TEC Diocesan Bishops at GAFCON and wise words from Fr. Martins (Corrected)

Matt+, I think you’re missing at least one Primate.  I saw pix of ++Justice Akfrofi of West Africa when I was browsing through some of the photo galleries, and believe he spoke at one point as well.

ok, here’s official proof that ++Akrofi is there:
http://www.gafcon.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=12

Karen, unless I am wrong, ++Akrofi is Central Africa and he is on the list.

Matt from Anne’s computer

Fr. Matt, this would suggest that Karen B is right.++Akrofi West Africa

Hi again Matt+
++Akrofi is West Africa.
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/communion/primates/biog/details.cfm?ID=6545

Wondering too about ++Mokiwa of Tanzania. I know former Primate ++Mtetemela was on the organizing committee for GAFCON.  Then ++Mokiwa announced he was going to be part of the Communion Partners group.  Does that mean ++Mokiwa is not at GAFCON?  I never saw any official announcement about his status.

Akrofi is West Africa. http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=W2

Scroll down to third item.

For those who like numbers, here are some of the best estimates (from 2004) on memebership of these provinces, from here:

Kenya     3,500,000
Nigeria 17,500,000
Rwanda   1,000,000
Southern Cone     22,490
Uganda   8,000,000
West Africa   1,000,000

i.e. 31 million members and change, about 15 times the size of TEC.

oops, forgot my source link.  It’s here:
http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/communion/iss_communion_howbig.asp

Those figures are taken from the Church of England yearbook, 2004

But see, this is why the progressives work so hard to keep referring to the Archbishops or their provinces instead of their members - because the contrast would be obvious - a small handful of people here are trying to dictate to millions elsewhere. Which is why they keep trying to inflate their numbers in TEC, why they keep diocese propped up, why they delay closing down marginalized parishes. Anything to prevent someone seeing and calling them on the obvious. A small well-monied minority is trying to ram their politics and their issues down the throats of the majority. Kind of like my son when he was very young dragging on my arm to take him to what he desired, constantly begging, nagging and trying to find any reason at all for me to acquiese to his demands.

Turning from the primates attending GAFCon to the TEC sitting bishops, I think it’s interesting that many of these 7 diocesans are clearly from the catholic wing.  That is, +Iker, +Ackerman, +Beckwith, and +Love are emphatically Anglo-Catholic (leaving aside the issue of their stance on WO), perhaps +MacPherson and +Adams somewhat less so.  Of the GAFCon attenders, only +Lawrence of SC is emphatically low church.

I bring this up as an encouragement to the more catholic readers of SF who might be worried that GAFCon represents an overwhelmingly evangelical type of Anglicanism.  The 25 leaders on the Theological Resource Team that put together the long resource paper for this event, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life,” may be overwhelmingly from the evangelical wing (or should I say the evangelical CENTER?), but I don’t perceive their document as anti-catholic.

I think this kind of cooperation bodes well for our future.  The Lord is drawing all orthodox Anglicans together.  The ACN and CCP vision of a “biblical, missionary, UNITED Anglicanism” is increasingly taking on more and more substance.  May this happy trend continue!

But how about a list of the other CCP bishops present, such as the REC bishops.  I know there are some of those.  Can Matt, or anyone else, provide a more complete list of the CCP bishops present and accounted for?

David Handy+

You’d think a list of all invitees would be available somewhere.

Anyone know if there any Canadian bishops there?

David+, I think Fr. Lee Nelson provided a short list of some of the Common Cause bishops he’d seen, let me check…

Yes, my memory was correct.  Here you go (obviously only a partial list):

http://gafconphotoblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/bishops-gathered-in-garden-of.html

One of the things that has been inspiring about the Conference is the presence of so many bishops who are not invited to Lambeth. For instance, Bishop Ray Sutton (REC) and Bishop Paul Hewett (Diocese of the Holy Cross) pictured here with many bishops from Africa in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is clear that GAFCON does not represent “institutional Anglicanism.” It represents a global movement among Anglicans. That’s what is most exciting.

