Conservative Episcopal bishop says Anglican church at crossroads
JOE MANDAK
Associated Press
Mon, Jul. 31, 2006

PITTSBURGH - The Anglican Communion is at a crucial crossroads as it waits for the worldwide church's leader to appoint an overseer for seven of its conservative U.S. dioceses, the head of one of those dioceses said Monday.

Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan said if Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams does not appoint a new leader for the conservative U.S. dioceses, "any hope for a Communion-unifying solution slips away, and so does the shape and leadership of the Anglican Communion as we have known them."

Duncan's remarks came in his keynote address of the Anglican Communion Network's annual council meeting in Pittsburgh.

"Such oversight would certainly be an innovation for the Episcopal Church, since at present there is no direct overseer in those dioceses except for the diocesan bishops themselves," said Jan Nunley, a spokesman for The Episcopal Church, which is what the American church now calls itself.

"I wouldn't want to speculate on what it might mean for the Network dioceses to reject the oversight of the General Convention," Nunley said.

Duncan and the leaders of six other conservative dioceses do not want to be overseen by the new Episcopal presiding bishop, Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, elected by the General Convention. the rest

Moderator of the Network Bishop Bob Duncan (seated behind) and the six convocation deans of the Anglican Communion Network on the first day of the annual meeting of the Network council. The meeting is taking place in Pittsburgh at Trinity Cathedral where representatives of the 10 faithful dioceses and hundreds of faithful parishes in other dioceses are gathering.

Please pray for their deliberations!
picture by Raymond Dague

Pittsburgh: Bishop Duncan opened the Network Council meeting with a wide-ranging address on past ministry and future direction of the ACN.

Excerpt:

"We are gathered for the Third Network Council, and we have come a very long way. The first and chartering Council met at Christ Church, Plano, Diocese of Dallas, in January of 2004. The second Council met at St. Vincent’s Cathedral, Bedford, Diocese of Fort Worth, in April of 2005. Now we meet at Pittsburgh in July/August 2006. In some measure, all of these Councils have been about a reformation of behavior.

Many who are gathered here will recall the extraordinary manner of decision making employed at the Plano Council. We operated as bishops, priests and laity together. We operated as a unicameral assembly. Diocese by diocese we reached consensus, and even unanimity: every article of the charter was adopted without final dissent, even though there were difficult and, at times, even painful, debates. I have never in my whole life presided over a gathering that was so obviously under the Holy Spirit’s sovereign sway. Do you remember the moment when we agreed to respect one another in our differences about the ordination of women? Thirty years of bitter division slipped away and we stood and sang the Doxology. This was a reformation of behavior: a national assembly meeting and deciding in a manner reflecting what we see in Acts 15.
At our Bedford Council we spent nearly all our energies on mission, both domestic and foreign. The leaders of the various mission agencies, who are gathered in Anglican Global Mission Partners, could scarcely believe that we were actually committed to giving so much attention to Jesus’ charter to his Church in Matthew 28. Yes, it is true, this Second Council fell back into old patterns as we attempted to draft a “Windsor Covenant,” but the dominant focus on mission in the gathering was another significant reformation of corporate behavior.

This Pittsburgh Council is about many things, all of which have to do with the Network’s defining vision of a “biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America.” The are many practicalities to attend to: elections, funding, relations with our Common Cause partners; children and youth initiatives, church planting developments, global missionary efforts; the aftermath of General Convention, Network-wide anxieties, significant actions in response; a coherent path-forward through the tumult and uncertainty of this next chapter of our lives as faithful Anglicans in a hostile domestic environment. But as your leader, your Network Moderator, as I enter this third year of what our Charter spells out to be an initial three-year term, I have no greater hope for this meeting than that the embrace of this reformation of behavior will have been, and will ever-increasingly be, our hallmark. “How those Christians love one another!”… “How they love their Lord!”… “How they sacrifice for the good of the world!”

Another significant excerpt:

"Just days ago the vestries of St Stephen’s Anglican Church, St. Charles Anglican Church and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, finalized an agreement with the Diocese of Olympia, an agreement that I believe all would hail as “based on fairness, equity and Christian principles.” In the Diocese of Virginia, a group of parishes and missions, led by the venerable (they date to the period of the American colonies) parishes of Falls Church and Truro Church – a group of congregations larger in number than the number of congregations of at least a dozen American Dioceses – has begun a season of “forty days of discernment” to pray about their future. We applaud these developments. We encourage those Dioceses engaged in lawsuits with their parishes, and vice versa, to embrace this “more excellent” way.

In the short-run these negotiated settlements, as in the case of the Washington State congregations, may lead to rescue and oversight by a Province of the Global South. In the longer run, there is no question that these congregations will form the nucleus of new missionary dioceses in union with the Network Dioceses (“enduring ECUSA”) and in partnership with the jurisdictions of Common Cause, as the vision of a biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America – in God’s time – becomes a reality, and as “innovating ECUSA” fades away.

Full text here

High Court Denies Lesbian Couple Right to Gay 'Marriage'
A lesbian couple who travelled to Canada to legally get “married” under the country’s laws have failed in their British High Court bid to have their union given full legal status in the UK.
Posted: Monday, July 31 , 2006,

A lesbian couple who travelled to Canada to legally get “married” under the country’s laws have failed in their British High Court bid to have their union given full legal status in the UK.

Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson, of North Yorkshire, were controversially married in Vancouver in 2003, and have been trying to get their marriage legalised in the UK, but their battle ended in defeat as a judge ruled that their union could be recognised as a civil partnership, but not marriage.

In response the pair said that the UK's failure to recognise the legality of their vows was a breach of their human rights. the rest

Habits of the Mind
A Mind for God
Chuck Colson

A few years ago, a professor at Pasadena City College led a class discussion on the famous story “The Lottery.” In the story, a seemingly normal village carries out a bizarre ritual involving human sacrifice. The professor, Kay Haugaard, had taught the story many times over the years and was anticipating the usual shocked reactions from her students.

Instead, she found that she was teaching a room full of moral relativists who thought that the ritual might be all right “if it’s a part of a person’s culture . . . and if it has worked for them.” To Haugaard’s horror, she realized that “no one in the whole class of twenty ostensibly intelligent individuals would go out on a limb and take a stand [even] against human sacrifice.” The very mentality that Jackson’s story warns us about—“the dangers of being totally accepting followers, too cowardly to rebel against obvious cruelties and injustices”—had become the mentality of this group of intelligent college students.

Haugaard writes, “It was a warm night when I walked out to my car after class that evening, but I felt shivery, chilled to the bone.” James Emery White tells this story in his excellent new book A Mind for God. White, the new president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, wants us to understand just how dangerous it can be to live life without a worldview that teaches that “each person has value, and there is meaning and purpose to every life.” the rest

Announcing AnglicanTV.org
Posted At : July 31, 2006 6:29 AM
Posted By : Kevin Kallsen

AnglicanTV.org is a new ministry offering video coverage of Anglican events around the globe. AnglicanTV.org will offer this video coverage to a worldwide audience using the new medium of broadband internet. AnglicanTV.org will offer video content free to internet viewers. Revenue to support operations will be generated by donations, DVDs sales, and advertising.

Unlike broadcast television AnglicanTV.org will offer all of it's video content on demand. That means a viewer can watch footage from today, yesterday, or last year whenever they choose. Internet TV does not have the limitations of channels or schedule -- the viewer controls when and what they want to watch.

The rest at Connecticut Six

As the genuine religious impulse becomes dominant, adoration more and more takes charge. "I come to seek God because I need Him", may be an adequate formula for prayer. "I come to adore His splendour, and fling myself and all that I have at His feet", is the only possible formula for worship.
... Evelyn Underhill photo

Central New York: Word of God - as rapped in hip-hop worship
Saturday, July 29, 2006
RENEE K. GADOUA

This week's Newsweek notes that hip-hop is being heard in traditional church services.
The piece describes the Rev.Timothy "Poppa T" Holder ("white, middle-aged"), an Episcopal priest in the South Bronx, who created a hip-hop Mass and edited "The Hip Hop Prayer Book," inspired by the Book of Common Prayer, the Anglican worship guide.

"This is not some sideshow or entertainment," Holder told beliefnet, the interfaith Web site. "This is the vernacular of God, through the messengers, who are the rappers." (See video of a hip-hop Mass at www.belief net.com.)

At November's local convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York, Bishop Gladstone "Skip" Adams and several local youths provided a musical sample of hip-hop worship, which they had learned at a national Episcopal youth gathering.

The trend has spurred some criticism. Newsweek quotes Eric Turner, assistant pastor at Bible Baptist Church in Creedmoor, N.C., who says that when people alter biblical passages, "you take the author of those writings down. God is completely different from us, and trying to make him like us is incorrect . . . ." the rest

Homosexuality wasn't the only issue on the Episcopal Church's agenda
Posted by the Asbury Park Press
07/30/06
BY RICHARD N. OSTLINGTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS

People were so riveted on the homosexual issue at the Episcopal Church's June convention that other actions involving biblical teachings got little attention.

The most dramatic was approval of Barry Beisner as bishop of the Sacramento-based Diocese of Northern California. A minority of six on the committee handling nominations commended Beisner's ministry, but objected because he's twice divorced and in a third marriage.

Thus, his consecration Sept. 30 will be precedent-setting. One delegate noted that in some dioceses Beisner would be ineligible to be a priest, much less a bishop.

Until recently, Episcopalians, like fellow Anglicans in other nations, opposed remarriage while the original spouse is living, based on Jesus' strict teaching (Matthew 5:31-32, 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18), reaffirmed by Paul (1 Corinthians 7:10-11). the rest

Reclaiming the Feminine Spirit in the Catholic Priesthood
N.Va. Woman Is Among 12 to Receive An Ordination Not Recognized by Church
By Michelle Boorstein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 30, 2006

Tomorrow afternoon, Bridget Mary Meehan, a nun and former television producer from Falls Church, will be ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. At least that's how she sees it.

