Posted on 10/14/2005 6:06:16 PM PDT by sionnsar
Twenty-six Anglican bishops representing Brazil, Mexico and Province IX (Episcopal Church) issued a statement on October 13, 2005 proposing “creation of a Global Center” in the Anglican Communion. The move apparently is designed to provide opposition to the Global South, made up of Anglican provinces in the southern hemisphere that uphold the authority of Scripture and historic faith. Global South provinces, their primates, bishops, clergy and laity have condemned decisions and actions by the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) and the Anglican Church of Canada that represent an abandonment of Anglican doctrine and practice.
The statement, produced at the Latin America Anglican Theological Congress which met in Panama last week, claims a desire to seek “perfect unity in our Lord Jesus Christ” as well as a commitment to “plurality, diversity and inclusiveness as a permanent sign of Anglicanism.” According to the statement, the proposed Global Center will appropriately represent their “thinking and spirit” embodied in a “via media” of diversity, tolerance and inclusiveness.
The signatories reject the position and specific actions of the Global South, saying they “lament the forced exclusion of Brazil from the Global South Conference to be held in Egypt, promoted by the Archbishop of Nigeria, Peter Akinola, and the reception and recognition of deposed bishop and clergy from the diocese of Recife, by the Primate of the Southern Cone of America.”
The statement continues: “Those acts of exclusion from events, and the intromission and lack of recognition of authority and jurisdiction among provinces represents the break of covenants and agreements established by the primates, and are products of intolerant tendencies we have confronting, and we hope that soon can disappear under the illumination of the Holy Spirit and with our action in favor of renewal.”
The bishops invite other provinces to join the Global Center but express hopes of reconciliation and “full communion”. The statement and list of signatories, drafted in Portuguese, is posted in its entirety on the website of the Diocese of Brazil (www.ieab.com.br).
Bishop Bill Godffrey has assured Presiding Bishop Gregory Venables that neither he, nor Bishop Miguel Tamayo signed the Panama letter and all Bishops present were aware of that and accepted that.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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