THREE NIGERIANS HONOURED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SUPPORT FOR THE WORK OF THE CHURCH
CONN/771105
Abuja, 29 Nov. 2005 – The Anglican diocese of Abuja on Saturday, 26 November 2005 marked its 16th anniversary in a glorious Eucharist where three prominent Nigerians were honoured for their generous and selfless support to the Church ministry.
Former Nigerian Head-of-State, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili and former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) were the recipients of the awards. Chief Shonekan who chaired the visionary process which produced the Church of Nigeria Vision in the year 2000, has continued to provide consistent and valuable support for the church. Governor Odili is noted for his generous support and empathy for God’s people while Gen. Danjuma on his part has severally identified with Non-governmental Organisations whose programmes are geared towards assisting the down-trodden in the society and he has not relented in contributing to the work of the church.
The Primate of all Nigeria, Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola also at the same occasion celebrated his 16th year of episcopacy. Being the pioneer Bishop of the diocese, he has equally climbed the ladder of church leadership since he was consecrated Bishop 16 years ago to his present office now as the incumbent President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Chairman, Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) as well as the Chair, Global South Anglicans.
In his sermon, the Archbishop of Ibadan Province, Most Revd Joseph Akinfenwa enjoined both political and religious leaders to provide good, honest and transparent leadership to their followers. He advised leaders who have little or nothing to show for their elected positions to honourably bow out as soon as their tenure expires. Quoting from Zech. 3:6, the cleric said that Archbishop Akinola has made a laudable and indelible mark in the church history today because he depended not on his ‘might’, nor his ‘power’ but on the Spirit of the Almighty God.
Many people from different walks of life were present in the service which also attracted dignitaries and Government officials like Chief Uffot Ekaette, the Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria who represented the President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
Tuesday 29 November 2005
Monday 21 November 2005
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE THIRD ANGLICAN SOUTH-SOUTH ENCOUNTER
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE THIRD ANGLICAN SOUTH-SOUTH ENCOUNTER
CONN/701005
Text of the Communique:
A Third Trumpet from the South
TRUMPET III
The Third Anglican Global South to South Encounter
Red Sea (Egypt), 25-30 October 2005
The Third Anglican South-to-South Encounter has graphically demonstrated the coming of age of the Church of the Global South. We are poignantly aware that we must be faithful to God’s vision of one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We do not glory in our strengths but in God’s strength. We do not shrink from our responsibility as God’s people because of our weaknesses but we trust God to demonstrate His power through our weakness. We thank God for moving us forward to serve Him in such a time as this.
A. Preamble
1. A total of 103 delegates of 20 provinces in the Global South (comprising Africa, South and South East Asia, West Indies and South America), representing approximately two-thirds of the Anglican Communion, met for the 3rd Global South to South Encounter from 25-30 October 2005 at Ain El-Sukhna by the Red Sea in Egypt. The theme of the Encounter was “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: Being A Faithful Church For Such A Time As This”.
2. We deeply appreciated the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time he spent with us, his listening ear and encouraging words. We took to heart his insight that the four marks of the Church are not attributes we possess as our own right, nor goals to attain by human endeavour, but they are expressed in us as we deeply focus on Jesus Christ, who is the Source of them all (John 17:17-21).
3. We were really warmed by the welcome that we received here by the President, the government and the people of Egypt. We valued the great efforts made by the state security personnel who are making the land of Egypt a secure and safe place to all her visitors. We were touched by the warm hospitality of the Diocese of Egypt.
4. We have witnessed in Egypt a wonderful model for warm relations between Christians and Muslims. We admire the constructive dialogue that is happening between the two faiths. We appreciated the attendance of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr Mohammed Said Tantawi, the representative of Pope Shenouda III and other religious leaders at the State Reception to launch our Encounter. We were encouraged by their wise contributions.
B. We Gathered
5. We gathered to seek the face of God, to hear His Word afresh and to be renewed by His Spirit for total obedience to Christ who is Lord of the Church. That is why the gathering was called an “Encounter” rather than a conference. The vital question we addressed was: What does it mean to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church in the midst of all the challenges facing the world and the Church?
6. The world of the Global South is riddled with the pain of political conflict, tribal warfare and bloodshed. The moral and ethical foundations of several of our societies are being shaken. Many of our nations are beset by problems of poverty, ignorance and sickness, particularly the HIV and AIDS that threaten millions, especially in Africa. In addition to that, thousands of people have suffered from severe drought in Africa, earthquakes in South Asia, and hurricanes in the Americas – we offer our support and prayers to them.
7. Apart from the world condition, our own Anglican Communion sadly continues to be weakened by unchecked revisionist teaching and practices which undermine the divine authority of the Holy Scripture. The Anglican Communion is severely wounded by the witness of errant principles of faith and practice which in many parts of our Communion have adversely affected our efforts to take the Gospel to those in need of God’s redeeming and saving love.
8. Notwithstanding these difficult circumstances, several parts of our Communion in the Global South are witnessing the transforming power of the Gospel and the growth of the Church. The urgency of reaching vast multitudes in our nations for Christ is pressing at our door and the fields are ready for harvest.
9. Surrounded by these challenges and seeking to discover afresh our identity we decided to dig deeper into God’s Word and into the tradition of the Church to learn how to be faithful to God’s gift and call to be His one, holy, catholic and apostolic people. We deliberately chose to meet in Egypt for two reasons:
a. Biblically, Egypt features prominently in the formative period of the calling of God’s people (Exodus 19). Moreover, Egypt was part of the cradle that bore the entry of the Savior into the world (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15).
b. Meeting by the Red Sea, we could not help but be inspired by the historic crossing of God’s people into the realm where He purposed to make them a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). Part of that blessing was fulfilled when Alexandria became a center of early Christianity, where church fathers formulated and held on to the Christian faith through the early centuries.
C. We Discovered Afresh
10. We discovered afresh the depth and richness of our roots in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Carefully researched papers were presented at the Encounter in the context of worship, prayer, Bible Study and mutual sharing. We recognize the dynamic way in which the four marks of the Church are inextricably interwoven. The salient truths we encountered inspired us and provided a basis for knowing what God requires of us.The Church is One
11. The Church is called to be one. Our unity is willed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who prayed that we “all might be one.” (John 17:20-21) A great deal of confusion has arisen out of misunderstanding that prayer and the concept of unity. For centuries, the Church has found unity in the Person and teaching of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Scripture. We are one in Him, and that binds us together. The foundation and expression of our unity is found in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
12. While our unity may be expressed in institutional life, our unity is grounded in our living relationship with the Christ of Scripture. Unity is ever so much more than sharing institutionally. When we are “in Christ,” we find that we are in fellowship with others who are also in Him. The fruit of that unity is that we faithfully manifest the life and love of Christ to a hurting and groaning world (Romans 8:18-22).
