Posted on 07/12/2005 12:33:07 PM PDT by sionnsar
A group of self-described “biblically orthodox Anglicans” from the Americas and Caribbean met July 6-8 in Nassau, Bahamas. The summit was chaired by Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies and Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone (Argentina). The list of meeting participants from the Episcopal Church, according to a press release, included representatives from the Anglican Communion Network, the American Anglican Council, Anglicans United, Ekklesia and Forward in Faith North America (FiFNA).
The Nassau meeting became news last month after an advocacy group, Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP) and The Guardian, a British daily newspaper, published a draft document detailing plans to set up an alternative Anglican Communion that was purportedly discussed at a meeting in Lagos, Nigeria, last January.
“The constitution, which seems not to have been formally agreed to by meeting participants, names [Nigerian Primate Peter] Akinola and Archbishop Drexel Gomez, of the West Indies, as interim co-presidents,” said a June 14 PEP release accompanying the document. “Akinola and Gomez have been two of the most vocal critics of the Episcopal Church and of the Anglican Church of Canada for their treatment of homosexuality.”
According to an article in the June issue of Forward Now, the official publication of FiFNA, the purpose of the meeting was to set up an organization similar to the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA) for the Western Hemisphere.
“Those present have committed to furthering the common ministry of the Americas and the Caribbean and to assist the global Communion with finding solutions to the crisis currently afflicting the Anglican churches in the Western Hemisphere which hinders our gospel witness in this region,” said the press release issued at the conclusion of the meeting. “We look forward to building on the work of the conference and working with our constituencies to strengthen our ties and promote our traditional Anglican heritage in submission to the primates and the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
When contacted for further details, one meeting participant told The Living Church that those in attendance agreed “that no one can say anything except for what is in the press release.”
The complete press release and list of participants is available by clicking here
The complete press release from Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh is available by clicking here
Press Statement from the Anglican Pan American Conference Biblically Orthodox Anglicans from the Americas and Caribbean meet to promote their common ministry in the Western Hemisphere
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 10, 2005
Nassau, Bahamas. The Pan American Conference of orthodox
Communion-committed Anglicans met in Nassau, Bahamas, from July 6-8 under
the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit. The meetings were chaired by
Archbishop Drexel Gomez and Archbishop Gregory Venables. The group met for
prayer and bible study and to find ways to promote and support our unity and
common ministry in the Western Hemisphere. Submitting to one another and to
our Lord Jesus Christ, we were greatly blessed by our time together and by
the relationships we have established and strengthened.
Those present have committed to furthering the common ministry of the
Americas and the Caribbean and to assist the global Communion with finding
solutions to the crisis currently afflicting the Anglican churches in the
Western Hemisphere which hinders our gospel witness in this region. We
look forward to building on the work of the Conference and working with our
constituencies to strengthen our ties and promote our traditional Anglican
heritage in submission to the Primates and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Given the enthusiasm for this preliminary meeting, we are confident of
future participation from a broader representation of Communion-committed
Anglicans in this hemisphere.
The conference was attended by representatives from the following biblically
orthodox and Communion committed groups:
The Province of the West Indies
The Province of the Southern Cone
The Anglican Communion Network (ACN)
The Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC)
The American Anglican Council (AAC)
The Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC)
The Anglican Communion in New Westminster (ACiNW)
Anglican Essentials Canada (AEC)
The Anglican Mission in America (AMiA)
The Anglican Province of America (APA)
Anglicans United (AU)
Christian Formation Ministries (CFM)
The Diocese of Recife
Forward in Faith America (FIFNA)
The Foundation for Christian Theology
The Reformed Episcopal Church (REC)
Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA)
Ekklesia
The conference also made a further statement which follows:
Resolution on Recife
The Anglican Pan American Conference meeting in Nassau, Bahamas July 6-8,
2005, notes with profound concern and regret the lack of restraint by the
Primate of Brazil, Orlando Santos de Olivera and the Province of Brazil in
the precipitous actions taken against The Rt. Revd. Robinson Cavalcanti, by
not allowing the Panel of Reference an opportunity to mediate the conflict.
In this way, the Province of Brazil has failed in its fiduciary and
pastoral duty towards the diocese of Recife. The rush to judgment being
both unwarranted and untimely has caused a fundamental lack of confidence
in the findings of the court. Therefore we are constrained to maintain our
relationship with Bishop Cavalcanti and the clergy and lay people who
continue to recognize him as their bishop.
Further, we implore the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates of the
Communion to call for a halt to the legal process in Brazil regarding this
issue and to conduct a fair and impartial inquiry into the conflict.
For more information: Contact Rev. Canon Dr. Bill Atwood,
General Secretary for Ekklesia Phone: (800)
303-6267.
revanglican@yahoo.ca
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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