Posted on 04/13/2005 5:24:37 PM PDT by sionnsar
[In case you have read the initial letter already, I have highlighted the beginning of ++Akinola's note in red so you can jump down to it. --sionnsar]
Well, ECUSA has withdrawn our representatives from the ACC. I can’t wait until that meeting. Archbishop Akinola has also chimed in on the June meeting.
ENS release:
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
From Executive Council: A letter to Bishop John Paterson
ENS 041305-1
[ENS] – A letter to the Rt. Rev. John C. Paterson, Chair of the Anglican Consultative Council, from the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold and the Very Rev. George L. W. Werner on behalf of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church.
The Executive Council met in special session at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, to consider the request of the Primates to “voluntarily withdraw” our members for a time from participation in the Anglican Consultative Council. This is a weighty matter for the Episcopal Church since the ACC is the primary instrument of communion in which the fullness of the Body of Christ is represented. Representative consultation is an essential component of our life as a church. We struggled to discern how best to respond to the request.
We are acutely aware that we meet in a time of great distress and need in the wider world. War, famine and disease stalk the earth. We express our passionate commitment to the mission of the church and especially to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals endorsed by our General Convention.
We are unanimous in our desire to do all that we can to preserve and further the bonds of affection in the “new humanity” created by Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:15). This in our view constitutes the very essence of our life together as Anglican Christians. We firmly believe that the only way to address the things that divide us is for “Christians of good will … to engage honestly and frankly with each other” (Windsor Report, paragraph 146). We are therefore heartened by the decision of the Chair of the ACC, responding to the Primates’ communiqué to include in the program for the upcoming meeting in Nottingham an opportunity for a consultation at which major contributions will come from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada.
We are mindful that Christ has made us members of one body, and that no part can say to any other “I have no need of you.” At the same time we wish to express our openness to the concerns and beliefs of others. In the spirit of the Covenant Statement recently adopted by our House of Bishops, we voluntarily withdraw our members from official participation in the ACC as it meets in Nottingham. As an expression of our desire “to bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2), we are asking our members to be present at the meeting to listen to reports on the life and ministry we share across the Communion and to be available for conversation and consultation.
Please be assured of our prayers and continuing support for the mission we share in the Risen Christ.
Akinola’s letter:
My dear brothers,
Greetings in the name and power of the resurrected Christ!
Thank you for your faithfulness and your friendship. You should have received a copy of a recent letter that I wrote to the Church of Nigeria House of Bishops in which I described some of my reactions to our time together in Northern Ireland. (I have attached an email copy in case the mail has been delayed) I trust that it is an encouragement to you.
In that letter I describe the preparations for the Anglican Consultative Council meeting that will be held in Nottingham in June 2005. I am convinced that this will be a critical meeting in the life of the Anglican Communion. I am confident that there will be a concerted attempt by ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada to undermine the gains made in Dromantine. This must be prevented. I also believe that it is crucial that we all send strong, well prepared representatives to the ACC meeting so that those of us who are present can work together effectively. It would be most helpful if you could communicate the names of your representatives to Bishop John Chew so that we can coordinate our efforts.
I would also strongly urge each one of you to consider the possibility of coming yourselves so that we can stand together. I realize that this will entail considerable personal sacrifice but I am convinced that this is a critical moment in our history. Although I confess that I am not looking forward to spending ten days in carefully managed meetings!
One of the issues for which we will need to prepare is the likely possibility that the representatives from ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada will attempt to attend the meeting in defiance of our request that they ~Sstep back.~T We need to think through our response to this because we must not allow them to defy our hard won compromise.
As you may already have heard the ACC meeting will include three sessions for the special hearing that we have requested. We need to prepare for this. We have also been invited to prepare our own presentations in which we demonstrate our efforts to offer Gospel-based pastoral ministry to those who struggle with sexual brokenness. I am planning to do that and I hope that you will do so as well – again lets coordinate our efforts through John Chew. I do not believe that we need to limit ourselves exclusively to the issue of homosexuality. For example I plan to offer presentations on the ways in which have sought to stand against sexual permissiveness by building strong families and also show how we have faced the challenge of polygamy.
As we get closer to the time of the meeting I urge that we maintain close communication and I would also like to stay in touch with you and your representatives so please be sure to include their contact information.
The Lord be with you.
Sincerely,
+ Peter Abuja
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Who is +Akinola's letter to?
Not stated. The best we can do is read from context.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.