13. Christian unity is premised on truth and expressed in love. Both truth and love compel us to guard the Gospel and stand on the supreme authority of the whole Word of God. The boundary of family identity ends within the boundary of the authentic Word of God.The Church is Holy
14. The Church of Jesus Christ is called to be holy. All Christians are to participate in the sanctification of their lives through submission, obedience and cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Through repentance the Church can regain her rightful position of being holy before God. We believe concurrently that holiness is imparted to us through the life, ministry, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 10:21-23). He shares His holiness with us and invites us to be conformed to His likeness.
15. A holy Church is prepared to be a “martyr” Church. Witness unto death is how the Early Church articulated holiness in its fullest sense (Acts 22:20; Rev 2:13, 12:11).The Church is Catholic
16. The Catholic faith is the universal faith that was “once for all” entrusted to the apostles and handed down subsequently from generation to generation (Jude 3). Therefore every proposed innovation must be measured against the plumb line of Scripture and the historic teaching of the Church.
17. Catholicity carries with it the notion of completeness and wholeness. Thus in the church catholic “when one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Cor 12:26). The local church expresses its catholicity by its devotion to apostolic teaching, its attention to prayer and the sacrament, its warm and caring fellowship and its growth through evangelism and mission (Acts 2:42-47).The Church is Apostolic
18. The Church is apostolic in its doctrine and teaching. The apostolic interpretation of God’s salvation plan effected in Christ Jesus is binding on the Church. God established the Church on the “foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph 2:20).
19. The Church is apostolic in its mission and service. “As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” (John 20:21) In each generation He calls bishops in apostolic succession (Eph 4:11-12) to lead the Church out into mission, to teach the truth and to defend the faith. Accountability to God, to those God places over us and to the flock is an integral part of church leadership.
D. We Commit
20. As a result of our Encounter, we emerge with a clearer vision of what the Church is called to be and to do, with a renewed strength to pursue that vision. Specifically, we made commitments in the following areas.The Authority of the Word of God
21. Scripture demands, and Christian history has traditionally held, that the standard of life, belief, doctrine, and conduct is the Holy Scripture. To depart from apostolic teaching is to tamper with the foundation and to undermine the basis of our unity in Christ. We express full confidence in the supremacy and clarity of Scripture, and pledge full obedience to the whole counsel of God’s Word.
22. We in the Global South endorse the concept of an Anglican Covenant (rooted in the Windsor Report) and commit ourselves as full partners in the process of its formulation. We are seeking a Covenant that is rooted in historic faith and formularies, and that provides a biblical foundation for our life, ministry and mission as a Communion. It is envisaged that once the Covenant is approved by the Communion, provinces that enter into the Covenant shall be mutually accountable, thereby providing an authentic fellowship within the Communion.
23. Anglicans of the Global South have discovered a vibrant spiritual life based on Scripture and empowered by the Spirit that is transforming cultures and communities in many of our provinces. It is to this life that we seek to be formed and found fully faithful. We reject the expectation that our lives in Christ should conform to the misguided theological, cultural and sociological norms associated with sections of the West.Mission and Ministry
24. Churches in the Global South commit to pursue networking with one another to add strength to our mission and ministry. We will continue to explore appropriate structures to facilitate and support this.
25. Shared theological foundations are crucial to authentic fellowship and partnership in mission and ministry. In that light, we welcome the initiative to form the Council of Anglican Provinces of the Americas and the Caribbean (CAPAC). It is envisaged that CAPAC will not only provide a foundation on the historic formularies of Anglican faith but also provide a structure with which member churches can carry out formal ministry partnerships with confidence.
26. Global South is committed to provide our recognition, energy, prayers and experience to the Networks in the USA and Canada, the Convocation of Nigerian Anglicans in the USA, those who make Common Cause and the Missionary District that is gathering congregations that circumstances have pressed out of ECUSA. We are heartened by the bold witness of their people. We are grateful that the Archbishop of Canterbury publicly recognized the Anglican Communion Network in the USA and the Anglican Network in Canada as faithful members of the Anglican Communion.
27. As for the other provinces and dioceses around the world who remain steadfastly committed to this faith, we look forward to further opportunities to partner with them in the propagation of the Gospel. We will also support those orthodox dioceses and congregations which are under difficult circumstances because of their faithfulness to the Word. We appreciate the recent action of the Primate of the Southern Cone who acted to stabilize the volatile situation in Recife, Brazil.
In this regard, we take this opportunity to acknowledge the immense contribution of the Primate of South East Asia to the development of the Global South and to the preservation of orthodoxy across the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Theological Education
28. In order to provide teaching that preserves the faith and fits our context, it is crucial to update the curricula of our theological institutions in the Global South to reflect our theological perspective and mission priorities. We note from the All Africa Bishops Conference their concern that far too many Western theological education institutions have become compromised and are no longer suitable for training leaders for our provinces. We call for the re-alignment of our priorities in such a way as to hasten the full establishment of adequate theological education institutions across the Global South so that our leaders can be appropriately trained and equipped in our own context. We aim to develop our leaders in biblical and theological training, and seek to nurture indigenous theologians. We will provide information on institutions in the Global South, and we will encourage these institutions to explore ways to provide bursaries and scholarships.The Current Crisis provoked by North American Intransigence
29. The unscriptural innovations of North American and some western provinces on issues of human sexuality undermine the basic message of redemption and the power of the Cross to transform lives. These departures are a symptom of a deeper problem, which is the diminution of the authority of Holy Scripture. The leaders of these provinces disregard the plain teaching of Scripture and reject the traditional interpretation of tenets in the historical Creeds.
30. This Encounter endorses the perspectives on communion life found in sections A & B of the Windsor Report, and encourages all Provinces to comply with the request from the Primates’ Communiqué in February 2005 which states:
“We therefore request all provinces to consider whether they are willing to be committed to the inter-dependent life of the Anglican Communion understood in the terms set out in these sections of the report.”
31. The Windsor Report rightly points out that the path to restoring order requires that either the innovating provinces/dioceses conform to historic teaching, or the offending provinces will by their actions be choosing to walk apart. Paragraph 12 of the Primates Communiqué says:
“Whilst there remains a very real question about whether the North American churches are willing to accept the same teaching on matters of sexual morality as is generally accepted elsewhere in the Communion, the underlying reality of our communion in God the Holy Trinity is obscured, and the effectiveness of our common mission severely hindered.”
32. Regrettably, even at the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) in Nottingham in 2005, we see no evidence that both ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada are willing to accept the generally accepted teaching, nor is there evidence that they are willing to turn back from their innovations.
33. Further, the struggles of the Communion have only been exacerbated by the lack of concrete progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the Windsor Report. The slow and inadequate response of the Panel of Reference has trivialized the solemn charge from the Primates and has allowed disorder to multiply unnecessarily. We recognize with regret the growing evidence that the Provinces which have taken action creating the current crisis in the Communion continue moving in a direction that will result in their “walking apart.” We call for urgent and serious implementation of the recommendations of the Windsor Report. Unscriptural and unilateral decisions, especially on moral issues, tear the fabric of our Communion and require appropriate discipline at every level to maintain our unity. While the Global South calls for the errant provinces to be disciplined, we will continue to pray for all who embrace these erroneous teachings that they will be led to repentance and restoration.
