The Primate of the Southern Cone On the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church

Main Entry: pri'mate
Etymology: Middle English primat, from Old French, from Medieval Latin primat-, primas archbishop, from Latin, leader, from primus
Date: 13th century
1 often capitalized : a bishop who has precedence in a province, group of provinces, or a nation
2 archaic : one first in authority or rank : LEADER
3 [New Latin Primates, from Latin, plural of primat-, primas] : any of an order (Primates) of mammals comprising humans, apes, monkeys, and related forms (as lemurs and tarsiers)
-pri'mate-ship \-*ship\ noun
--pri-ma'tial \pr*-*m*-sh*l\ adjective

The decision of the House of Bishops of TEC to reject what the Primates of the Anglican Communion unanimously and very respectfully asked them to do is tragic but predictable. It is also totally unequivocal. Their protestation that they want to remain Anglican is specious when viewed in the light of their actions. In any other context it would be laughed at. The contention that the request of the Primates violates the polity of the Episcopal Church is just as hollow. It would have been very easy to say, “As bishops we will comply with what the Primates have asked and will seek the approval of other legislative bodies in TEC.” They didn’t. It dramatically demonstrates how far out of step TEC has gone. If there were any remaining doubt, the barrage of lawsuits against individual parishioners and new ecclesiastical charges against clergy (and even an aged and saintly retired bishop!) make their disdain for the rest of the Communion clear.

In all of their meetings and discussions, Episcopal Church leaders have failed to see that the issues involved are not just matters of disagreement about the order of the Church (though they are that). We are concerned because the Church has always taught and understood that the content of belief and behaviour impacts salvation. The great deal of energy, time, and money that has been expended in the meetings associated with this conflict has been invested because we are concerned that people not be led away from Jesus Christ. For that reason, as a Primate who has offered refuge to clergy and congregations, it is important to say that our support for the faithful remains undiminished. I know I am not alone among my colleagues in saying that we will not abandon those who remain committed to the faith of the Scriptures; the faith that Anglicans of every previous generation have received and believed and which it is our responsibility to teach and pass on.

Episcopal Bishops claim authority they do not have when they selectively apply Scripture and dispassionately ignore the pleas of those with whom they have been linked for years. That is not only manifest in what is said, it is writ large in bold letters as they reject the Panel of Reference and file new legal actions targeting individual church members. It is behaviour not even worthy of a social club, much less what is expected in the Church.

The reference to the Preamble to the Constitution of The Episcopal Church is a particularly painful illumination of the heart of the American leadership. To say, “Words mean only what we say they mean,” is not true and is more suited to Lewis Carroll than it is to the Body of Christ. The difference is that he wrote fantasy and knew what was real and what was ridiculous.

It is not possible to maintain relationship when one party unilaterally and coldly departs from previously agreed foundations. Now we must move to separation as quickly and as gracefully as possible. Of course, the realignment must take into account those in the United States who remain committed to historic teaching and Biblical Truth as it has been handed down. To limit further needless damage, may God have mercy on the Anglican Communion and help us come to resolution quickly.

–The Most Rev. Gregory Venables is Primate of the Southern Cone

Where's the Southern Cone, anyhow? Where's the Northern Cone?

Having a little wine early this afternoon, are we?

btw, It refers to the southern portion of South America.
From Wikipedia:

The Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de las Americas (Spanish for: Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of the Americas) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion that covers the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

The province consists of seven dioceses under the authority of a Presiding Bishop, currently the Most Reverend Gregory James Venables, who represents the province to the rest of the Anglican Communion as its primate.

Dioceses:
Diócesis de Argentina (Diocese of Argentina)
Diócesis de Argentina Norte (Diocese of Northern Argentina)
Diócesis de Bolivia (Diocese of Bolivia)
Diócesis de Chile (Diocese of Chile)
Diócesis de Paraguay (Diocese of Paraguay)
Diócesis de Perú (Diocese of Peru)
Diócesis de Uruguay (Diocese of Uruguay)

History

During the 19th century, immigrants to South America brought Anglicanism with them. The South American Missionary Society (SAMS) was formed to develop Anglican mission throughout South America, and it still has an important place in the life of the church. As the church and its mission grew, missionary bishops were appointed and dioceses were formed. Until 1974, these missionary dioceses were under the metropolitical oversight of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1981, the dioceses came together to form the province of Cono Sur. Originally, there were six diocese in the province, one for every sovereign country covered by the province, but the Diocese of Northern Argentina was soon formed out of the larger Diocese of Argentina...

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