From Australia: "The Faith Once For All Delivered"

Prydain ^ | 2/02/2005 | Will

[sionnsar]

A group of Anglican evangelicals from Australia has produced a response to the Windsor Report titled The Faith Once For All Delivered. If you click on this link, you will find a page with an introduction to this response, including this information:

The Faith Once For All Delivered is a collection of essays which responds to The Windsor Report from several directions: legal, rhetorical, and theological. They are written by Australian evangelicals, who share a common belief that the future of Anglicanism ought to be shaped more and more by ‘the faith once for all delivered to the saints’.

You will also find a link where the full 152-page book, "The Faith Once for All Delivered" can be downloaded.

This book appears quite promising, as it has contributions by several theologians and authors, including some of such stature as Abp. Peter Jensen, D. Broughton Knox, and Mark Thompson. Chapter 20, "Towards a Realigned Anglicanism", by David Short, has these arresting paragraphs:

The NT reveals that there is a living and indispensable link between koinonia and mission. The events of the last few years have exposed two different missions, two different koinonias under the umbrella of Anglicanism. The issue of the blessing of same sex unions is symptomatic of the two missions. Liberals believe it is a gospel issue for them to affirm, approve and consecrate same-sex behavior as part of their mission: evangelicals believe it is a gospel issue for them to proclaim forgiveness and freedom in Christ from all sin, including homosexual conduct.

There are now two competing unities in Anglicanism: one regards Scripture asGod’s sovereign word written, the other as merely the repository of the symbols of our faith; one names Christ as the unique and only saviour of the world—meaning there is salvation in no-one else —, the other sees Christ as the unique saviour for them only. One sees mission primarily in terms of the proclamation of the gospel, of conversion to Christ from sin through repentance and faith, of lifelong growing discipleship, of presenting people mature in Christ for the last judgment. The other sees mission in terms of extending the church (meaning ‘denomination’), of making the world a better place, of providing religious services, of helping people connect with their inherent spirituality, of affirming people in their lifestyle preferences, of boldly reflecting the cultural Zeitgeist of tolerance, pluralism and inclusivity.

The two missions are irreconcilable. There is no basis for true koinonia between them. You cannot throw a blanket of structural communion over two different gospels. For the sake of the true gospel, for the sake of true koinonia, it is time for Anglicans to realign. Jesus is still building his church.

Personally, I would say this is very well put, and we should ask ourselves which side ECUSA is on. Unfortunately it is quite obvious.

[sionnsar]

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