Spiritual Leadership
34. Our on-going participation in ministry and mission requires godly and able spiritual leadership at all times. We are encouraged that many inspirational leaders in our midst bear witness to the Scriptures and are effectively bringing the Gospel to surrounding cultures. We commit ourselves to identify the next generation of leaders and will seek to equip and deploy them wherever they are needed.
35. We need inspirational leaders and accountability structures. These mechanisms which we are looking into must ensure that leaders are accountable to God, to those over us in the Lord, to the flock and to one another in accordance to the Scriptures. This last aspect is in keeping with the principle of bishops and leaders acting in council. In this way, leaders become the role models that are so needed for the flock.Youth
36. The Global South emphasizes the involvement and development of youth in the life of the Church. The youth delegates encouraged the whole gathering by the following collective statement during the Encounter:
“Many youths in the Global South are taking up the challenge of living in moral purity in the face of the rising influence of immoral values and practice, and the widening epidemic of HIV and AIDS. Young people will be ready to give their lives to the ministry of the Church if she gives them exemplary spiritual leadership and a purpose to live for. Please pray that we will continue to be faithful as the Church of ‘today and tomorrow’. It is also our heart’s cry that the Communion will remain faithful to the Gospel.”Poverty
37. As the church catholic we share a common concern for the universal problem of debt and poverty. The inequity that exists between the rich and the poor widens as vast sums borrowed by previous governments were not used for the intended purposes. Requiring succeeding generations of people who never benefited from the loans and resources to repay them will impose a crushing and likely insurmountable burden. We welcome and appreciate the international efforts of debt reduction and cancellation, for example, the steps recently carried out by G8 leaders.
38. A dimension of responsible stewardship and accountability is the clear call to be financially self-sustaining. We commend the new initiative for financial self-sufficiency and development being studied by the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA). This is not only necessary because of the demands of human dignity; it is the only way to have sustainable economic stability.HIV and AIDS
39. A holy Church combines purity and compassion in its witness and service. The population of the world is under assault by the HIV and AIDS pandemic, but the people of much of the Global South are hit particularly hard because of poverty, lifestyle habits, lack of teaching and the paucity of appropriate medication. Inspired by the significant success of the Church in Uganda in tackling HIV and AIDS, all our provinces commit to learn and apply similar intentional programmes which emphasize abstinence and faithfulness in marriage. We call on governments to ensure that they are providing adequate medication and treatment for those infected.
Corruption
40. The holy Church will “show forth fruits that befit repentance” (Matt 3:8). Many of us live in regions that have been deeply wounded by corruption. Not only do we have a responsibility to live transparent lives of utmost honesty in the Church, we are called to challenge the culture in which we live (Micah 6:8). Corruption consumes the soul of society and must be challenged at all costs. Transparency and accountability are key elements that we must manifest in bearing witness to the cultures in which we live.Violent Conflict
41. Many of us from across the Global South live juxtaposed with violent conflict, most egregiously manifest in violence against innocents. In spite of the fact that the conflicts which grip many of our provinces have resulted in many lives being lost, we are not defeated. We find hope in the midst of our pain and inspiration from the martyrs who have shed their blood. Their sacrifice calls us to faithfulness. Their witness provokes us to pursue holiness. We commit ourselves to grow to become faithful witnesses who “do not love their lives even unto death” (Rev 12:11).
E. We Press On
42. We emerge from the Encounter strengthened to uphold the supreme authority of the Word of God and the doctrinal formularies that have undergirded the Anglican Communion for over four and a half centuries. Communion requires alignment with the will of God first and foremost, which establishes our commonality with one another. Such expressions of the will of God which Anglicans should hold in common are: one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Holy Scripture; apostolic teaching and practice; the historic Creeds of the Christian Church; the Articles of Religion and the doctrinal tenets as contained in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Holding truth and grace together by the power of the Holy Spirit, we go forward as those entrusted “with the faith once delivered” (Jude 3).
43. By the Red Sea, God led us to renew our covenant with Him. We have committed ourselves to obey Him fully, to love Him wholly, and to serve Him in the world as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). God has also helped us to renew our bonds of fellowship with one another, that we may “stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man in the faith of the Gospel” (Phil 1:27).
44. We offer to God this growing and deepening fellowship among the Global South churches that we might be a servant-body to the larger Church and to the world. We see ourselves as a unifying body, moving forward collectively as servants of Christ to do what He is calling us to do both locally in our provinces and globally as the “scattered people of God throughout the world” (1 Peter 1:1).
45. Jesus Christ, “that Great Shepherd of the sheep” (Heb 13:20, Micah 5:4), is caring for His flock worldwide, and He is gathering into His one fold lost sheep from every tribe and nation. We continue to depend on God’s grace to enable us to participate with greater vigour in Christ’s great enterprise of saving love (1 Peter 2:25, John 10:14-16). We shall press on to glorify the Father in the power of the Spirit until Christ comes again. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
CONN/701005
Text of the Communique:
A Third Trumpet from the South
TRUMPET III
The Third Anglican Global South to South Encounter
Red Sea (Egypt), 25-30 October 2005
The Third Anglican South-to-South Encounter has graphically demonstrated the coming of age of the Church of the Global South. We are poignantly aware that we must be faithful to God’s vision of one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We do not glory in our strengths but in God’s strength. We do not shrink from our responsibility as God’s people because of our weaknesses but we trust God to demonstrate His power through our weakness. We thank God for moving us forward to serve Him in such a time as this.
A. Preamble
1. A total of 103 delegates of 20 provinces in the Global South (comprising Africa, South and South East Asia, West Indies and South America), representing approximately two-thirds of the Anglican Communion, met for the 3rd Global South to South Encounter from 25-30 October 2005 at Ain El-Sukhna by the Red Sea in Egypt. The theme of the Encounter was “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: Being A Faithful Church For Such A Time As This”.
2. We deeply appreciated the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time he spent with us, his listening ear and encouraging words. We took to heart his insight that the four marks of the Church are not attributes we possess as our own right, nor goals to attain by human endeavour, but they are expressed in us as we deeply focus on Jesus Christ, who is the Source of them all (John 17:17-21).
3. We were really warmed by the welcome that we received here by the President, the government and the people of Egypt. We valued the great efforts made by the state security personnel who are making the land of Egypt a secure and safe place to all her visitors. We were touched by the warm hospitality of the Diocese of Egypt.
4. We have witnessed in Egypt a wonderful model for warm relations between Christians and Muslims. We admire the constructive dialogue that is happening between the two faiths. We appreciated the attendance of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr Mohammed Said Tantawi, the representative of Pope Shenouda III and other religious leaders at the State Reception to launch our Encounter. We were encouraged by their wise contributions.