I know that my bishop, William Millsaps, from the Episcopal Missionary Church is there!

Mr. Toad (#13), there’s a Canadian blogger linked in Kendall’s list of links. 
http://pastorbarclay.blogspot.com/

You might try posting a comment and asking him.  (Or posting a comment on the Anglican Essentials blog, which has been providing a lot of Gafcon news.)

I’d be very surprised if +Harvey were not present.

It would be great if we could start compiling a list of all the bishops we know are there - it’s great to pray for GAFCON in general but it would be even better to be able to pray for all our bishops by name, too.

Bishop Lawrence of South Carolina is going but unable to arrive until mid-conference because of scheduling issues.

Where’s +Schofield?

DUCKS AND RUNNING FOR COVER….ok… I forgot not in TEC

I spotted +Schofeld in a Gafcon pic next to +Forsyth of South Sydney…;-)

Re #5 and the question about ++Mokiwa’s attendance.  He’s shown there in a photo here.

These also should not be discounted, ISTM.  From here: Gledhill

Significantly, Pittsburgh bishop Bob Duncan, who heads Common Cause, isn’t even here, although he was in Jordan and looked after the Pakistani and Sudanese bishops, who weren’t allowed into Israel after the others left to be with Archbishop Akinola.

I don’t doubt they’d have been in Jerusalem if they were able.

Nice to know that my bishop, +John-David, is there!

Does anyone know why Bishop Duncan isn’t there or am I behind?

Greetings to all. I am glad these bishops are there.  Even though I was not extended an invitation to come. I will most certainly hope and keep in prayer that GAFCON will be able to kick butt for God.  Its only right that this happens for God.
You all there have my prayers.  If there is anything else I can do, then please let me know.  Private message me or email me.
God bless,
+Stonewall

My dear Potter, there have been ample announcements that there will not be schism. What I take from that is that there will not be a divorce from Canterbury. Now, it is clear that there is movement away from Canterbury, but the cord will not be cut. Also, I don’t think that the new Orthodox Anglican Communion (OAC) within the erstwhile Anglican Communion/now Anglican Federation will not be revolving around Canterbury any longer. Finally, in the new Anglican Federation, “ancient traditions of irresolute diocesan boundaries” will go by the wayside despite the hypocritical protestations of Ms Schori.

Rowan Williams subverted the pastoral scheme of DeS. That does not mean that there won’t be one. Rather, it will be made without him. I imagine that Western Lousiana will go with the TEO for the time being, but when the TEO crumbles, the parishes will flee to the alternate Anglican organization in the U.S. that is is communion with the Orthodox Anglican Communion.

Bishop Duncan had a family committment that precluded attending the Jerusalem portion of GAFCON.  Also if you count Archbishops rather than just current Primates you can add Yung Ping Chung, SE Asia(Retired), and Jensen, Abp of Sydney  

David Wilson
Standing Cmte, Pgh

Will this be another conference where they will have to have another conference leading to another conference and statements(sometime in 2009 or beyond), or will something actually be done for those in waiting? I see no definitive action in the past 5 years except talking and more talking.

I forgot to add that Pgh Asst Bishop Henry Scriven is representing the Diocese of Pgh at the Jerusalem portion of GAFCON

David Wilson

In terms of Canadian Bishops, both ANiC bishops, +Harvey and +Harding are there. None from the ACoC are there that I have heard of.

Has anyone spotted my previous rector Bp. David Anderson of CANA/AAC?

#5 and #6, okay, my mistake if my internet holds I’ll change the list and also add Tanzania

#33, thanks PhilV. It doesn’t surprise me that the ACoC bishops are conspicuous by their absence.