Meehan, 58, is among 12 American women who will board a chartered boat at 3 p.m. at Gateway Clipper dock in Pittsburgh and shove off for a floating ordination ceremony -- the first in the United States since an international group of women's ordination activists formed four years ago. The group has held five ceremonies in Europe and Canada and counts five female bishops and 40 priests and deacons. In the pipeline are 120 students, 80 of whom are American.
the rest

Christian Heritage Museum Offers Rare Glimpse of Historic Bibles
By The Associated Press
Sun, Jul. 30 2006

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) – The antique Bible market is hot. But if you haven't got the money to buy a first-edition King James Version, you still can get your hands on one at the Christian Heritage Museum, where the owner invites visitors to touch and purchase some of the 20,000 pieces in his collection.

Gene S. Albert Jr. isn't selling his prized King James first edition, first issue, printed in 1611. The book, also known as a "he" Bible for a masculine pronoun in Ruth 3:15 that was changed to "she" in later versions, sits atop a bookcase in the loft of the climate-controlled barn near Hagerstown that houses his museum.

But Mr. Albert, who's been collecting for 25 years, has other rarities for sale at www.christianheritagemuseum.com. They include a single page of a 1454 Gutenberg Bible priced at $20,000; a 1685 second edition of John Eliot's Algonquin Indian Bible, the first Bible printed in America, for $175,000; and two handwritten sermon notes by 19th-century English evangelist Charles H. Spurgeon, marked down from $595 to $275 each. the rest

Do Homosexuals Really Want to Get Married?
Feature by Ed Vitagliano
July 28, 2006

(AgapePress) - Homosexual activists in the U.S. are fighting ferociously for the legal right to marry, and are equalled in their tenacity only by their pro-family opponents. But when and where they are given the legal right, do homosexuals really want to get married?

Statistics appear to answer in the negative. That is the conclusion reached in a report issued by the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy (iMAPP) and written by the group's president, Maggie Gallagher, and policy director, Joshua K. Baker. The iMAPP policy paper, "Demand for Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from the United States, Canada, and Europe [PDF]," indicates that immediately following the legalization of same-sex marriage, "the number of same-sex marriages, after an initial burst, appears to [decrease] with each year the legal option is available."

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. They were quickly followed by Belgium, Canada, Spain and South Africa. According to Caleb H. Price, research analyst in the Government and Public Policy Division at Focus on the Family, civil unions or other forms of domestic partnerships are allowed in an additional 11 nations.
the rest

Bible in Australian lingo lends appeal to masses Down Under
God to Eve: Eat that apple and you're dead meat
By Nick Squires
Christian Science Monitor
Tucson, Arizona
Published: 07.30.2006

SYDNEY, Australia — "Out of the blue God knocked up the whole bang lot. … God said, 'Let's have some light' and bingo — light appeared."

So opens the new second volume in the popular "Aussie Bible" series. The initial installment of the Good News told in Australian slang has sold more than 100,000 copies since 2003 — this in a country where sales of 18,000 or more qualify a book as a bestseller.

The 90-page phenomenon was promoted as a "ripping yarn about Jesus of Nazareth" in which Mary was "a pretty special sheila," Jesus was "God's toddler," and the Three Wise Men were "eggheads from out east." The rest

When heterosexuals are in the minority
People in overwhelmingly gay Mass. resort town say turnabout not fair play
July 26, 2006

PROVINCETOWN, Mass. - Heterosexuals in this overwhelmingly gay resort town on the tip of Cape Cod are complaining that the oppressed have become the oppressors.

Straight people say they have been taunted as "breeders." One woman who signed a petition against gay marriage says she was berated as a bigot by a gay man, and another complained that dog feces were left next to her car.

"The gay community is not immune to having potential prejudices. We're all human, including gay people," said Tom Lang, director of knowthyneighbor.org, a nonprofit group that supports gay marriage. the rest

Episcopalians urge against diocese breaking away
The Orlando Sentinel
Mark I. Pinsky
July 30, 2006

Concerned about their fracturing denomination, about 150 Central Florida Episcopalians packed the sanctuary of St. Richard's Episcopal Church on Saturday.

'We take no position on Scripture or theology or morals,' said Donna Bott, a leader of a group called Episcopal Voices of Central Florida, which sponsored the meeting. 'We are just Episcopalians.'

More than anything else, the crowd was determined that the 44,000-member Diocese of Central Florida not break away from the Episcopal Church, USA, over the issue of sexuality.
The crowd represented 23 area congregations. Nearly 20 priests also attended the meeting, which drew many more people than sponsors expected.

On June 29, the diocese's governing board voted unanimously to ask the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion to name a foreign leader to oversee its affairs. the rest

Episcopalians seek to heal old wounds
Meetings hoped to end 130 years of division
Sunday, July 30, 2006
By Steve Levin,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Biblically orthodox Anglicans will meet twice in Pittsburgh during the next three weeks to cement ties among conservative Episcopalians and several factions that have left the denomination over the past 130 years.

Both gatherings will be led by Pittsburgh Episcopal Bishop Robert W. Duncan Jr. Participants will develop and approve theological statements of faith and ministry.