B. We Gathered
5. We gathered to seek the face of God, to hear His Word afresh and to be renewed by His Spirit for total obedience to Christ who is Lord of the Church. That is why the gathering was called an “Encounter” rather than a conference. The vital question we addressed was: What does it mean to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church in the midst of all the challenges facing the world and the Church?
6. The world of the Global South is riddled with the pain of political conflict, tribal warfare and bloodshed. The moral and ethical foundations of several of our societies are being shaken. Many of our nations are beset by problems of poverty, ignorance and sickness, particularly the HIV and AIDS that threaten millions, especially in Africa. In addition to that, thousands of people have suffered from severe drought in Africa, earthquakes in South Asia, and hurricanes in the Americas – we offer our support and prayers to them.
7. Apart from the world condition, our own Anglican Communion sadly continues to be weakened by unchecked revisionist teaching and practices which undermine the divine authority of the Holy Scripture. The Anglican Communion is severely wounded by the witness of errant principles of faith and practice which in many parts of our Communion have adversely affected our efforts to take the Gospel to those in need of God’s redeeming and saving love.
8. Notwithstanding these difficult circumstances, several parts of our Communion in the Global South are witnessing the transforming power of the Gospel and the growth of the Church. The urgency of reaching vast multitudes in our nations for Christ is pressing at our door and the fields are ready for harvest.
9. Surrounded by these challenges and seeking to discover afresh our identity we decided to dig deeper into God’s Word and into the tradition of the Church to learn how to be faithful to God’s gift and call to be His one, holy, catholic and apostolic people. We deliberately chose to meet in Egypt for two reasons:
a. Biblically, Egypt features prominently in the formative period of the calling of God’s people (Exodus 19). Moreover, Egypt was part of the cradle that bore the entry of the Savior into the world (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15).
b. Meeting by the Red Sea, we could not help but be inspired by the historic crossing of God’s people into the realm where He purposed to make them a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). Part of that blessing was fulfilled when Alexandria became a center of early Christianity, where church fathers formulated and held on to the Christian faith through the early centuries.
C. We Discovered Afresh
10. We discovered afresh the depth and richness of our roots in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Carefully researched papers were presented at the Encounter in the context of worship, prayer, Bible Study and mutual sharing. We recognize the dynamic way in which the four marks of the Church are inextricably interwoven. The salient truths we encountered inspired us and provided a basis for knowing what God requires of us.The Church is One
11. The Church is called to be one. Our unity is willed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who prayed that we “all might be one.” (John 17:20-21) A great deal of confusion has arisen out of misunderstanding that prayer and the concept of unity. For centuries, the Church has found unity in the Person and teaching of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Scripture. We are one in Him, and that binds us together. The foundation and expression of our unity is found in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
12. While our unity may be expressed in institutional life, our unity is grounded in our living relationship with the Christ of Scripture. Unity is ever so much more than sharing institutionally. When we are “in Christ,” we find that we are in fellowship with others who are also in Him. The fruit of that unity is that we faithfully manifest the life and love of Christ to a hurting and groaning world (Romans 8:18-22).
13. Christian unity is premised on truth and expressed in love. Both truth and love compel us to guard the Gospel and stand on the supreme authority of the whole Word of God. The boundary of family identity ends within the boundary of the authentic Word of God.The Church is Holy
14. The Church of Jesus Christ is called to be holy. All Christians are to participate in the sanctification of their lives through submission, obedience and cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Through repentance the Church can regain her rightful position of being holy before God. We believe concurrently that holiness is imparted to us through the life, ministry, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 10:21-23). He shares His holiness with us and invites us to be conformed to His likeness.
15. A holy Church is prepared to be a “martyr” Church. Witness unto death is how the Early Church articulated holiness in its fullest sense (Acts 22:20; Rev 2:13, 12:11).The Church is Catholic
16. The Catholic faith is the universal faith that was “once for all” entrusted to the apostles and handed down subsequently from generation to generation (Jude 3). Therefore every proposed innovation must be measured against the plumb line of Scripture and the historic teaching of the Church.
17. Catholicity carries with it the notion of completeness and wholeness. Thus in the church catholic “when one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Cor 12:26). The local church expresses its catholicity by its devotion to apostolic teaching, its attention to prayer and the sacrament, its warm and caring fellowship and its growth through evangelism and mission (Acts 2:42-47).The Church is Apostolic
18. The Church is apostolic in its doctrine and teaching. The apostolic interpretation of God’s salvation plan effected in Christ Jesus is binding on the Church. God established the Church on the “foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph 2:20).
19. The Church is apostolic in its mission and service. “As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” (John 20:21) In each generation He calls bishops in apostolic succession (Eph 4:11-12) to lead the Church out into mission, to teach the truth and to defend the faith. Accountability to God, to those God places over us and to the flock is an integral part of church leadership.
D. We Commit
20. As a result of our Encounter, we emerge with a clearer vision of what the Church is called to be and to do, with a renewed strength to pursue that vision. Specifically, we made commitments in the following areas.The Authority of the Word of God
21. Scripture demands, and Christian history has traditionally held, that the standard of life, belief, doctrine, and conduct is the Holy Scripture. To depart from apostolic teaching is to tamper with the foundation and to undermine the basis of our unity in Christ. We express full confidence in the supremacy and clarity of Scripture, and pledge full obedience to the whole counsel of God’s Word.
22. We in the Global South endorse the concept of an Anglican Covenant (rooted in the Windsor Report) and commit ourselves as full partners in the process of its formulation. We are seeking a Covenant that is rooted in historic faith and formularies, and that provides a biblical foundation for our life, ministry and mission as a Communion. It is envisaged that once the Covenant is approved by the Communion, provinces that enter into the Covenant shall be mutually accountable, thereby providing an authentic fellowship within the Communion.
23. Anglicans of the Global South have discovered a vibrant spiritual life based on Scripture and empowered by the Spirit that is transforming cultures and communities in many of our provinces. It is to this life that we seek to be formed and found fully faithful. We reject the expectation that our lives in Christ should conform to the misguided theological, cultural and sociological norms associated with sections of the West.Mission and Ministry
24. Churches in the Global South commit to pursue networking with one another to add strength to our mission and ministry. We will continue to explore appropriate structures to facilitate and support this.
25. Shared theological foundations are crucial to authentic fellowship and partnership in mission and ministry. In that light, we welcome the initiative to form the Council of Anglican Provinces of the Americas and the Caribbean (CAPAC). It is envisaged that CAPAC will not only provide a foundation on the historic formularies of Anglican faith but also provide a structure with which member churches can carry out formal ministry partnerships with confidence.
26. Global South is committed to provide our recognition, energy, prayers and experience to the Networks in the USA and Canada, the Convocation of Nigerian Anglicans in the USA, those who make Common Cause and the Missionary District that is gathering congregations that circumstances have pressed out of ECUSA. We are heartened by the bold witness of their people. We are grateful that the Archbishop of Canterbury publicly recognized the Anglican Communion Network in the USA and the Anglican Network in Canada as faithful members of the Anglican Communion.
