Former missionary’s predictions for PCUSA are coming true for the Episcopal Church USA
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman Online, November 21, 2003
Back on July 30, 2001, during a Presbyterian Coalition meeting held in Denver, evangelicals held a “conversation” with Moderator Jack B. Rogers.
The evangelicals criticized his theological orientation, his commitment to ordination of self-affirming, practicing homosexuals and his redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples and his outburst against the Confessing Church within the Presbyterian Church (USA).
During that meeting, Harold E. Kurtz, senior associate of Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship and one of the denomination’s experts on world missions, told Rogers “I’m concerned about what this General Assembly has done to our ordination standards. You have heard a lot from others about a split in the church. The split I worry about is between ourselves and the world church. There are 35,000 denominations in the world. Only four have approved homosexual behavior. We have not seriously engaged the world church on this issue. Our General Assembly acted without consulting the world church.”
Now, three years later, while the Presbyterian Church (USA) is still debating homosexual ordination, the Episcopal Church USA has consecrated an openly gay bishop who left his wife and children and to live openly with his partner.
And Kurtz’s prediction for the PCUSA is coming true for the ECUSA. Below are some responses from the Anglican Communion around the world:
“The consecration of a bishop, who divorced his wife and separated from his children now living as a non-celibate homosexual, clearly demonstrates that authorities within ECUSA consider that their cultural-based agenda is of far greater importance than obedience to the Word of God, the integrity of the one mission of God in which we all share, the spiritual welfare and unity of the worldwide Anglican Communion, our ecumenical fellowship and inter-faith relationships. The overwhelming majority of the Primates of the Global South cannot and will not recognize the office or ministry of Canon Gene Robinson as a bishop….
“As Primates who represent over fifty million Anglicans, we have a solemn stewardship to steadfastly uphold and promote the historic and universal Apostolic Faith and Order of the Church throughout the ages as well as to protect those who are one with us in this same. We therefore affirm the ministry of the bishops, clergy and laity in ECUSA who have, as a matter of principle, and in fidelity to the historic teaching of the Church, opposed the actions taken at General Convention and objected to the consecration. We will continue to recognize and support their membership within the worldwide Communion fellowship and promise them our solidarity and episcopal support. We will now do everything that is necessary to uphold historic Anglicanism and advance our common faith, life, mission and ministry.”
Statement of the Primates of the Global South in the Anglican Communion
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“The Biblical texts about the condemnation of homosexualism are clear and unequivocal. … Homosexualism is a sin, which separates man from God. At the same time the Church does not deny help to those unfortunate people, who are possessed with this ailment. God is love, and Christians should pray for all sinners and wish them salvation. However, the Church cannot approve of the perversion of human nature created by the Creator Himself. The Church cannot bless the distortion of the image of God, Who is the most profound foundation of human dignity. …
“… the ‘consecration’ of a gay priest has made any communications with him and with those who consecrated him impossible. We shall not be able to cooperate with these people not only in the theological dialogue, but also in the humanitarian and religious and pubic spheres. We have no right to allow even a particle of agreement with their position, which we consider to be profoundly antiChritian and blasphemous. …”
“The Church Cannot Approve of the Perversion of Human Nature Created by the Creator Himself.”
The Statement of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, The Russian Orthodox Church
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“Regrettably, our call and those of the over 80 percent of the global Anglican Church were disrespectfully ignored and the Anglican Church in America went ahead to consecrate the said Gene Robinson on November 2, 2003. By this unfortunate action, they have departed from the faith, order and unity of the Anglican Church. They have impaired Communion. …
“We pledge our support and common commitment to the churches or dioceses in ECUSA and other areas of the world that stand firm with the truth of the Bible and maintain the Biblical faith, practice and order of the Anglican Communion as handed over to us by the saints.”
House of Bishops, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
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Homosexuality is “unscriptural, unnatural and totally incompatible with Christian values.” It was therefore wrong “to accept Gene Robinson as a Bishop of the Communion.”
The Most Reverend Justice Ofei Yaw Akrofi, Bishop-elect of the West African Province of the Anglican Church, in announcing that the province has with immediate effect broken communion with the ECUSA, following the consecration Robinson
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“Gene’s consecration is a flagrant disobedience to scripture, a departure that is contrary to our understanding of the mind of Christ. His consecration had no regard of the Lambeth position of 1998 (Resolution 1:10). With his consecration we have reached a crucial and critical point in the life of the Anglican Communion and we have had to conslude that the future of the Communion itself will be put to jeopardy. In this case, the Anglican Church of Kenya will not recognise the ministry of this one Bishop. …
“We give the assurance of our solidarity and Episcopal support to those Bishops, Clergy and laity in various dioceses in ECUSA who continue to uphold the historic faith and order of the Church.
“All those churches of our great Communion that have so far deviated from the norms and the historic faith of the Church have, by their own action, impaired communion.”
Press Statement from the Anglican Church of Kenya
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“His consecration has occurred in defiance of God’s teaching in the Bible and very, very clear defiance of this and we simply can’t recognise him as having fulfilled the criteria that are laid down in the Bible for a bishop.”
Dr Peter Jensen, The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Australia
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“The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda expressed its deep regret and dismay at this unfortunate consciously premeditated decision by both the ECUSA Convention and its bishops to consecrate this openly confessed homosexual (Gene Robinson) as Bishop of New Hampshire Diocese in ECUSA.