Monday marks the third annual meeting of the Anglican Communion Network. It will run through Wednesday at Trinity Cathedral, Downtown. Bishop Duncan is moderator of the group of diocesan leaders and congregations that has aligned since 2004 in response to actions by the Episcopal Church which they believe violate Scripture. The group has some 200,000 members.
the rest

Let us seek the grace of a cheerful heart, an even temper, sweetness, gentleness, and brightness of mind, as walking in His light, and by His grace. Let us pray to Him to give us the spirit of ever-abundant, everspringing love, which overpowers and sweeps away the vexations of life by its own richness and strength, and which, above all things, unites us to Him who is the fountain and the centre of all mercy, loving-kindness, and joy. John Henry Newman photo: sky blue pink

Let us never forget that the Husbandman is never so near the land as when He is plowing it, the very time when we are tempted to think He hath forsaken us. His plowing is a proof that He thinks you of value, and worth chastening: for He does not waste His plowing on the barren sand. He will not plow continually, but only for a time, and for a definite purpose... Soon, aye soon, we shall, through these painful processes and by His gentle showers of grace, become His fruitful land.
Lettie B. Cowman

Stand Firm: Friday Flashback: Why I Left My Liberal Parish
Bill Boniface's famous letter, re-posted by popular demand.

The Danger to our Church

As you're all aware this is sadly my wife's and my last day at St. Thomas'. Never in my wildest dreams when we came back to this little church after many years away and made the decision to remain in Upper Marlboro for the foreseeable future did I think we'd ever become part of that large group of folks known as "former St. Thomas' parishioners."

But now I have to talk to you from the heart. Families know that to let disagreements go without addressing them slowly destroys the bond of love and trust that holds them together. Ignoring serious disagreements only means that a price will have to be paid some time in the future. And if I didn't think the Episcopal Church's current disagreement would ever force St. Thomas' to pay a huge price in the future - in fact, the price of its very survival - I'd step away from this podium this very moment and simply walk away with the happiness of this gathering to warm me. That would be so easy. But I couldn't ever look you - or even worse, Christ - in the eye again if I did that.

I believe all the responsibilities of a Senior Warden are important, but I think his or her primary responsibility - along with the vestry - is to first and foremost guard the faith. We're a church, after all. We're here because of the faith. Without it, there would be no need for buildings or church suppers, or altar guilds. For the vestry, it's like the meaning behind a doctor's Hippocratic Oath, simply do no harm.

The rest-don't miss this!

The Whole Earth Is Full of His Glory: The Recovery of Authentic Worship, Part Three
Albert Mohler
Friday, July 28, 2006

Not only does authentic worship begin with a true vision of the living God, but second, authentic worship leads to a confession of sin, both individual and corporate. We see it directly in this passage: "And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke." What did Isaiah do? He said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Isaiah was "undone," when he had seen the true and living God, when he saw God in his holiness. He came to know the majestic, moral nature of this God, and he came to see God's righteousness and his holiness. In reflection, Isaiah automatically saw his own utter sinfulness. He could not otherwise understand himself but as a sinner who was, by his own words here, undone, dissolved--silenced. He saw himself doomed to die. the rest

Christian Doctor Says Congressman Wrong About Abortion
By Mary Rettig and Natalie Harris
July 27, 2006

(AgapePress) - A Christian OB-GYN from Tennessee says Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman is the one who is misleading girls, not pregnancy resource centers.

Waxman, a representative from California, serves on the House Government Reform Committee. He recently asked staff to check on pregnancy crisis centers, which received $24 million in federal aid between 2001 and 2004. The subsequent report claims that federally-funded, faith-based pregnancy centers give false information connecting abortions with breast cancer, infertility, and mental illness. the rest

Abortion-consent stall riles GOP, pro-lifers
By Amy Fagan
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
July 28, 2006

Republicans and pro-life groups are outraged that Senate Democrats are, at least for now, blocking a newly approved bipartisan Senate bill aimed at protecting parents' right to be involved in an underage daughter's abortion decision.

"It is underhanded and disingenuous, and it needs to stop now," said Sen. John Ensign, the Nevada Republican who sponsored the bill, which would make it illegal to skirt a state's parental consent or notification law by taking a pregnant minor to a more lenient state to obtain an abortion.

The Senate approved the bill Tuesday, but Senate Democrats used procedural objections to prevent it from being sent this week to final negotiations with the House, which has approved a different version. the rest

It is indeed a most lamentable consequence of the practice of regarding religion as a compilation of statutes, and not as an internal principle, that it soon comes to be considered as being conversant about external actions rather than about habits of mind. This sentiment sometimes has even the hardiness to insinuate and maintain itself under the guise of extraordinary concern for practical religion; but it soon discovers the falsehood of this pretension, and betrays its real nature. The expedient, indeed, of attaining to superiority in practice by not wasting any of the attention on the internal principles from which alone practice can flow, is about as reasonable, and will answer about as well, as the economy of an architect who should account it mere prodigality to expend any of his materials in laying foundation, from an idea that they might be more usefully applied to the raising of the superstructure. We know what would be the fate of such an edifice. ... William Wilberforce

Vestry of Christ Episcopal Church, San Antonio, Write their Bishop
July 26, 2006

Dear Bishop Lillibridge,

The Vestry of Christ Episcopal Church met last night to discuss our current situation in light of General Convention 2006. We have had several meetings for this purpose.

