive to secular people. His critics including the Archbishop of Canterbury of the time said that Robinson’s approach “transgressed the limits of acceptable Anglican theology.” What are these limits? Do the new revisionist interpretations of sex and marriage cross these boundaries, and why?
Meanwhile, breaking news released on 18th June:
Canterbury Cathedral to offer Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples in civil partnerships or civil marriages. The report on the Cathedral website says:
“The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd Justin Welby, and the Bishop of Dover, The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who have no direct role in the Governance of the Cathedral, were consulted, following the guidance commended by the Bishops of the Church of England in December 2023.”
Pray for all faithful Anglicans in the Church of England, that they would stand firm for the gospel, and that leaders would make wise decisions guided by the Holy Spirit.
Anglican Network in Europe
On 23rd May, “…Synod [of ANiE] joyfully and overwhelmingly approved the accession of the Anglican Missionary Congregations as a third diocese after an open and constructive debate.” AMC, a group of congregations largely comprising Nigerian diaspora Anglicans, will now become part of the emerging alternative Anglican Province.” Press release here
Approval for new Diocese marks significant moment in mission partnership. Article published on the ANiE website:
“The integration of AMC within ANiE is a sign and a practical expression of Jesus building and renewing his church to respond to a rapidly changing culture in Britain and Europe, and to declare his wisdom to hostile spiritual powers. “AMC has grown from a single Nigerian diaspora congregation in Manchester to 35 congregations all over the UK and some parts of Europe”, says the ANiE Press Release. A Nigerian Anglican church planting movement is joining a predominantly white British one, for partnership in the gospel and a visible expression of God’s intent and “multi-variegated wisdom” (Ephesians 3:10).” Read article in full here.
AMC website here
Please pray for the smooth conclusion of administrative processes, including most importantly the election of a bishop for AMC, and for the witness of developing unity between AMC and ANiE.
Gafcon and faithful Anglican leadership
The Anglican Church in North America will hold their Provincial Assembly from 25-28 June.This event will include the election a new Primate following Archbishop Foley Beach’s ten years at the helm, and will be followed by a meeting of Gafcon Primates’ Council to follow up on the GSFA meeting. Let’s give thanks for the godly ministry of Foley Beach, pray for the right man to be elected as his successor, and pray for the Gafcon Primates to be of one mind in continuing to lead courageous and uncompromising orthodox faith in the Communion.
Other News:
General Election
Who will champion marriage? By Harry Benson, Marriage Foundation
RC bishop urges catholics to consider end-of-life issues before general election, reports Premier
Senior bishop condemns Lib Dems for deselecting Christian candidate. The Telegraph reports that Bishop Philip Mounstephen has branded the Lib Dem’s decision “shockingly illiberal”.
Christian Institute Election briefing: Analysis of policies of different parties, from a Christian perspective.
Church, gospel and culture
Theology and Public Life conference: Respected historian Tom Holland tells the Church of England that it must be distinctive based on the bible’s teachings, or it will risk becoming part of a “secular mush”.
Theologian Pushes Christians to Ask What It Means to be Human in a Growing Trans-Human World. Carl Trueman outlines the malign effects of secular ideology in interview with David Virtue, but also says:
“I am relatively hopeful with this issue [transgender]. I see limits popping up to fight the cultural zeitgeist. You cannot fight nature cost free indefinitely.”
The truth about woke. Helen Pluckrose explains the key tenets of ‘Critical Social Justice’ ideology. If we haven’t heard of it, we know it because it is all around us:
Critical Social Justice theorists and activists apply their ‘critical’ methods to analyse systems, language and interactions in society to ‘uncover’…power systems and make them visible to the rest of us. In their framework, these identity-based power systems include ‘whiteness’, ‘patriarchy’, ‘colonialism’, ‘heteronormativity’ and ‘transphobia’. They are believed to infect all aspects of society and even the most benign everyday interactions… Critical Social Justice demands enforcement of the right ways of thinking and punishment of the wrong ways of thinking.
Reorienting evangelicalism to Christian life: the need for a re-orientation of the Evangelical world from a strategy of relevance and transformation of society “to being a counterculture”. From Juicy Ecumenism.
‘Live My Truth’: The Gospel in an Age of Privatized Faith, by Trevin Wax, The Gospel Coalition. “When we talk about Jesus or share the gospel, most people today will assume we’re talking about a private, personalized faith, as if we’re asking them to adopt the same hobby. However, true evangelism goes further…”