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| Delegates Vote at the Episcopal Diocese of DC's Convention |
CofE Bishops Reject Trans Liturgy: The Church of England’s House of Bishops has turned down a request from the General Synod to authorize special worship rituals to mark a person’s sex change.
The Synod had asked for “nationally commended liturgical materials to mark a person’s gender transition,” but the bishops said no. In a statement released earlier this year, the bishops decided against developing new transsexual rites but enthusiastically welcomed people who identify as transgender. “The Church of England welcomes transgender people and wholeheartedly wishes for them to be included in the life of the Church,” said the Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, on behalf of the House of Bishops.
Instead of a new transsexual worship ritual, the CofE’s bishops recommend clergy use the current service to affirm baptism. “On the matter of whether a new service is needed, the House of Bishops has decided that the current service that is used to affirm baptism can be adapted. Clergy always have the discretion to compose and say prayers with people as they see fit,” advised the Bishop of Norwich.
What remains of the affirmation of baptism after discrete adaptation remains to be seen.
The Gospel and the Catholic Church: A conference discussing Anglican Patrimony today will be held April 25-26, 2018 in Oxford. The impetus for this conference began in the 80th anniversary year of Michael Ramsey’s The Gospel and the Catholic Church.
Conference organizers hope to attract wide participation from those who value orthodox Anglican Patrimony and is themed on: mission and evangelization, ecumenism and ecclesiology, worship and liturgy, fidelity to the gospel in doctrine and ministry, and culture and relations with the state.
The conference has attracted highly-regarded speakers, who come from a wide range of churches and churchmanship.
ACNA Bishops Affirm God-Given Sexuality: Three ACNA bishops have signed a statement opposing “transgender ideology” and warning against the harmful effects of having a sex change.
The December statement was signed by ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach, John Guernsey, Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic and Bishop Eric Menees, of San Joaquin. Other signers include Roman Catholic and Orthodox bishops as well as leaders from Protestant churches and a Muslim.
The statement concludes: “We desire the health and happiness of all men, women, and children. Therefore, we call for policies that uphold the truth of a person’s sexual identity as male or female, and the privacy and safety of all. We hope for renewed appreciation of the beauty of sexual difference in our culture and for authentic support of those who experience conflict with their God-given sexual identity.”
St. Thomas 5th Ave Goes Gay: One of New York’s wealthier Episcopalian churches, St. Thomas, 5th Avenue, has crossed the rainbow Rubicon and now allows gay marriage ceremonies.
Once considered a traditional parish in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, St. Thomas welcomes women priests and, most recently, gay weddings. The changes were brokered by the church’s new Rector, Rev. Carl Turner, who is married to a woman priest. According to VirtueOnline, Sunday attendance has dropped from a peak of 875 in 2011 to 625 today.
Integrity Goes Volunteer: The Episcopal Church’s famous LGBT advocacy group, Integrity, has been handing out the pink slips after announcing an end to all paid staff.
According to Integrity’s President, Bruce Garner, “The Board of Directors of Integrity USA has recognized the need to shift the focus of the ongoing work away from paid staff and toward volunteers at all levels. Accordingly, December 31, 2017, marked the last day that Integrity USA had any paid staff.”
Forward in Christ has to wonder, is Integrity’s work done?
Anglican Mission in England Ordains: The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) ordained 9 men as deacons and priests last month in a ceremony led by Bishop Andy Lines.
The AMiE is led by Lines, who was consecrated as a GAFCON “missionary bishop to Europe” by the Anglican Church in North America last summer, and aims to provide a traditional, biblical haven to Anglicans in England.
According to its website, “The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) is a mission society that seeks to promote gospel growth in areas covered by the Church of England (principally in England, but also in other parts of Europe) by supporting Anglican churches and individuals both within and outside present Church of England structures.”
We urge your prayers for a continued orthodox Anglican witness in England and Europe.
The Diocese of DC Condemns Gendered Language For God: This year’s Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC passed a resolution in January to remove gendered language for God.
The resolution advises the church to “utilize expansive language for God from the rich sources of feminine, masculine, and non-binary imagery for God found in Scripture and tradition and, when possible, to avoid the use of gendered pronouns for God.” It is hoped that the new language will feature in a revision of the Prayer Book.
Whether the Episcopal Church authorizes a new non-binary Prayer Book on the recommendation of the Diocese of DC will be decided at the denomination’s General Convention this year.