In a unanimous vote, the clergy and vestry of Christ Church and Christ Church in the Hill Country affirm our commitment to Jesus Christ, to the authority of Holy Scripture, and to that which binds us to our Anglican heritage. As a consequence, when the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates offer us an acceptable option, we will disassociate from the Episcopal Church. We feel that we must do this because we believe The Episcopal Church has left the Anglican Communion, and us, and now no longer lives under the authority of the Bible. It is our firm intent to continue our membership in the Anglican Communion and in covenant relationship with the Archbishop of Canterbury with constituent member status. We sincerely hope that we can do this with the support and in partnership with our diocese. the rest

U.S. Catechism for Adults Is Due Out
Result of 6-Year Project
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
JULY 26, 2006

(Zenit.org).- The first official catechism produced by the U.S. Catholic bishops since the Baltimore Catechism will be available to the public as of July 31.

Unlike the Baltimore Catechism, which was composed of 421 questions and answers and aimed at children, the new United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is designed for grown-ups and does not require rote memorization. Instead, it promotes a command of Catholic faith, prayer life and morals through a more accessible writing style and numerous features.

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is an adaptation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992. At that time the Pope urged that local catechisms be developed to better address specific situations in different countries.

The adult catechism is meant to present Catholic teaching comprehensively and authoritatively but with a view to American culture and experience. The intended audience includes those who are preparing for the sacraments of initiation through the RCIA process, young adult Catholics, Catholics who may have drifted away from the practice of the faith, and all who may seek to know more about Catholic belief and practice. the rest

Falling Apart
Controversial decisions at the recent General Convention have accelerated the break-up of the Episcopal Church.
by Douglas LeBlanc
posted 07/26/2006

In her inaugural sermon as the Episcopal Church's presiding bishop-elect, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of Nevada turned to images used by church mystics such as Julian of Norwich.

"That sweaty, bloody, tear-stained labor of the Cross bears new life," Jefferts Schori preached during the church's triennial General Convention, which met in June in Columbus, Ohio. "Our mother Jesus gives birth to a new creation—and you and I are his children."

For Jefferts Schori, this language was "straight-down-the-middle orthodox thinking," according to The Washington Post.

For David Roseberry, founding rector of the 4,500-member Christ Episcopal Church in Plano, Texas, it was the final outrage.

Jefferts Schori preached her sermon on June 21. Three days later, Christ Church's vestry (its governing board) voted to leave the denomination. Roseberry's bishop, James Stanton of Dallas, has shown openness to letting Christ Church leave with its property. "They bought it. They paid for it," Stanton told The Dallas Morning News. the rest

Canadian Professor Fined for Stating Opposition to Homosexuality
By Jim Brown
July 26, 2006

(AgapePress) - A Canadian professor has been fined two weeks pay by a Nova Scotia university for telling a student that homosexuality is an unnatural lifestyle. But despite the disciplinary measures imposed against the educator, he says he refuses to succumb to the administration's "intimidation."

Cape Breton University (CBU) fined veteran history professor David Mullan $2,100 in response to two human rights complaints filed by a homosexual student who coordinates the campus' Sexual Diversity Office. The student took umbrage at two letters the professor had written to his former Anglican bishop two years ago.

The letters posted on Mullan's website criticized the bishop and the Anglican Church of Canada for their acceptance of homosexual "marriage." CBU student Shane Wallis was offended by the content of the professor's letters and lodged a formal human rights complaint with the university. the rest

U.K. Anglican Group Calls for 'Imperative Action' Against U.S. Episcopal Church
By Joseph Alvarez
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, Jul. 27 2006

LONDON – A conservative evangelical group in the Church of England has called on the heads of the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion to take “imperative” actions to “formally break” ties with the Episcopal Church, USA.

The call from U.K.-based Church Society follows the U.S. church’s decision last month to reject a resolution to halt further ordinations of homosexual bishops, approving instead a compromise resolution that urged U.S. church leaders to "exercise restraint” when considering the ordination of homosexual candidates.

“With the Primates due to meet early next year it is imperative that action is now taken,” the society stated in a press release. “Since the Anglican Communion is a loose affiliation of national or provincial churches rather than a monolithic structure it is important that action taken is appropriate.

“In line with Biblical teaching and historic Christian practice Church Society has called on the Primates to formally break fellowship with ECUSA.” the rest

Washington State Upholds Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
By Blaine Harde
nWashington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 27, 2006

SEATTLE, July 26 -- Deferring to state lawmakers and agreeing with most other U.S. courts, the highest court in Washington state on Wednesday upheld a state law that bans same-sex marriage.
The Washington Supreme Court, though, was bitterly divided in its 5 to 4 decision, producing six separate opinions in rejecting the claim of 19 gay couples that they are victims of state-sanctioned discrimination that harms their children and their financial security.
the rest

Retailers taking Christian path to competition
Small specialty shops tolerant of business challenge from big-box retailers
July 27, 2006

DENVER - Chuck Wallington is probably one of the few retailers who welcomes Wal-Mart to the neighborhood, if somewhat reluctantly.

Wallington, who runs his family's business in Spartanburg, S.C., and his fellow Christian business owners walk a tightrope between their religious calling and the need to earn a living as they adjust to new competition from big-box retailers.