After reading Dan’s entire article last night I couldn’t help thinking that we Anglo-Catholics stand a much better chance of being respected and heard within the Network structures, evangelical as they may be characterized, than we do having our orthodox views even tolerated in TEC. Our experience here at St. Tim’s with AMiA has been nothing less than wonderful. We were encouraged to maintain our traditional liturgical style and have our choice of prayer book. At present, we use the ‘79 BCP for it’s familiarity with most of our parishioners, but we have returned to the ‘28 BCP service for baptism.

Belle,
I think it is safe to say that institutionally, TEC has shown no respect to Anglo Catholics since the ‘76 GC. There are some catholic elements to the ‘79 BCP, but with the various canons enshrining WO, and the various statements that the likes of +Iker and +Ackerman (ie: bishops who do not ordain women) will no longer be tolerated in TEC, “this” church wrote us off a long time ago.
  All I can say is that EVERY orthodox evangelical I have had any contact with has welcomed me with open arms.

Mad Potter, post 27: Regarding your statement: “I think that the leadership of the Northern Church are more than prepared to see half of the Anglican Communion membership start a new communion.”

I get the impression that they are indulging in wishful thinking.

You guys are congregationalist when it suits you

That’s rich - coming from the Province that raised Provincial Congregationalism to the level of a dogma.

Belle,
I have noticed the same. I am not sure where the Southern Cone falls on the low-high spectrum but my ultra-high AC parish is nothing but respected and well cared for by ++Venables. 

But for the occasional friendly theological dust-up between our wing and the low wing, I feel the same way about the wider communion. I have not a worry in the world about getting lost in the shuffle since I trust that all the orthodox primates understand the concept of being a good shepherd to all one’s sheep not just the one’s you happen to agree with.

Where is the Bishop of Colorado? The Presiding Bishop assured me he would be there.

Yours in Christ,
jacob

He may be here in Jerusalem, but not as a participant in GAFCON. He is, I think, with the other TEC bishop in Jerusalem, The Rt Rev. Suheil Dawani

I continue to wish for access to a complete list of the bishops attending, which I suppose will eventually be available.  One of the things that GAFCon represents is that the breakup of the AC is not limited to the inter-provincial level or within the two North American provinces alone.  The presence and prominence of Bp. Michael Nazir-Ali in Jerusalem as a keynote speaker, and the presence of at least five Englishmen among the 25 drafters of the GAFCOn statement, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life,” suggests that the C of E is in the process of splitting too.  And inevitably and necessarily so.

So I for one would like to know what bishops from England dared to come.  Similarly, I’d love to know if any came from liberal provinces like Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and New Zealand.  For instance, the Diocese of Albany has a companion relationship with the Diocese of Down and Dromore in Ireland, and I can easily see Bp. Harold Miller, who is very orthodox, attending GAFCon.

Too bad, however, that ++Drexel Gomez apparently changed his mind and didn’t come after all.  But GAFCon already represents the achievement of “critical mass.”  The majority of the world’s practicing Anglicans are behind this movement, and so I fully expect it to gain speed and momentum.  The New Reformation has begun.  For better or worse, it will prove unstoppable.  The Anglican Communion will never be the same. 

We have passed the point of no return.  The best is yet to come.  Thanks be to God.

David Handy+

Question:  Has anyone put together a list as to what provinces as a whole might be listed as conservative, liberal or mixed?  Granted only subjective generalizations can be formed, but it would be useful to get an idea of where the non-Gafcon provinces have come down on some of the issues facing the Communion. 

For example, David lists Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and New Zealand as liberal.  Some people say England is liberal and others say it is mixed.  Sydney is conservative but what about the rest of Australia?  The Middle East as a whole is considered conservative but Jerusalem seems to be in Bruno’s pocket.  Southeast Asia is conservative.  South Africa is liberal (or at least Tuto is).  I haven’t heard much from the Church of India, but I wonder what they would think about Bruno’s service with Hindus is which he effectively apologized for the existence of Christians in India.

Also, do we know if any Churches such as Pakistan or Sudan were represented at Jordan?