27. As for the other provinces and dioceses around the world who remain steadfastly committed to this faith, we look forward to further opportunities to partner with them in the propagation of the Gospel. We will also support those orthodox dioceses and congregations which are under difficult circumstances because of their faithfulness to the Word. We appreciate the recent action of the Primate of the Southern Cone who acted to stabilize the volatile situation in Recife, Brazil.
In this regard, we take this opportunity to acknowledge the immense contribution of the Primate of South East Asia to the development of the Global South and to the preservation of orthodoxy across the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Theological Education
28. In order to provide teaching that preserves the faith and fits our context, it is crucial to update the curricula of our theological institutions in the Global South to reflect our theological perspective and mission priorities. We note from the All Africa Bishops Conference their concern that far too many Western theological education institutions have become compromised and are no longer suitable for training leaders for our provinces. We call for the re-alignment of our priorities in such a way as to hasten the full establishment of adequate theological education institutions across the Global South so that our leaders can be appropriately trained and equipped in our own context. We aim to develop our leaders in biblical and theological training, and seek to nurture indigenous theologians. We will provide information on institutions in the Global South, and we will encourage these institutions to explore ways to provide bursaries and scholarships.The Current Crisis provoked by North American Intransigence
29. The unscriptural innovations of North American and some western provinces on issues of human sexuality undermine the basic message of redemption and the power of the Cross to transform lives. These departures are a symptom of a deeper problem, which is the diminution of the authority of Holy Scripture. The leaders of these provinces disregard the plain teaching of Scripture and reject the traditional interpretation of tenets in the historical Creeds.
30. This Encounter endorses the perspectives on communion life found in sections A & B of the Windsor Report, and encourages all Provinces to comply with the request from the Primates’ Communiqué in February 2005 which states:
“We therefore request all provinces to consider whether they are willing to be committed to the inter-dependent life of the Anglican Communion understood in the terms set out in these sections of the report.”
31. The Windsor Report rightly points out that the path to restoring order requires that either the innovating provinces/dioceses conform to historic teaching, or the offending provinces will by their actions be choosing to walk apart. Paragraph 12 of the Primates Communiqué says:
“Whilst there remains a very real question about whether the North American churches are willing to accept the same teaching on matters of sexual morality as is generally accepted elsewhere in the Communion, the underlying reality of our communion in God the Holy Trinity is obscured, and the effectiveness of our common mission severely hindered.”
32. Regrettably, even at the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) in Nottingham in 2005, we see no evidence that both ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada are willing to accept the generally accepted teaching, nor is there evidence that they are willing to turn back from their innovations.
33. Further, the struggles of the Communion have only been exacerbated by the lack of concrete progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the Windsor Report. The slow and inadequate response of the Panel of Reference has trivialized the solemn charge from the Primates and has allowed disorder to multiply unnecessarily. We recognize with regret the growing evidence that the Provinces which have taken action creating the current crisis in the Communion continue moving in a direction that will result in their “walking apart.” We call for urgent and serious implementation of the recommendations of the Windsor Report. Unscriptural and unilateral decisions, especially on moral issues, tear the fabric of our Communion and require appropriate discipline at every level to maintain our unity. While the Global South calls for the errant provinces to be disciplined, we will continue to pray for all who embrace these erroneous teachings that they will be led to repentance and restoration.
Spiritual Leadership
34. Our on-going participation in ministry and mission requires godly and able spiritual leadership at all times. We are encouraged that many inspirational leaders in our midst bear witness to the Scriptures and are effectively bringing the Gospel to surrounding cultures. We commit ourselves to identify the next generation of leaders and will seek to equip and deploy them wherever they are needed.
35. We need inspirational leaders and accountability structures. These mechanisms which we are looking into must ensure that leaders are accountable to God, to those over us in the Lord, to the flock and to one another in accordance to the Scriptures. This last aspect is in keeping with the principle of bishops and leaders acting in council. In this way, leaders become the role models that are so needed for the flock.Youth
36. The Global South emphasizes the involvement and development of youth in the life of the Church. The youth delegates encouraged the whole gathering by the following collective statement during the Encounter:
“Many youths in the Global South are taking up the challenge of living in moral purity in the face of the rising influence of immoral values and practice, and the widening epidemic of HIV and AIDS. Young people will be ready to give their lives to the ministry of the Church if she gives them exemplary spiritual leadership and a purpose to live for. Please pray that we will continue to be faithful as the Church of ‘today and tomorrow’. It is also our heart’s cry that the Communion will remain faithful to the Gospel.”Poverty
37. As the church catholic we share a common concern for the universal problem of debt and poverty. The inequity that exists between the rich and the poor widens as vast sums borrowed by previous governments were not used for the intended purposes. Requiring succeeding generations of people who never benefited from the loans and resources to repay them will impose a crushing and likely insurmountable burden. We welcome and appreciate the international efforts of debt reduction and cancellation, for example, the steps recently carried out by G8 leaders.
38. A dimension of responsible stewardship and accountability is the clear call to be financially self-sustaining. We commend the new initiative for financial self-sufficiency and development being studied by the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA). This is not only necessary because of the demands of human dignity; it is the only way to have sustainable economic stability.HIV and AIDS
39. A holy Church combines purity and compassion in its witness and service. The population of the world is under assault by the HIV and AIDS pandemic, but the people of much of the Global South are hit particularly hard because of poverty, lifestyle habits, lack of teaching and the paucity of appropriate medication. Inspired by the significant success of the Church in Uganda in tackling HIV and AIDS, all our provinces commit to learn and apply similar intentional programmes which emphasize abstinence and faithfulness in marriage. We call on governments to ensure that they are providing adequate medication and treatment for those infected.
Corruption
40. The holy Church will “show forth fruits that befit repentance” (Matt 3:8). Many of us live in regions that have been deeply wounded by corruption. Not only do we have a responsibility to live transparent lives of utmost honesty in the Church, we are called to challenge the culture in which we live (Micah 6:8). Corruption consumes the soul of society and must be challenged at all costs. Transparency and accountability are key elements that we must manifest in bearing witness to the cultures in which we live.Violent Conflict
41. Many of us from across the Global South live juxtaposed with violent conflict, most egregiously manifest in violence against innocents. In spite of the fact that the conflicts which grip many of our provinces have resulted in many lives being lost, we are not defeated. We find hope in the midst of our pain and inspiration from the martyrs who have shed their blood. Their sacrifice calls us to faithfulness. Their witness provokes us to pursue holiness. We commit ourselves to grow to become faithful witnesses who “do not love their lives even unto death” (Rev 12:11).