"As a Christian retailer, you're kind of torn because your mission statement, a big part of it, is getting the word of the gospel out," Wallington said. "If Wal-Mart is carrying Christian books, is that a bad thing? I'm not sure it is. But obviously, from a business standpoint, it's challenging."
the rest

The Whole Earth Is Full of His Glory:
The Recovery of Authentic Worship, Part Two
Albert Mohler
Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Where shall we turn for instruction on how we ought to worship? There is only one place we can turn, and that is to the Word of God. The norm of our worship must be the Word of God--this Word that He has spoken. As we turn to this Word, we do see a pattern of worship, a pattern that is replicated throughout the fabric of Scripture from beginning to the end.

Scripture is, as the Reformers confessed, norma normans non normata, "The norm of norms which cannot be normed." Sola Scriptura. This is the norm of our worship. There is nothing external to Scripture that can norm or correct it. Scripture sets the terms, and in Isaiah 6:1-8 we see a picture of authentic worship.

In this well-known "call" passage of Isaiah, the prophet experienced a theophany: a vision of the true and living God. Out of this encounter, Isaiah received his call as a prophet. the rest

The Economist and Euro-Islam
What the paper is missing.
by Stephen Schwartz
07/27/2006 12:00:00 AM

EUROPEANS HAVE BECOME RECEPTIVE to the argument that Israel participates in the global war on terror when it confronts Hezbollah. But the broadening of the context for conflict also means dragging in other issues and constituencies.

So far, the silence among European Muslims about the Israel-Lebanon confrontation has been deafening. Rather than pouring into the streets to denounce Israel, Euro-Muslims appear reluctant to get involved. Yet the background debate over the future of Euro-Islam has not subsided.

On this score, the Economist, the "newspaper" (as it always calls itself) which brilliantly recorded the English social upheavals of the early 19th century, has been a disappointment.
In recent attempts come to grips with the problems of Islam in Europe, the Economist has flopped. Its June 24 issue flaunted a cover with a graphic turning the Eiffel Tower into a mosque and the headline "Eurabia." Inside, the paper came down against the "Eurabia thesis," but failed to mention Europe's notable Islamic asset: the indigenous Muslim communities of the Balkans, especially the Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina. the rest

Same-sex marriage on rocks with voters
20 out of 20 times, Americans choose to protect institution from changes
Posted: July 27, 20061:00 a.m. Eastern

Yesterday's stunning decision by Washington's Supreme Court upholding traditional marriage is not the only setback dogging same-sex marriage advocates.

In fact, 20 out of the 20 times it has come before voters, Americans have chosen to protect by constitutional amendment the idea of limiting marriage to one man and one woman.

So this year as it's brought before voters in another six – or eight – states, what do opponents plan to do to get their first single?

Obfuscate.

"The best that they (traditional marriage opponents) can do is confuse the issue," States Issues Analyst Mona Passignano, of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family Action, told WorldNetDaily in an exclusive look-ahead at this fall's election season.

the rest

Thou Shalt Not
How Plano pastor David Roseberry became the leading edge of a schism in the Episcopal Church over gays in the ministry
By Jesse Hyde
Article Published Jul 27, 2006

The votes have been cast. It's over. For good or bad, Gene Robinson, son of a Kentucky tenant farmer, has made history--and captured the world's attention. The Episcopal Church has its first openly gay bishop.

It is August 5, 2003, and Robinson is to appear before the House of Deputies, an elected body of more than 800 clergy and lay Episcopalians from across the United States. They are gathered in the cavernous exhibit hall of the Minneapolis Convention Center, site of the 2003 General Convention, seated behind row after row of long tables draped in white cloth. Some of the biggest media outlets in the world are here: CNN, ABC, The New York Times. All told, there must be 100 reporters in the exhibit hall. Some are about to go live.

the rest

O Lord God, Thou art our refuge and our hope; on Thee alone we rest, for we find all to be weak and insufficient but Thee. Many friends cannot profit, nor strong helpers assist, nor prudent counselors advise, nor the books of the learned afford comfort, nor any precious substance deliver, nor any place give shelter, unless Thou Thyself dost assist, strengthen, console, instruct and guard us. James Martineau photo

Connecticut Six: VIDEO: Fr. Bob Hackendorf and Raymond Dague Interview (Pt III)
Posted At : July 26, 2006 6:52 PM
Posted By : Kevin Kallsen

Video here

A roundup of links from Central NY
General convention 2006 website

here

Dear St. Andrew's people,

In the midst of all the focus on the legal battle, it is good to remember what we are all about. I asked Fr. Bob to give a summary of some of the new ministries going on at our church since his arrival. And of course, undergirding it all is the prayer life of the parish and personal growth in the home fellowships (at least five long-term fellowships were active when the Hackendorfs came). -Pat Dague

What an exciting time here at St. Andrew’s in the Valley! With all the news about lawsuits and controversy, I think it might be easy to lose sight of what life is like at our parish. Truth be told, our people are focused on the Gospel and are carrying out a rich variety of effective ministry to the glory of our Lord!

As I write this, our Vacation Bible School is buzzing with 75 children, teens and adults learning about Jesus. (Last year we held the first VBS that the parish had organized in 30 years. This year’s school is about 50% larger than last year’s.) Our theme verse is Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Soon, our AWANA program, a Bible Club for kids, will be kicking off for a second school year. This program, full of fun for kids, is also an intensive systematic approach to learning Scripture. It is a joy to see grade school students memorize God’s Word together.

