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My fellow Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Laity and other distinguished guests at this annual Forward in Faith North America gathering, greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Coming to the subject of unity, I’m reminded of the challenges before us by the story of a man stranded on a South Pacific island. He was finally discovered when an oil freighter passed by the area noticing smoke from his fire. The ship dropped anchor. The curious captain of the ship came ashore. He noticed three huts on the beach. He asked the survivor what they were for. The man explained...

As ECUSA Divide Grows, Orthodox Anglican Groups Unite By Jim Brown and Jenni Parker June 30, 2004 (AgapePress) - The Episcopal Church USA's current direction, including measures such as the church's confirmation of openly homosexual Bishop V. Gene Robinson and its approval of so-called same-sex "blessing ceremonies," has prompted six conservative Anglican groups to form a new coalition. The alliance announced by the Anglican Communion Network (ACN) includes the Reformed Episcopal Church, the Anglican Mission in America, Forward in Faith North America, the Anglican Province in America, and the American Anglican Council. ACN moderator and Pittsburgh bishop Robert Duncan says...

THREE BISHOPS TALK CANDIDLY ABOUT THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION NETWORK By David W. Virtue BEDFORD, TX (6/25/2004)--Three orthodox bishops addressed deputies to the 16th Annual Assembly of Forward and Faith NA, the traditionalist wing of the Episcopal Church and spoke candidly about its aims, objectives and problems. Jack Iker, Bishop of Fort Worth, William Wantland, senior bishop, Diocese of Eau Claire (ret.) and Peter Beckwith, Diocese of Springfield talked about the issues at St. Vincent's cathedral. IKER: "The ACN is a work in progress. There have been two surprises. Some orthodox ECUSA bishops have not come on board and joined the...

FIFNA PRESIDENT REAFFIRMS 'CATHOLIC ORDER' TO ECUSA FAITHFUL Calls for a new North American Anglican Province By David W. Virtue BEDFORD, TX (6/24/2003)--The President of The Episcopal Church's largest traditionalist organization says that "we have no faith of our own, but only that which is Biblical, Evangelical, Catholic and Apostolic - the revealed religion of historic Christianity." Addressing delegates to the Forward in Faith 16th Annual Assembly in St. Vincent's Cathedral, the Rev. Dr. David L. Moyer said that because of the growing apostasy of the ECUSA, many are now moving (some kicking and screaming) towards the historic faith as...

BETHLEHEM BISHOP GOES AFTER TWO ORTHODOX PARISHES Special Report By David W. Virtue BETHLEHEM, PA—Two orthodox parishes and their priests in the Diocese of Bethlehem are feeling the heat from the Rt. Rev. Paul Marshall because they refuse to support decisions made at the last General Convention on human sexuality which the bishop voted for. Fr. William H. Ilgenfritz of St. Stephen’s in Whitehall said he, his curate, senior warden and every parish member got letters from the bishop, the president of the Standing Committee and the vice-chair of the Diocesan Council questioning their loyalty. In letters dated April 23,...

FiF North America forwardNOW! interviews Bishop Wantland 20 March 2004 INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP WANTLAND, CELEBRANT IN OHIO Bishop William Wantland, retired bishop of Eau Claire, now lives in Oklahoma. He is a long-time FIF/NA Council Member and FIF/NA Chancellor. He was chosen to be the Celebrant at the historic Confirmation Service for the “Ohio Cluster” of parishes on March 14, 2004. forwardNOW! - How were the Bishops chosen to provide the “Ohio cluster” with these “emergency measures” this past Sunday? Who did the asking? Do you think that this will give other bishops courage to step out and repeat this...

FiF International News Warm and friendly welcome at Lambeth Palace 19 February 2004 Forward in Faith’s international leadership today met the Archbishop of Canterbury for what Bishop John Broadhurst, International Chairman of Forward in Faith, described as “a very cordial and most useful discussion”. A frank exchange of views took place on the prospect of the ordination of women bishops in Australia and in the Provinces of the UK; on the fall-out following the consecration of the Bishop of New Hampshire and the emergence of the new Network in the United States; and on all the difficulties which inevitably arise...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2003 Contact: The Rev'd Canon Warren Tanghe 404-872-4169 Fort Worth: Forward in Faith, North America, today is releasing the attached letter and Council Resolution. These documents were sent via Federal Express to The Most Rev'd Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, and to certain select Primates of the Anglican Communion. Fed Ex tracking reported that the letter was delivered to Lambeth Palace on November 9. No reply has yet been received. The Resolution and letter were written and approved unanimously by the Council of Forward in Faith on November 5, 2003. FIF/NA is now releasing this...

Supplemental Episcopal Pastoral Care - Is it good enough? 7 November 2003 1. These notes are intended to indicate the principal differences between SEPC as it is proposed in the United States and the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod, 1993 as it has operated in the Church of England for the last nine years; and further to comment on the American proposals. The ‘theological’ background. 2. The English Act of Synod begins with a clear statement of the purpose of the Act: it is ‘to make provision for the continued diversity of opinion in the Church of England’ with regard...

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." --Galileo Galilei Dear Brothers and Sisters, Someone should remind the Anglican Communion of Galileo's sage advice. In the wake of the most serious crisis in its history, the leadership of the Anglican Communion seems to have lost all sense, reason and intellectual comprehension at what has taken place, and will now take place, as a result of the New Hampshire consecration. The Episcopal Church will not be saved by Frank Griswold's plea for...

October 28, 2003 For Immediate Release: FORWARD IN FAITH, NORTH AMERICA'S COUNCIL TO HOLD URGENT MEETING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING NEW HAMPSHIRE CONSECRATION OF VICKY GENE ROBINSON FIF/NA's Executive Committee and Council will meet November 3-5 to discuss strategy for going forward in support of orthodox Anglicanism. The highly opposed consecration of V. Gene Robinson as Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire has created this opportune moment. The Rev'd Canon Bill Atwood, who has for years made possible the communication and cooperation between orthodox Primates around the world, will once again be present with his invaluable input. The Most Rev'd Bernard Malango, Primate...

FORWARD IN FAITH LEADER CALLS FOR CLEANSING, RENEWAL AND REFORM OF ECUSA By David W. Virtue DALLAS, TX-The leader of the Episcopal Church's Anglo-Catholics yesterday called for full cooperation with Evangelical and Charismatic wings of the ECUSA, to achieve the goal of cleansing the Church and working towards renewal and reform. The Rev. Dr. David L. Moyer, president of Forward in Faith/North America, said that his members were here at the invitation of the American Anglican Council and that he would "enthusiastically work with leaders of the Episcopal Church and the larger Anglican Communion in light of the latest crisis...

Episcopal priest mulls split from denomination Whitehall Twp. church rector among clerics opposed to gay bishop. By Genevieve Marshall Of The Morning Call The Rev. William Ilgenfritz will get on a plane today for a flight he booked on an Internet discount site and head for Dallas, where conservative Episcopalians are meeting this week to decide whether to break from the denomination over a gay man's appointment as bishop. Although he is open to modern conveniences, the 56-year-old Ilgenfritz believes in tradition. He is vice president of Forward in Faith, a conservative Episcopal group formed more than a quarter-century ago...