The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) website has posted an article titled "GAFCON Repackaged." You can read it HERE. Nothing particularly new, except two things: 
(i) the nifty symbol is again posted on which the words "veritas" and "unium" appear. A number of readers have commented that "unium" isn't a recognizable Latin word, although it looks like one. The most charitable comment was that maybe the "i" wasn't meant to be part of both words, and
(ii) the clear distinction between the consultation in Jordan (June 18-22) and the pilgrimage (June 22-29) is made. The first "will include the conference leadership, theological resource group and some key leaders." The second will be "focusing on worship, prayer, discussions and Bible Study, shaped by the context of the Holy Land."
But is the distinction all that clear? Here are the words from the brochure for the Pilgrimage:
"Jerusalem Pilgrimage and Consultation
The Global Anglican Future Conference - GAFCON - is holding a full week of planning and pilgrimage in Jerusalem from June 22nd through June 29th 2008.
Anglicans face global challenges. There is no better place than the Holy Land for those committed to the authority of scripture to meet, pray and address the reformation of the church and to equip it for mission.
An initial Consultation in Jordan will include the pilgrimage leadership, theological resource group, those bishops serving in majority Islamic settings and other key leaders.
The Jerusalem pilgrimage includes visits to Biblical sites and will focus on worship, prayer, discussions and Bible Study, shaped by the context of the Holy Land.
Participation in the Global Anglican Future Conference - GAFCON – is by invitation only from the Primate, or lead Bishop, to their Bishops, clergy and lay people.
Jerusalem pilgrimage from June 22 to June 29, 2008."
Note the highlighted words, "planning and pilgrimage" and "address the reformation of the church." These are words not about the consultation in Jordan, but about the "full week …June 22nd to June 29th."
The criticism from the Bishop of Jerusalem was precisely that he did not want the divisive consultation to take place in Jerusalem. Pilgrimage yes, consultation no. But it appears that no one is listening. GAFCON has essentially held the bishop of Jerusalem in low esteem. This sort of thing is not forgotten out there in the difficult world of Anglicans-in-the-Holy-Land.
Also note: this is an "invitation only" pilgrimage and consultation. One has to be invited by a "the Primate, or lead Bishop." On the registration side of the brochure it notes about registration, "When those who are invited indicate their acceptance to the Primate, or lead Bishop, they will be issued with a unique "pilgrim number". This number is used to register…" So the pilgrimage is one for the pure and pure in heart.
As all this unfolds I get the sense that GAFCON repackaged is the original GAFCON, a consultation, conducted in two parts. Part I, in Jordan, will lay out the plan – the future of a Global Anglican whatever - and the so called pilgrimage will actually be an occasion for the wider community of those who follow the GAFCON primates and bishops to salute the new flag.
Hopefully that flag will not include the GAFCON logo.
Given the audacity of the GAFCON leadership it will probably include the Anglican Communion Compass Rose, without the shield of St. George in the center. I am sure they will think of something to put there in its stead.
One assumes that this means only journalists known to be friendly to the schismatics will be acredited. ;;sigh;;
ReplyDeleteFWIW
jimB
"I am sure they will think of something to put there in its stead."
ReplyDeleteHow about a picture of the smiling face of the Most Rev. Peter Akinola. Perhaps with a nimbus behind him?
Donald Whipple Fox
Minneapolis, MN
If the most uncharitable thing ever said here is that someone made a mistake in Latin, we are all indeed candidates for beatification, at the very least. O:=) (<- candidate for beatification)
ReplyDeleteI think something along the line of the MGM lion would be highly appropriate for the center of the Compass Rose. Appropriate in so many ways for this group ... use your imagination.
ReplyDeleteliberals can mock....but the ABC is again bending over backwards to get TEC conservatives and the GAFCON leaders at Lambeth....because they represent the vast majority of the AC and he does not want Lambeth to have hundreds of bishops who represent around 10-20m (and shrinking) from so called "liberal" Anglican provinces.......
ReplyDeleteBO33..... that was nothing, wait for yet more compromise from TEC because the "inch at a time" strategy is not so much concerned with "integrity" as staying in the game to carry on pushing the lbgt agenda *regardless of the consequences for the AC.
"Participation in the Global Anglican Future Conference - GAFCON – is by invitation only from the Primate, or lead Bishop, to their Bishops, clergy and lay people."
ReplyDeleteHow very revealing! Henceforth all power to the primates, apparently. And again I join many others in saying, respectfully, no thank you!
christopher+
Sharon, you may want to consider why an army marches off the field. Generally speaking, winning armies don't retreat.
ReplyDeleteWhen those who are invited indicate their acceptance to the Primate, or lead Bishop, they will be issued with a unique "pilgrim number".
ReplyDeleteAnd the number of the beast was 666?
*****
staying in the game to carry on pushing the lbgt agenda
So much projection, Sharon Smith. If you want to see someone playing a "game" to "push an agenda", look in the mirror!
Ironic that they persist in holding ther council in Jerusalem, impolite though this is to the Bishop thereof. We need only read Acts 15 to see what happened the first time a Council met in Jerusalem: the relaxation of Levitical rules and the downplaying of the idea of Scripture as binding law. Who knows? Maybe our Peter will have a dream on a rooftop?
ReplyDelete