Our Youth Group is thriving and growing—our youth worship, pray and play together under the direction of a talented, committed Youth Pastor and adult staff.

Our Classical Christian Home School Cooperative will begin their second year with 18 students enrolled. The Co-Op, a kind of “mini-school,” supplements the home-taught curriculum of our students with instruction in Geography, History, Science, Music, Latin and other subjects. Our goal is to raise up a generation of orthodox Christian churchmen who are learned and useful for the Kingdom.

A number of our people are on staff of Evangelical ministries such as Young Life, Campus Crusade, InterVarsity and the local Rescue Mission. Even more of our people provide skilled volunteer services to various parachurch groups in our region.

We are aggressively starting new small group bible studies for youth and adults. During the School Year, sponsor numerous educational opportunities for adults, including two sections of New Testament Greek instruction (we hope to add Biblical Hebrew and other advanced studies in due course). Believe it or not, promoting literacy in the Biblical Languages among lay people has produced much fruit in our parish!

Our biggest challenge is that our facility is often too small to accommodate all the ministry that is happening, but even this reality forces us to be innovative in our approach.

In short, although we are saddened that anyone calling themselves a Bishop would want to shut all this down, our people embody the theme of this year’s VBS: Courage.

Fr. Bob Hackendorf

Connecticut Six: VIDEO: Raymond Dague Interview (pt II) - "Is there legal hope?"
Posted At : July 26, 2006 11:07 AM
Posted By : Kevin Kallsen

video here

Fort Worth Dean: General Convention is 'Outside the Faith'
07/26/2006

In announcing its intention July 24 to withdraw from the Province 7 regional association of The Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Fort Worth was merely formalizing a deliberate practice that was first embraced some three years ago, according to the Very Rev. Ryan Reed, dean of St. Vincent’s Cathedral, Bedford, Texas, and president of the standing committee.

“We’ve been sideline participants for a long time,” Dean Reed told The Living Church “Whether we chose to be or were put there is a matter of debate.”

The Bishop of Fort Worth, the Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker, and the majority of the diocesan leadership do not believe that God has called women to ordained orders. The Diocese of Fort Worth is also a member of the Anglican Communion Network. After the election of Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as the 26th Presiding Bishop during General Convention, Bishop Iker and the standing committee appealed for alternative primatial oversight to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Panel of Reference. This is the first scheduled meeting of the standing committee since the June 21 conclusion of Convention.

the rest at The Living Church

Diocese of Atlanta: "2 listening sessions planned on same-sex unions, blessings"
Source: Diocese of Atlanta Email Newsletter
July 26, 2006

2 listening sessions planned on same-sex unions, blessings

"Are You Listening?" is the theme for two meetings scheduled in Macon and Atlanta in August to allow Episcopalians to join the conversation about same- sex unions and the formation of a liturgy for blessing such unions. The meetings -- Saturday, Aug. 5, St. Paul's, Macon, and Saturday, Aug. 12, at at the Cathedral of St. Philip, are hosted by a bishop's study committee established by vote of the 2004 Annual Council. The committee is chaired by the Rev. Roger Ard. Both meetings run from 10 a.m. to noon. "One of the gifts that we hold in the Episcopal Church is our willingness to converse about difficult issues," Ard said. "We understand, even embrace, our diversity. We try to maintain an openness that allows us to hear each other in our differences. It is how we come to understand what God is saying to us and how the Holy Spirit is working within the church, both corporately and individually." This diocesan committee has been meeting and studying for the past two years. "Now it wants to invite you into the conversation," said Ard. (Advance registration is not required.)

AAC blog

Chance of Episcopal split more serious
By Jim Jones
McClatchy Newspapers

Schism and rumors of schism have troubled the Episcopal Church for more than three decades. But talk of the venerable church being split into different camps has never been more serious than now.

Fallout began last month when the Episcopal Church elected Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of Nevada as its new presiding bishop. When she is installed in November, she will become the first woman to lead a national church in the Anglican Communion.

Fort Worth Bishop Jack Iker and six other American bishops in the dioceses of Dallas; Pittsburgh; San Joaquin in Fresno, Calif.; South Carolina (Charleston); Central Florida (Orlando); and Springfield, Ill., have declared Schori unacceptable because of her pro-gay stance. the rest

Harvard Introduces Third Gender
Knight Rips Ivy League School for Giving Credibility to 'Transgenderism'
By Jim BrownJuly 25, 2006

(AgapePress) - Prospective applicants to prestigious Harvard Business School no longer have to be of the male or female gender. One pro-family leader in Washington, DC, is criticizing the school for legitimizing transgenderism.

Before completing an application, students looking to enter the Harvard Business School MBA program are asked to fill out an online profile that offers three choices of gender: female, male, or transgender. The form also asks prospective applicants if they would be interested in learning more about the school's "lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender" community.

the rest

Wash. Supreme Court to Rule on Gay Marriage Law
By Curt Woodward
Associated Press Writer
Wed, Jul. 26 2006

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The state Supreme Court announced it would issue a long-awaited ruling Wednesday in a case that could make Washington only the second state to allow gay ''marriage.''

The brief announcement gave no indication of which way the high court would lean.