With Matt’s confirmation that ++Mokiwa of Tanzania is attending, that brings us to a total of 33 million+ members represented by their Primates:

Kenya 3,500,000
Nigeria 17,500,000
Rwanda 1,000,000
Southern Cone 22,490
Tanzania 2,000,000
Uganda 8,000,000
West Africa 1,000,000

(Note: These figures are based on old membership data from the 2004 CoE yearbook, so obviously, this total is probably now higher by a few million given the explosive growth of the Anglican church in Nigeria, Uganda, etc.)

One other Primate I’m wondering about, Matt.  Is Fidele Dirokpa of Congo there?  He’s been a pretty stalwart Primate in terms of supporting the Global South.  We hear less from him because he and his province are francophone, but I bet there’s some chance that he’s there.  Would be curious to know.

The Rt Rev Albert Chama, a bishop of Zambia, is the acting primate of the province of Central Africa.  That province is undergoing so much political turmoil, it wouldn’t be surprising if no one came.  If there are any representatives, especially if they are from Zimbabwe, I hope there will be an opportunity for some conference members to pray for them—the political instability could lead to anarchy and a primate election will be held in a province known for ecclesiastical struggles.

#42: As a priest in the Southern Cone, I can tell you that not all of the dioceses of the province are, as was described by driver8, “congregationalist.”  Peru and Uruguay, in particular, go against that trend (with Bolivia making great strides).  Peru is sometimes even called Anglo-Catholic, although that is just compared to the other dioceses—Peru is actually very middle-of-the-road, with much diversity.

#45 David Handy: You have put your arms around the whole story.  We can wonder who’s there and who’s not there, we can go back and forth with the likes of Emily H, the Mad Potter and Susan Russell, but the fact remains that the train left the station quite awhile ago.  Albeit, it took years to pick up steam but there is no stopping it now.  For those of us who have already separated that is just peace and “let’s get on with the mission”. Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.

Thanks, Petra (#51).  I don’t claim any credit for the view I expressed above in my #45; it’s fairly common among us CCP types or “Fed Cons.”  But the presence of the primates of West Africa and Tanzania is important because it shows that the train is indeed picking up steam and gaining new passengers jumping on board.  Also, as noted by others above, it’s also highly significant that there are bishops from outside the official AC at GAFCon too.  That is another key sign that this movement is indeed picking up momentum.

And AndrewA (#47),

It has been reported that some Pakistani and Sundanese bishops did indeed attend the brief session in Amman, Jordan last week.  But they were unable to go to the pilgrimage in Jerusalem because Israel bans visitors from those countries.  IIRC, +Bob Duncan the Lion-Hearted stayed behind for a while after everyone else left for Jerusalem so that he could meet with those unfortunately excluded bishops. 

Personally, I’d love to know what bishops came from Sudan.  I hope it includes the new primate, ++Daniel Deng Bul, the Bishop of Renk, but I’ve seen no names given out yet.  Some of those details may take a while to emerge into the light of day and the public domain.

But the fact that they came is still highly significant.  TEC has been lavishlng gifts on Sudanese bishops, trying to bribe them into silence and staying neutral on the sidelines in this fight (they can never buy their actual support).  As you may know, most Sudanese bishops are so poor they don’t own a car and have to get around on bikes.  And TEC offers them nice, new SUVs and other enticements. 

But the fact that at least some bishops from the big Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECOS) came to Jordan is very significant indeed.  For those who don’t know, the ECOS is similar in size to the Anglican Church of Kenya, competing for third place in size among all Anglican provinces.  It has at least 5 million members, maybe 6 million (no one keeps an accurate census and really knows).  That makes it even bigger than Tanzania, or Rwanda, or Singapore, or any other provinces except Nigeria, Uganda, and probably Kenya.  And that includes England, where only some 3 million+ English citizens actually are active Anglicans.