“… The Church of the Province of Uganda (Anglican) cuts her relationship and Communion with the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) on their resolution and consequent action of consecrating and enthroning an openly confessed homosexual Gene Robinson as the Bishop of New Hampshire Diocese in the Anglican Communion; and with any other Province that shall follow suit.
“… Mindful of the fact that there are a number of Dioceses, Parishes and Congregations in the ECUSA, which are opposed to the resolution and action taken by their Convention and are determined to remain faithful to the teaching of Scripture on human sexuality, to those dear brothers and sisters, we extend our solidarity with them and assure them of our continued prayers.”
Statement from the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda (Anglican)
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“America does make the largest contribution to the world-wide Anglican Communion. That’s a matter of fact. As much as we need the money, the gospel must come first. We are prepared to suffer. Money cannot be the overriding factor in the proclamation of the gospel…
“The overwhelming majority of Primates of the Global South cannot and will not recognise the office or ministry of Canon Gene Robinson as bishop. We deplore those bishops who have taken part in the consecration which has now divided the Church in violation of their obligation to guard the faith and unity of the church. …,”
Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Archbishop of the West Indies
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“The act of consecrating a homosexual to the episcopate in the church is contrary to the revelation of the Word of God and pastorally very damaging. It amounts to the legitimization of sin instead of recalling the sinner to repentance. … It has to be condemned unreservedly … a Bishop is a leader of the Church and his lifestyle should witness to the ethics of the Gospel.”
The Anglican Church of Tanzania
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“To an overwhelming number of us in the Middle East, this action in New Hampshire comes as a great blow. …
“Of considerable concern, perhaps especially within our Region, is the negative effect that this action in the USA is likely to have on our relations with other Christian Churches and with the World of Islam. Many of us will find ourselves in embarrassing situations. I believe we need to make it clear that the consecration of an active homosexual bishop in the USA does not represent the mind of the overwhelmingly greater part of the Anglican Communion. We abide by the traditional teaching of the Church on human sexuality. We must make it clear that it is only a part of one Church that has departed from this teaching, not the Anglican Communion as a whole.
“… I believe that we should hold back from any acts of severing communion. That would seem the classic Anglican approach, not out of weakness or indifference, but because here are deep issues which require prayer and time to address.
“Meanwhile, please pray for all in any way involved. …”
A Pastoral Letter from The Most Reverend Clive Handford
President Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East
Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf
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Anglicans in Africa are “quite disappointed at what has happened, especially after we had met at Lambeth (in October) and then our fellow primate (Griswold), who had subscribed to what we agreed. He just betrayed us. …
“We are praying for [American Anglicans opposed to the path the ECUSA has taken] and we want them to hold the Christian faith. They shouldn’t be creatures of circumstances. They shouldn’t give in. They should continue working as Christians and upholding the Christian faith.”
Archbishop Bernard Amos Malango, archbishop and primate of the Central Africa province
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“I am disappointed that they have proceeded because they are in a sense going in isolation.
“I think a lot of people will say come on, you either stick to the traditions of the church or you start your own church. I think it will have ramifications for the church in the United States – the difference between the life of the church there and the life of the Anglican Churches in the rest of the world is going to be very different.”
Bishop Michael Hough, Bishop of Ballarat, Australia
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“For myself, I weep that the Church into which I was born, and raised, and came to ordination, has so easily parted with all that it has professed since the Reformation: that all things necessary to salvation are contained in the Holy Scriptures of both Old and New Testaments.”
November 2, 2003 — Sermon by the Very Reverend Roger Dawson
Dean of St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral, Caracas
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“We are sad that the church in US has gone ahead to defy the Lambeth Conference that outlawed homosexuality; they have cut themselves from the agreed procedure. … The Church of Uganda will go ahead and cut all relations with that church because it is the stand we took and it has not changed.”
The Rev. Canon Jackson Turyagyenda, the provincial communications secretary of the Church of Uganda
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“… But what is of greatest significance is that this consecration challenges the clear teaching of historic, biblical Christianity at a profound level. As such, it flies in the face of God’s revealed will for humanity in general, and for Christian leadership in particular. What is at stake is the question of authority. Our responsibility as Christians is to be governed by the teachings of the Bible rather than by the secular culture. That is why the consecration of Gene Robinson could affect the witness of Christians world-wide, whatever their denomination.”
Jonathan Stephen, Director of the British Evangelical Council
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“If people decide that they can no longer be in communion with those led by a practising gay bishop, this will result in great pain. I pray that ways may be found to maintain unity, but if schism is the result we have to be clear that it is not those wishing to remain true to orthodox teaching who will have brought it about. It is those who have set their foot on a more liberal route who will, effectively, have cut themselves off from their Anglican brothers and sisters.”
The Rev Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance UK
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“Forward in Faith UK profoundly regrets the consecration of Canon Gene Robinson as a Bishop in the Church of God. We note that this arrogant and divisive act was performed by a Presiding Bishop who had so recently signed the joint Statement of the Primates Meeting deploring it.
“The ordination as bishop of a divorced man living with another in an unchaste relationship gives notice to the Anglican Communion that the Episcopal Church of the United States of Amer