E. We Press On
42. We emerge from the Encounter strengthened to uphold the supreme authority of the Word of God and the doctrinal formularies that have undergirded the Anglican Communion for over four and a half centuries. Communion requires alignment with the will of God first and foremost, which establishes our commonality with one another. Such expressions of the will of God which Anglicans should hold in common are: one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Holy Scripture; apostolic teaching and practice; the historic Creeds of the Christian Church; the Articles of Religion and the doctrinal tenets as contained in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Holding truth and grace together by the power of the Holy Spirit, we go forward as those entrusted “with the faith once delivered” (Jude 3).
43. By the Red Sea, God led us to renew our covenant with Him. We have committed ourselves to obey Him fully, to love Him wholly, and to serve Him in the world as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). God has also helped us to renew our bonds of fellowship with one another, that we may “stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man in the faith of the Gospel” (Phil 1:27).
44. We offer to God this growing and deepening fellowship among the Global South churches that we might be a servant-body to the larger Church and to the world. We see ourselves as a unifying body, moving forward collectively as servants of Christ to do what He is calling us to do both locally in our provinces and globally as the “scattered people of God throughout the world” (1 Peter 1:1).
45. Jesus Christ, “that Great Shepherd of the sheep” (Heb 13:20, Micah 5:4), is caring for His flock worldwide, and He is gathering into His one fold lost sheep from every tribe and nation. We continue to depend on God’s grace to enable us to participate with greater vigour in Christ’s great enterprise of saving love (1 Peter 2:25, John 10:14-16). We shall press on to glorify the Father in the power of the Spirit until Christ comes again. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Friday 18 November 2005
Press Release
Press Release
Friday, 18 November 2005
Our attention has been drawn to some media reports of one or two primates alleging wrongful inclusion of their names in a document they were privy to its formation.
While every person is entitled to a change of opinion, the incontrovertible and indisputable fact remain that at our meeting in El Sukhna, the first draft of the response was circulated to all present to peruse, and give us any additional input or objection. It is pertinent to say NO ONE objected. All those that responded will see that the final draft reflected their inputs.
The presentation of the Archbishop of Canterbury to us was made public and has been widely discussed by many who were not present at our encounter. It is only fair that our collective response to that publication should also be publicly available. Our response was released when it was fully ready and timing was not deliberately planned as being suggested.
We find it pitiable that the media spin is drawing attention away from the deep Biblical discussions contained in our response.
This controversy has been brought upon us, by those that would undermine all that we stand for in preserving the sanctity of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic faith. They are the ones who are dividing the Church. Of course, anyone who wishes to have their name removed from this letter is free to do so. All formal requests to dissociate will be immediately effected.
This information has earlier been communicated to all concerned.
The full text of the original response can be found at: http://www.globalsouthanglican.org/index.php/article/global_south_primates_response_to_archbishop_rowan_williams/
Signed
Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola DD, CON
Chair,
South –South Encounter
Friday, 18 November 2005
Our attention has been drawn to some media reports of one or two primates alleging wrongful inclusion of their names in a document they were privy to its formation.
While every person is entitled to a change of opinion, the incontrovertible and indisputable fact remain that at our meeting in El Sukhna, the first draft of the response was circulated to all present to peruse, and give us any additional input or objection. It is pertinent to say NO ONE objected. All those that responded will see that the final draft reflected their inputs.
The presentation of the Archbishop of Canterbury to us was made public and has been widely discussed by many who were not present at our encounter. It is only fair that our collective response to that publication should also be publicly available. Our response was released when it was fully ready and timing was not deliberately planned as being suggested.
We find it pitiable that the media spin is drawing attention away from the deep Biblical discussions contained in our response.
This controversy has been brought upon us, by those that would undermine all that we stand for in preserving the sanctity of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic faith. They are the ones who are dividing the Church. Of course, anyone who wishes to have their name removed from this letter is free to do so. All formal requests to dissociate will be immediately effected.
This information has earlier been communicated to all concerned.
The full text of the original response can be found at: http://www.globalsouthanglican.org/index.php/article/global_south_primates_response_to_archbishop_rowan_williams/
Signed
Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola DD, CON
Chair,
South –South Encounter
Wednesday 16 November 2005
The miracle of CANA continues!
The miracle of CANA continues!
From the Primate of all Nigeria, Archbishop Peter J. Akinola:
Greetings in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Earlier this year we announced CANA - a mission of the Church of Nigeria, a Convocation for Anglicans in North America. We see this as a creative way to provide pastoral and episcopal care for those alienated by the actions of ECUSA. As we said in our letter of April 7th, 2005, “Our intention is not to challenge or intervene in the churches of ECUSA or the Anglican Church of Canada but to provide safe harbour for all those who can no longer find their spiritual home in those churches.” While CANA is an initiative of the Church of Nigeria it is our desire to welcome all those who share our faith and vision for the Church.
In September 2005 at its 8th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria made the necessary constitutional changes to permit the formal establishment of the Convocation in the USA and we have just completed the necessary legal framework to establish CANA as a recognized Anglican Church structure in the USA. Abraham N. Yisa, Esq., Registrar of the Church of Nigeria will serve as chairman of the board of trustees, Chief Gboyega Delano of Chicago will serve as secretary and Mrs. Patience Oruh of Maryland will serve as treasurer. I am profoundly grateful for their willingness to serve and look forward to adding additional members to the Board as our work expands
We are beginning a process of formally incorporating clergy and congregations into CANA and we will shortly be selecting and consecrating episcopal leadership to oversee further growth and development and enable us to more effectively respond to the pressing needs within the USA. We are working closely and cooperatively with the Anglican Communion Network and others who are committed to orthodox Anglican faith and practice. It is our hope to find more creative ways to strengthen our common witness as we seek to remain faithful to our Gospel mission. One example is our recently adopted Covenant agreement with the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America.
In the first miracle of CANA Jesus transformed a disaster into a glorious celebration and it is our desire to see God use CANA again to transform the crisis in the Communion into an occasion of great blessing.
For further information about CANA please contact the Rev’d Nathan Kanu, Oklahoma City, CANA Interim Communications Officer, odinathnfe@sbcglobal.net
++ Peter J. Akinola
Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria.
From the Primate of all Nigeria, Archbishop Peter J. Akinola:
Greetings in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Earlier this year we announced CANA - a mission of the Church of Nigeria, a Convocation for Anglicans in North America. We see this as a creative way to provide pastoral and episcopal care for those alienated by the actions of ECUSA. As we said in our letter of April 7th, 2005, “Our intention is not to challenge or intervene in the churches of ECUSA or the Anglican Church of Canada but to provide safe harbour for all those who can no longer find their spiritual home in those churches.” While CANA is an initiative of the Church of Nigeria it is our desire to welcome all those who share our faith and vision for the Church.