Of course, Sudan (ECOS) is desperately poor, and locked in a fierce life-and-death struggle with the miltant Islamic regime in Khartoum, the National Islamic Front headed up by that loathsome dictator Omar al-Bashir (who is even worse and more cruel, if possible, than Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe).  The fanatical Sudanese government is publicly committed to the Islamization of the whole region (all NE Africa) and the imposition of Sharia law everywhere.  And as the atrocities in Darfur help drive home, that brutal government will stop at nothing to achieve its goals.  As a result, I don’t expect Sudan to play a role in this Anglican civil war commensurate with its big and growing size.  But that some bishops came at all from Sudan is yet another sign that the train is leaving the station and people are starting to hurry to get on board.

David Handy+

I see +Iker (of course), and +MacPherson (aye!) but there’s a diocesan between those two who is MIA.  Gee, I wonder who that could be . . . . I trust he’s not under the weather or anything . . .

It has been reported that some Pakistani and Sundanese bishops did indeed attend the brief session in Amman, Jordan last week.  But they were unable to go to the pilgrimage in Jerusalem because Israel bans visitors from those countries.  IIRC, +Bob Duncan the Lion-Hearted stayed behind for a while after everyone else left for Jerusalem so th uded bishops.

And yet <a >this</a> blogger claims to have met two Sudanese bishops in Jerusalem. Curious, for bishops who were supposedly unable to get in! (And Israel does not ban them, it is their own countries that cause problems).

Ruth Gledhill also <a >reports</a> that +Bob Duncan the Lion-Hearted is celebrating his birthday in Italy at the minute. GAFCON obviously means a lot to him!

Nice to see, as Gledhill reports (with picture, no less!), Howard Ahmanson there too. Surprise, surprise.

#53- I see +Iker (of course), and +MacPherson (aye!) but there’s a diocesan between those two who is MIA.  Gee, I wonder who that could be . . . . I trust he’s not under the weather or anything . . .

Could you mean….. +Stanton? I fear he is a lame duck bishop, content to ride it out until retirement. Truly shameful.

Mick, I noted Ruth G’s comment about +Duncan celebrating his 60th in Italy.  Did it ever occur to you that perhaps the family made plans a long time ago for that?  Perhaps before GAFCON was planned?  GAFCON was only announced in December, I believe.  I have no idea if this is true, but it would provide a reasonable explanation.  While I’m sure it’s a disappointment to many that +Bob is not there, I’m sure +Scriven can represent Pittsburgh just fine, and +Iker and +Ackerman, et al can ably represent Common Cause and the Network.

following up on #25 and #29:

Ruth Gledhill reported in her column:
“....It is clear that, with Common Causes’s Bob Duncan not even here, but celebrating his 60th birthday in Italy…” 

So the Bishop is celebrating his birthday instead of being at GAFCON.  Seems strange to me!

Mick (#54),

Despite your rather cynical tone, I appreciate your attempt to set the record straight about the Sudanese bishops.  I’m delighted if two are indeed in Jerusalem after all.  And I’m happy to stand corrected about the nature of the passport or visa difficulties involved.  I’m glad to know that it’s apparently their return to Pakistan and Sudan from Israel that’s the problem, not getting into Israel in the first place.  I made a false assumption.

But your link to Tony Payne’s blog didn’t yield the information about the two Sudanese bishops you mention being in Jerusalem.  At least I didn’t see it.  Maybe I missed it.

Anyway, their presence is very significant.

David Handy+

Mick, maybe the “issues” raised by revisionistas that necessitated this conference in the first place were such no brainers that they were able to finish early? Just a thought.

David Handy (11)
According to my pastor, the R.E. Church is represented at GAFcon by:
+Riches - Northeast and Midlantic
+Sutton - Suffragan
+Dorrington, Western Canada

Keeping Faith,
KMFrye

Incidental notes:  +Jim Adams used to be my Rector—he is an AWESOME MAN OF GOD… He probably comes closest to being a living example of the kind of “New Reformation” Anglican that Father David Handy longs for… +Adams, incredibly, did his seminary training at General (Episcopal Tech) in NYC—how a man like him came out of THAT place with the dynamic faith that he possesses still intact remains a mystery to me. Having said all of this, I should also note that his churchmanship is sufficiently “High” so that almost every Anglo-Catholic that I know would be perfectly comfortable with him. At one and the same time, every Evangelical that I am aware of who has met or worked with +Adams is no less comfortable with him. He’s a Texan—and maybe that’s the secret to his ability to keep one foot in each camp.

