Fort Worth in impaired communion with some ACNA dioceses 16 Nov 2017 Author: Jack L. Iker Extract from the Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker's presidential address to the Diocese of Fort Worth Synod on 4 Nov 2017. The second event on the Provincial level is the completion of the five-year study of the Task Force on Holy Orders, concerning the ordination of women, and the meeting of the College of Bishops to discuss the report for the first time at a conclave in Victoria, British Columbia, in early September. At the end of the meeting, a Statement was released stating where we are in this continuing controversy that divides us. It was the first time that all the Bishops went on record by stating their position on this issue. It was evident that no Bishop had changed his mind as a result of the study and that a majority of the Bishops are opposed to the ordination of women priests on biblical and theological grounds. It is interesting to note that when Archbishop Robert Duncan appointed the Task Force, he charged them with doing a study of the issue of women in holy orders, but instructed them not to come to a conclusion or to make any recommendation as to how to resolve the debate. The report simply summarizes the arguments for and against. This is in stark contrast to a similar study done by the Anglican Mission in America several years ago, known as the Rodgers Report, which concluded that women cannot be ordained bishops or priests, while leaving open the door to the possibility of women deacons. Those of us who agreed to the formation of the ACNA in 2009 did so with the clear understanding that a serious theological study would be done and that a decision would be made at that time. So where are we? Most ACNA bishops and dioceses are opposed to women priests, but as it presently stands, the ACNA Constitution says each diocese can decide if it will ordain women priests or not. We now need to work with other dioceses to amend the Constitution to remove this provision. As you know, women bishops are not permitted in any diocese, and no bishop wants to change that prohibition. Click here for the rest of the article: http://anglican.ink/article/fort-worth-impaired-communion-some-acna-dioceses
I am glad to see that some in ACNA are prepared to face the issue head on. It needs to be resolved in some way at some point.
http://www.rechurch.org/PastoralLetter2017.html REC pastoral letter from our Bishops. I offer with no comment. Blessings Fr. Mark
Fabulous... This is what our bishops need to be doing! Let us put the culture of secularism away, and set the things of God as foremost... Let us put away the secularist/atheist theories of gender, and return to classical Anglican and Patristic and Scriptural teachings on manhood, womanhood and the Holy Orders!