In September 2005 at its 8th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria made the necessary constitutional changes to permit the formal establishment of the Convocation in the USA and we have just completed the necessary legal framework to establish CANA as a recognized Anglican Church structure in the USA. Abraham N. Yisa, Esq., Registrar of the Church of Nigeria will serve as chairman of the board of trustees, Chief Gboyega Delano of Chicago will serve as secretary and Mrs. Patience Oruh of Maryland will serve as treasurer. I am profoundly grateful for their willingness to serve and look forward to adding additional members to the Board as our work expands
We are beginning a process of formally incorporating clergy and congregations into CANA and we will shortly be selecting and consecrating episcopal leadership to oversee further growth and development and enable us to more effectively respond to the pressing needs within the USA. We are working closely and cooperatively with the Anglican Communion Network and others who are committed to orthodox Anglican faith and practice. It is our hope to find more creative ways to strengthen our common witness as we seek to remain faithful to our Gospel mission. One example is our recently adopted Covenant agreement with the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America.
In the first miracle of CANA Jesus transformed a disaster into a glorious celebration and it is our desire to see God use CANA again to transform the crisis in the Communion into an occasion of great blessing.
For further information about CANA please contact the Rev’d Nathan Kanu, Oklahoma City, CANA Interim Communications Officer, odinathnfe@sbcglobal.net
++ Peter J. Akinola
Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria.
Monday 14 November 2005
Church of Nigeria Challenged on Agricultural Development
Church of Nigeria Challenged on Agricultural Development
CONN/661005
Lagos, October 14, 2005- The Church was urged by Chief Audu Ogbeh former Chairman of Nigeria's ruling political party to set up agriculture based NGOs to assist farmers generate more income.
Abp. Akinola and Chief Ogbeh at the seminar.
Ogbeh made the call in Lagos in a paper entitled Agricultural Opportunities, which he delivered at the economic empowerment seminar organised by the Anglican Church, from October 10-14.
The seminar was aimed at strengthening the ability of the Church to combat poverty towards achieving the goals of the Nigerian church to be self-sustaining and financing. According to him, the NGO’s would enable the Church to access support from interested donors oriented to agricultural development among small and medium scale entrepreneurs.
Reducing poverty is one of the cardinal missions of the Church, but lack of adequate funds have stagnated some pilot projects initiated by some dioceses to empower low income earners.
“The Church can take life back to the rural areas by paying attention to micro, small and medium scale enterprises,” he said.
The former PDP boss added that the Church as an embodiment of Christ must lead the empowerment of the individual.
He said that President Olusegun Obasanjo more than any other Nigerian leader in the last 20 years, had paid great attention to agricultural development and the church can take advantage of such developments.
“The problem is that the state governors are not responding enough,” he observed and identified inconsistency in government policy, poor seed quality, and outrageous bank rates as factors militating against agricultural production in the country.
Primate of the Church, the Most Rev Peter Akinola has often said that the growth of the Nigerian Church as one of the largest concentration of Anglicans worldwide demanded that she led the war against poverty.
In Abuja, where he is Bishop, the Church has ventures in Education and hospitality ventures, which employs more than 300 people. The income generated from the ventures has drastically reduced the assessment paid by Churches.
Discussions at the 5-day seminar centred on the need for the church to embark on Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) and how such could access funds from financial institutions for effectiveness.
CONN/661005
Lagos, October 14, 2005- The Church was urged by Chief Audu Ogbeh former Chairman of Nigeria's ruling political party to set up agriculture based NGOs to assist farmers generate more income.
Abp. Akinola and Chief Ogbeh at the seminar.
Ogbeh made the call in Lagos in a paper entitled Agricultural Opportunities, which he delivered at the economic empowerment seminar organised by the Anglican Church, from October 10-14.
The seminar was aimed at strengthening the ability of the Church to combat poverty towards achieving the goals of the Nigerian church to be self-sustaining and financing. According to him, the NGO’s would enable the Church to access support from interested donors oriented to agricultural development among small and medium scale entrepreneurs.
Reducing poverty is one of the cardinal missions of the Church, but lack of adequate funds have stagnated some pilot projects initiated by some dioceses to empower low income earners.
“The Church can take life back to the rural areas by paying attention to micro, small and medium scale enterprises,” he said.
The former PDP boss added that the Church as an embodiment of Christ must lead the empowerment of the individual.
He said that President Olusegun Obasanjo more than any other Nigerian leader in the last 20 years, had paid great attention to agricultural development and the church can take advantage of such developments.
“The problem is that the state governors are not responding enough,” he observed and identified inconsistency in government policy, poor seed quality, and outrageous bank rates as factors militating against agricultural production in the country.
Primate of the Church, the Most Rev Peter Akinola has often said that the growth of the Nigerian Church as one of the largest concentration of Anglicans worldwide demanded that she led the war against poverty.
In Abuja, where he is Bishop, the Church has ventures in Education and hospitality ventures, which employs more than 300 people. The income generated from the ventures has drastically reduced the assessment paid by Churches.
Discussions at the 5-day seminar centred on the need for the church to embark on Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) and how such could access funds from financial institutions for effectiveness.
COVENANT UNION OF ANGLICAN CHURCHES IN CONCORDAT
COVENANT UNION OF ANGLICAN CHURCHES IN CONCORDAT AMONG
THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)
THE REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AND
THE ANGLICAN PROVINCE OF AMERICA
Whereas the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America share a common heritage of faith and order within the Anglican tradition; be it understood that:
Article 1: The Churches, recognizing the fact that they are working together in the common cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, pledge to each other, their mutual cooperation, support, discipline and accountability.
Article 2: Wherever possible, individual congregations within proximate geographic locations will work closely and cooperatively to demonstrate their commitment to one another and their desire to witness to a consistent Biblical, Evangelical and Catholic expression of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Article 3: As evidence of our union in Christ and the Common Standards of the faith existing among the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America, a delegation of ministers and laity may be sent to attend each other’s Provincial and General Synods or Councils. As a further demonstration of our union, bishops of the Churches may attend each other’s episcopal meetings with the expectation that they will be invited to speak but not cast votes.
Article 4: The Ministers of the Churches may, subject to the respective regulations of the Churches, be eligible to exercise pastoral ministry in each Church. Archbishops and Bishops of the Churches in the concordat may also be invited to conduct episcopal duties with accountability, discipline and the episcopal blessing of the local appropriate provincial authorities.
Article 5: Communicants of the Churches may be received into the other Churches on presentation of letters of transfer, or their equivalent.
Article 6: It is also our declared intention to initiate a process that will permit us, in due course to enter into an agreement of full communion with a clear and common understanding of all of its implications.
THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)
THE REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AND
THE ANGLICAN PROVINCE OF AMERICA
Whereas the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America share a common heritage of faith and order within the Anglican tradition; be it understood that:
Article 1: The Churches, recognizing the fact that they are working together in the common cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, pledge to each other, their mutual cooperation, support, discipline and accountability.
Article 2: Wherever possible, individual congregations within proximate geographic locations will work closely and cooperatively to demonstrate their commitment to one another and their desire to witness to a consistent Biblical, Evangelical and Catholic expression of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Article 3: As evidence of our union in Christ and the Common Standards of the faith existing among the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America, a delegation of ministers and laity may be sent to attend each other’s Provincial and General Synods or Councils. As a further demonstration of our union, bishops of the Churches may attend each other’s episcopal meetings with the expectation that they will be invited to speak but not cast votes.