I am always amazed that people on SF seem, for the most part, to be completely unaware of the fact that +Robert Duncan has always been considered to be an Anglo-Catholic… Yes, he has now made some sort of peace with WO, but, apart from this, his Anglo-Catholic credentials are impressive.

Mick, if you’re trying to start an argument, forget it!  I like an argument as well as anyone else, but in this case, no cigar!  You lose!

FWIW, +Duncan is squarely on the side of Common Cause.  While he would like to be at GAFCON personally, he apparently is quite sure that +Scriven can stand in for him with no problem….and I agree!

It speaks to +Duncan’s credit that he is honouring his family’s wishes.  A 60th birthday is probably planned at least a year in advance.  It also helps put the lie to the notion that +Duncan is seeking power for power’s sake, since one would expect such a power-driven individual to be there, clapping backs and kissing babies, as it were.

Liberal activists might well be puzzled at the notion of Family trumping Politics, since they seem so quick to pursue the reverse.

Cennydd, we “Alignment” RECer’s liked “+Dunc” even before the CC, now we like him even more.

Keeping Faith,
KMFrye

Guess it must be an early celebration. July 5th if I’m not mistaken.
Glad to hear someone’s filling in for him.

#55, Via Orthodoxy,

Did +Stanton get invited?  Does anyone know?  If he was invited, did he give a reason for not attending?
There’s nothing about GAFCON that I can find on the diocese website…

KMFrye (#60),

Thanks for the list of REC bishops in Jerusalem.  I was sure hoping that ++Leonard Riches was there.  I think very highly of him.

Now if we could only hear about what other CCP bishops are present and accounted for at GAFCon…

David Handy+

It seems to me that the GAFCON and similarly minded Anglicans will start a new group of associated Christians practicing in the Anglican tradition.  This might be a new Communion or Federation or who knows what.  That needs to be worked out.  Additionally, those in this new group may or may not be part of the Anglican Communion centered around Canterbury.  As the revisionist have show n, the Anglican Communion is a Communion of convenience where membership is symbolic of nothing.  You can do what you want, say what you want, believe what you want and still be a member.  It is my guess that those Anglicans that are part of the new group, will give membership in the Anglican Communion all the due thought it deserves, NONE, and their participation in Anglican Communion events will be minimal or none.  But they also will make no effort to “leave” it, why bother leaving?

In short, I think the Anglican Communion, and whether who is a member will be ignored by the new group of Anglicans.

kmfrye #60, your rector missed one. Alphonsa (I’ve been thoroughly corrected in the spelling by a friendly Presbyter) Gadsen, along with his wife. = SE….

Grannie gloria

I don’t know Edwin. VGR wasn’t invited to Lambeth either but he will be mucking about. I think +Stanton could have swung an invite had he wanted to.

I believe that +Duncan explained a few weeks ago that, because of the great cost of taking two Pittsburgh Bishops to Lambeth and Gafcon, he and +Scriven would split the two conferences between them.  That is, each would be at both conferences for half of the time.  This may be the reason why +Scriven is standing in for +Duncan right now since +Duncan already attended the Jordan part of Gafcon.  I believe they have coordinated plans and goals to the extent that one can substitute for the other.  (This arrangement also may answer to some of the problems that will confront Pittsburgh with +Duncan facing the GC vote and the threatened deposition.)

These are very helpful lists, Matt.  But would like to see all the U. S. TEC Bishops listed, whether diocesan or not.  So why not include +Scriven of Pittsburgh?  I would also welcome an expanded Primates list to include Archbishops so that Sydney and Southeast Asia could be named.