In June I have been in Israel, first for a week of pilgrimage with a Shoresh group, and then for the GAFCON conference (Global Anglican Future Conference), as a Pilgrim from Common Cause. GAFCON in particular was a stirring week of hope. I wanted to try and put together some thoughts for our leadership teams on some of what I believe God was saying in these weeks...
In the two weeks I spent in Israel, there was a remarkable convergence of three voices through which God spoke to us. The first was the biblical teaching in the GAFCON conference. Many of the very best teachers of world Anglicanism were with us day after day, anchoring our thoughts in the pages of the Bible. The second was the fellowship across races and cultures. Everyone was in a small group that was international, intercultural and multiracial, reflecting the broad diversity of the Communion. These groups met twice a day all week long. The third was Jerusalem and Israel itself. The Holy Land – the place of so many of the events of our salvation and faith, was a rich source of instruction.
Almost as important as these three voices was the context of the Anglican crisis. There is, we all believe, a false gospel that has risen to the highest levels in our western Provinces, and a systemic hostility towards and marginalization of those who hold to the classical, biblical faith. Added to this is the clear residue of pro-western colonial attitudes and structures; the Communion is in crisis.
What might God be saying to us in the midst of these weeks? I try to sum some lead ideas in the paragraphs below:
1) The Anglican Realignment strategy inside the Communion and our Diocese has Global South affirmation at the highest levels, and is clearly God’s way forward for the majority in Pittsburgh, whatever the difficulties (and there will be difficulties). Bishop Bob Duncan is central to this realignment movement, and should be fully, enthusiastically supported. A North American Province will be affirmed by the GAFCON Primate’s Council and launched in the near future, providing a permanent home for us after a short season in the Province of the Southern Cone.
2) Evangelical Anglicanism is rich, deeply rooted, and faithful to the gospel. There is good reason to fully and enthusiastically support the GAFCON Statement with its ‘Jerusalem Declaration’ – along with other important resources from the conference, it can be found here: http://www.gafcon.org It seems to me time to warmly affirm and teach this rich spiritual heritage inside our parishes, across our diocese and within our emerging Province.
3) Culture and Spiritual Formation: It is time to launch a project to build a ‘way of life’ that is sympathetic to the biblical vision of life in Jesus. Contemporary American culture, with its extreme autonomy, cult of self, barren materialism, hectic pace, and sexual obsession (to name a few elements) mounts a withering attack on individuals and families who come to new life in Christ. The dangers of accommodation to the surrounding culture (syncretism) are written large in the history of Israel. Reclaiming a sane and healthy ‘way of life’ (not just a ‘system of thought’) that is deeply rooted in Jesus, able to rest in his grace, and resourced by the living waters of his Kingdom is part of the good news of his gospel. Learning this life and building a gospel-valued counter culture are spiritual formation projects that would be eagerly welcomed across our congregations and in our communities. The second of Wilberforce’s great lifetime callings (the first was the abolition of slavery) was “the reformation of manners”, i.e. the transformation of the culture.
4) Missions: Church Planting and International Partnerships are the two priorities that surfaced again and again at GAFCON. Missionary Dioceses are being established in regions near and far where there is little or no gospel witness from Anglican Churches – and almost always in hostile conditions. Likewise, partnerships with Anglican friends overseas are essential to our recovering health and future. It seems wise to shift a growing portion of our future diocesan and parish mission funding and efforts into these efforts at home and abroad to reach the unreached and strengthen our partners. At great risk, these Provinces have stepped forward to our aid. Our material wealth matches their material poverty. Their spiritual wealth matches our spiritual poverty. Close working partnerships with the Provinces of the Global South carries the much needed benefit of healthy infection from their spiritual vitality. God has put us together for these and other reasons.
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