Article 4: The Ministers of the Churches may, subject to the respective regulations of the Churches, be eligible to exercise pastoral ministry in each Church. Archbishops and Bishops of the Churches in the concordat may also be invited to conduct episcopal duties with accountability, discipline and the episcopal blessing of the local appropriate provincial authorities.
Article 5: Communicants of the Churches may be received into the other Churches on presentation of letters of transfer, or their equivalent.
Article 6: It is also our declared intention to initiate a process that will permit us, in due course to enter into an agreement of full communion with a clear and common understanding of all of its implications.
Saturday 12 November 2005
RE Covenant Between The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America.
RE Covenant Between The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America.
In an historic moment, as part of the realignment of global Anglicanism, on November 12, 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev. Leonard W. Riches, Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church, and the Most Rev. Walter H. Grundorf, Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Province of America, entered on behalf of their three Churches a Covenant Union of Anglican Churches in Concordat.
The purpose of the covenant of concord is to work together in the common cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, pledging to each other their mutual cooperation, support, discipline and accountability. Recognizing that all three Churches share a common heritage of faith and order within the Anglican tradition, they are united by saving belief in Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, and by their commitment to the Faith once delivered, based on the irrevocable Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the final authority for faith and life.
It was agreed that ministers of these Churches, subject to the respective regulations within the jurisdictions, may be eligible to exercise pastoral ministry in each Church. Archbishops and bishops of the Churches in concordat may also be invited to conduct episcopal duties within the other jurisdictions with the blessing of the appropriate provincial authorities.
The three Churches have united specifically for joint mission in North America. Archbishops Riches and Grundorf welcomed the Church of Nigeria’s CANA initiative. They assured Archbishop Akinola that, wherever possible, individual congregations of all three jurisdictions, within proximate geographic locations, would work closely and cooperatively together to demonstrate their commitment to one another and their desire to witness to a consistent Biblical, Evangelical and Catholic expression of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In an historic moment, as part of the realignment of global Anglicanism, on November 12, 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev. Leonard W. Riches, Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church, and the Most Rev. Walter H. Grundorf, Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Province of America, entered on behalf of their three Churches a Covenant Union of Anglican Churches in Concordat.
The purpose of the covenant of concord is to work together in the common cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, pledging to each other their mutual cooperation, support, discipline and accountability. Recognizing that all three Churches share a common heritage of faith and order within the Anglican tradition, they are united by saving belief in Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, and by their commitment to the Faith once delivered, based on the irrevocable Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the final authority for faith and life.
It was agreed that ministers of these Churches, subject to the respective regulations within the jurisdictions, may be eligible to exercise pastoral ministry in each Church. Archbishops and bishops of the Churches in concordat may also be invited to conduct episcopal duties within the other jurisdictions with the blessing of the appropriate provincial authorities.
The three Churches have united specifically for joint mission in North America. Archbishops Riches and Grundorf welcomed the Church of Nigeria’s CANA initiative. They assured Archbishop Akinola that, wherever possible, individual congregations of all three jurisdictions, within proximate geographic locations, would work closely and cooperatively together to demonstrate their commitment to one another and their desire to witness to a consistent Biblical, Evangelical and Catholic expression of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thursday 10 November 2005
Anglicans of the Global South publish interactive Website
Anglicans of the Global South publish interactive Website
CONN/721105
Singapore, November, 2005- Since many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as they were told by eyewitnesses or third party reports, it seemed good also to the secretariat of the Global South having all relevant documents and recordings of the activities of the fellowship to write an orderly account of the third encounter of the body. What better way to circulate it worldwide than by placing such relevant information on a website- www.globalsouthanglican.org accessible to all and making the site able to receive comments from all over the world.
The advantages of the site according to the coordinator of the project, The Rev. Terry Wong of Singapore include the accurate reporting of the activities of the organization as against the present situation where different bodies and journalists only report what is of utmost interest to them while ignoring the other issues that make up the full context. Other advantages are the encouragement of the faithful through the talks and messages shared by the delegates during their encounters as well as the strengthening of communication and thereby the organizational structure and ministry of the body.
With most of the members of the Anglican Communion located in the southern hemisphere, communications is a major hindrance to the development of strong bonds between the different southern autonomous Dioceses and Provinces. With relatively poorer telecommunications facilities than what is available in the West, information dissemination had been rather slow giving the more liberal sections of the Church opportunities to shape opinions long before the actual information gets to majority of members of the Global South.
The secretary of the working committee of the Global South, the Rt. Rev. John Chew of Singapore believes the website is important and the Chair of the group the Most Rev. Peter Akinola of Nigeria while approving the site said the domain name couldn't be better.
Though the development of the website is yet to be completed and there is still a whole lot of information to be uploaded on the site, it was made public to correct the different interpretations being given to the third encounter which was off limits to journalists. It is envisaged that a full revelation of the various messages, talks, and group discussions will give an indication to how the encounter arrived at the final communiqué.
The Secretariat hopes with time to be able to add further information from the Red Sea encounter as well as information from the first two encounters held in Nairobi 1994, and Kular Lumpur 1997.
CONN/721105
Singapore, November, 2005- Since many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as they were told by eyewitnesses or third party reports, it seemed good also to the secretariat of the Global South having all relevant documents and recordings of the activities of the fellowship to write an orderly account of the third encounter of the body. What better way to circulate it worldwide than by placing such relevant information on a website- www.globalsouthanglican.org accessible to all and making the site able to receive comments from all over the world.
The advantages of the site according to the coordinator of the project, The Rev. Terry Wong of Singapore include the accurate reporting of the activities of the organization as against the present situation where different bodies and journalists only report what is of utmost interest to them while ignoring the other issues that make up the full context. Other advantages are the encouragement of the faithful through the talks and messages shared by the delegates during their encounters as well as the strengthening of communication and thereby the organizational structure and ministry of the body.
With most of the members of the Anglican Communion located in the southern hemisphere, communications is a major hindrance to the development of strong bonds between the different southern autonomous Dioceses and Provinces. With relatively poorer telecommunications facilities than what is available in the West, information dissemination had been rather slow giving the more liberal sections of the Church opportunities to shape opinions long before the actual information gets to majority of members of the Global South.
The secretary of the working committee of the Global South, the Rt. Rev. John Chew of Singapore believes the website is important and the Chair of the group the Most Rev. Peter Akinola of Nigeria while approving the site said the domain name couldn't be better.
Though the development of the website is yet to be completed and there is still a whole lot of information to be uploaded on the site, it was made public to correct the different interpretations being given to the third encounter which was off limits to journalists. It is envisaged that a full revelation of the various messages, talks, and group discussions will give an indication to how the encounter arrived at the final communiqué.
The Secretariat hopes with time to be able to add further information from the Red Sea encounter as well as information from the first two encounters held in Nairobi 1994, and Kular Lumpur 1997.
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