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WEEKLY
ARTICLE
To
the People of the Church of the Good Shepherd
From
the Wardens, Vestry, and Cergy of
The
Church of the Good Shepherd
July
2006
Dear
Good Shepherd,
As
you know, Good Shepherd has been waiting for three years now
to see whether the Episcopal Church would choose to take a
step back toward biblical faithfulness by accepting the requests
of the Anglican Communion as articulated in the Windsor Report.
For
background I refer you to the article I wrote on this subject
in January of this year. You can find that article online
at the following address:
http://www.binghamtongoodshepherd.com/articledecision2006.shtml
It
is also enclosed with this letter.
There
were three specific requests contained in the Windsor Report.
The Episcopal Church was asked to:
- Express
regret for breaching the proper constraints of the bonds
of affection between provinces in the Anglican Communion
by proceeding with the consecration of a non-celibate, partnered,
homosexual man to the office of bishop.
- Effect
a moratorium on any future, nominations, elections, consents
and/or consecrations of non-celibate homosexual people to
the office of bishop.
- Effect
a moratorium on the performance and authorization of public
rites for same sex blessings.
These
requests were endorsed by all of the primates (the 38 leaders
usually archbishops) of the Anglican Communion provinces around
the world, by the Archbishop of Canterbury (the titular head
of the Anglican Communion), and by the Anglican Consultative
Council; in short, the entire Anglican world.
By
all accounts the Episcopal Church has failed to comply with
these requests. In his recent
reflection on the 75th General Convention, the Archbishop
of Canterbury described the Episcopal Church's response to
these request's as “incomplete.”
The
primates of the Anglican Communion will meet in seven months
to formally consider their response Episcopal Church but the
final outcome is all but certain. As Archbishop Peter Akinola,
primate of the Church of Nigeria (the largest Anglican province
in the world) wrote in a letter
sent to the Episcopal Church on behalf of a group of 22 primates
at the close of General Convention:
We
have been especially concerned by the development of your
response to The Windsor Report, which has been reported to
us quite extensively. This is something for which we have
earnestly prayed. We are, however, saddened that the reports
to date of your elections and actions suggest that you are
unable to embrace the essential recommendations of the Windsor
Report and the 2005 Primates Communiqué necessary for
the healing of our divisions.
The
letter goes on to say:
We
have observed the commitment shown by your church to the full
participation of people in same gender sexual relationships
in civic life, church life and leadership. We have noted the
many affirmations of this throughout the Convention. As you
know, our Churches cannot reconcile this with the teaching
on marriage set out in the Holy Scriptures and repeatedly
affirmed throughout the Anglican Communion. All four Instruments
of Unity in the Anglican Communion advised you against taking
and continuing these commitments and actions prior to your
General Convention in 2003.
The Episcopal Church has chosen to walk apart
from the Anglican Communion. But more importantly, the Episcopal
Church has rejected the plain reading of the Word of God with
regard to human sexuality.
As the vestry of the Church of the Good Shepherd
stated in our letter
to the diocesan delegates to General Convention back in
February:
The
essential issue at stake in our current crisis is whether
God's Word holds supreme authority in all matters of faith
and practice. When Richard Hooker wrote, “what Scripture doth
plainly deliver, to that first credit and obedience is due;
the next whereunto is whatsoever any man can necessarily conclude
by force of reason; after these the voice of the Church succeedeth,”
(Laws, Book V, 8:2; Folger Edition 2:39,8-14), he was simply
articulating what the Church has always believed; that, “all
scripture, is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting, and training in righteousness” (2nd Timothy 3:16),
and must therefore hold primary authority in the Church. The
bible consistently and uniformly describes all sexual behavior
outside the bounds of heterosexual marriage as sinful. Homosexual
behavior in particular is specifically defined as sin in both
the Old and the New Testaments (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans
1:18-32; 1st Corinthians 6:9)
I
commend this letter (enclosed) in its entirety. It ends with
this paragraph:
Regardless
of your decisions at General Convention, we the clergy, vestry,
and people of the Church of the Good Shepherd are prepared
to stand firm. We will not cooperate with or participate in
any body claiming to be the Church that leads people deeper
into darkness and further from the light of Christ.
That
is the core issue. The current teachings of the Episcopal
Church with regard to the authority of the bible and human
sexuality lead people deeper into darkness and further from
the light of Christ.
For
that reason and for the spiritual safety of our families,
the vestry and I do not believe that we can participate any
longer. It is our intention to seek affiliation with another
faithful Anglican body.
There
will be two parish gatherings: one on Wednesday evening the
12th of July at 6:30pm and one on Sunday morning, the 16th
of July, between services. These meetings are designed to
inform and to listen. Your questions and comments are welcome
and encouraged. All members of the Church of the Good Shepherd
are welcome.
God
has prepared us over the last three years for these crucial
days in the life of this parish
We've
faced some very difficult times together. God has never abandoned
us but always protected us and provided for us in every circumstance.
Nor, have we abandoned each other. We've become a family.
We've stood together and committed ourselves to Jesus Christ
and to his Word. And Jesus has built us up in numbers, in
strength, and in devotion.
I
believe that we have been called together for just this time
to stand firm for the truth of the gospel of Christ. So let
us stand.
And
may we do so with courage, fidelity, and love.
The
Rev. Matt Kennedy (rector)
On
Behalf of the Vestry and Wardens of the Church of the Good
Shepherd
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