Fulcrum Response to GAFCON Final Statement
In the Final Statement of GAFCON, we have found encouragements but also have some very grave questions about strategy which need serious consideration:
Encouragements include:
- No schism in the Anglican Communion - it seems that Peter Jensen, amongst others, has insisted on this
- the tone is serious and not vituperative
- the ‘Jerusalem Declaration’ sets the controversies in a wide context and may become an important document in the future
- there has clearly been joyful fellowship and worship during the conference
- ‘Fellowship’ is a good word to use in this context, much better than ‘church’ or ‘network’ or ‘federation’
Questions which need serious consideration:
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We question the substantial authority that the Primates’ Council claims for itself to define who is authentically Anglican. It specifically excludes the Archbishop of Canterbury from such a role, though there is the interesting word ‘necessarily’:
While acknowledging the nature of
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Who has the authority to gather this new Primates’ Council - ie who will preside? The natural leader who emerged in the planning of GAFCON, and during it, is Peter Jensen. However, he is not a Primate. It is likely, however, that he would be included in the Council.
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We recognise the desirability of territorial jurisdiction for provinces and dioceses of the Anglican Communion, except in those areas where churches and leaders are denying the orthodox faith or are preventing its spread, and in a few areas for which overlapping jurisdictions are beneficial for historical or cultural reasons.
Would this allow clergy in dioceses of the Church of England who say their bishop is ‘unorthodox’ or who is ‘preventing their church planting’ to claim to be under the authority of the Primates’ Council? It seems to open up the potential for grave divisions and the possible licence, which some have long planned for, of importing into the Church of England the divisions of The Episcopal Church. It is here that the real test comes whether this is in fact a ‘church within a church’ - or even ‘a church in fellowship’s clothing’.
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There may not be schism in the Communion as a whole, but the Primates’ Council is being called upon to authenticate a split in the
For further consideration, see the Fulcrum Briefing Paper on GAFCON for Parochial Church Councils and the reflections of the Bishop of Durham.