If it overturns the state's 1998 Defense of Marriage Act, Washington would join Massachusetts as the only states to allow gay couples to marry, but unlike Massachusetts, Washington's marriage licenses don't require recipients to live in the state. story

UN Observers Killed in Israeli Attacks, Christians Support War Victims
Christians continue to assist the civilian victims caught up in the conflict in Lebanon as the UN expressed its shock at the killing of four UN observers in an Israeli air strike on its observation post.
Posted: Wednesday, July 26 , 2006

United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan has expressed his shock as four UN observers were killed in an Israeli air strike on an observation post in south Lebanon. The attack came as Christians in the region continue to assist civilian victims caught up in the cross-fire.

Mr Annan said in a statement from Rome: "I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces of a UN Observer post in southern Lebanon.” the rest

Anglican Priest Blames Episcopal Church's Problems on Departure from Scripture
By Jim Brown
July 25, 2006

(AgapePress) - A traditional Anglican minister is criticizing his former bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas for allowing parishes to move forward with blessing homosexual relationships.

Arkansas Episcopal Bishop Larry Maze recently announced in a letter to clergy that certain parishes in the diocese will "likely move forward" with blessing same-sex unions. This news comes a month after the Episcopal General Convention decided not to adopt a moratorium on same-sex "blessing" ceremonies. At that same gathering, the Episcopal body also rejected a resolution to affirm that Jesus is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" as is stated in John 14:6.

Rev. Sam Seamans is the rector of St. Thomas Anglican Church in Mountain Home, Arkansas, and a former Episcopalian. Before leaving the Episcopal Church, he served under Maze and describes the bishop as "theologically liberal." the rest

Religious left gears up to face right counterpart
By Thomas Ferraro
Tue Jul 25, 8:16 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The religious right, which helped re-elect President Bush in 2004 by rallying opposition to abortion and gay marriage, is now facing a pushback from the religious left.

With a faith-based agenda of their own, liberal and progressive clergy from various denominations are lobbying lawmakers, holding rallies and publicizing their positions. They want to end the Iraq war, ease global warming, combat poverty, raise the minimum wage, revamp immigration laws, and prevent "immoral" cuts in federal social programs. the rest

Ireland worker finds ancient psalms in bog
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK,
Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 25, 7:11 PM ET

DUBLIN, Ireland - Irish archaeologists Tuesday heralded the discovery of an ancient book of psalms by a construction worker who spotted something while driving the shovel of his backhoe into a bog.

....The book was found open to a page describing, in Latin script, Psalm 83, in which God hears complaints of other nations' attempts to wipe out the name of Israel.

the rest

Religion Without Foundations
The split in the mainline denominations is about more than politics.
by Jim Tonkowich
07/26/2006

For those who are shocked by the crack-up of the Episcopal Church, let me explain: The answer was on a T-shirt I saw last month while traveling to the Presbyterian Church USA General Assembly in Birmingham and the Episcopal Church General Convention in Columbus. It read, "I'm Making It Up As I Go." Exactly.

Both denominational meetings were characterized by division, polarization, and discord as conservatives and liberals attempted to discern and approve God's will on issues ranging from divestment from companies doing business with Israel to gay clergy to the doctrine of the Trinity ("Mother, Child, and Womb"?). As left and right argued their cases, the real issue emerged. It is not the opposing opinions on assorted overtures and resolutions that divide left and right; it is the underlying understanding of truth, and how we know it.

Don't miss this one! the rest

Senate passes interstate abortion bill
Wednesday, July 26, 2006

An abortion bill aimed at stopping people from helping pregnant girls skirt parental-notification laws has gained passage in both houses of Congress, but sticky political and policy disputes stand between it and President Bush's desk.

Just moments after the Senate passed its version 65-34 late Tuesday – with the support of 14 Democrats – Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., used a procedural motion to halt its progress.

Moreover, there are significant differences between the Senate bill and the House version passed last year. the rest

Conversions harder in India state

The state legislature in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has approved a law aimed at making religious conversions harder there.

The law says a person wishing to convert and the priest conducting the ceremony will have to inform the authorities in advance.

Religious minorities and human right groups have opposed the law saying it seeks to appease radical Hindu groups.

the rest

What cause have they who have an interest in Christ, to glory in their Redeemer! They are often beset with many evils, and many mighty enemies surround them on every side, with open mouths ready to devour them. But they need not fear any of them. They may glory in Christ, the rock of their salvation, who appears so gloriously above them all. They may triumph over Satan, over this evil world, over guilt, and over death. For as their Redeemer is mighty, and is so exalted above all evil, so shall they also be exalted in him, They are now, in a sense, so exalted. For nothing can hurt them. Christ carries them, as on eagle's wings, high out of the reach of all evils, so that they cannot come near them, to do them any real harm. Jonathan Edwards photo

Petition of Parishioners of St. Andrew's Church delivered to CNY Bishop

On July 17, 2006, Bishop Skip Adams signed court papers to commence a lawsuit against St. Andrew's to seize the church property. On July 19th, he brought the case to court. That same day he sent a letter to the members of the parish inviting them to meet with him for "dialogue." The meeting was held this evening, July 25th, as a severe thunderstorm stuck the Syracuse area with lightening and drenching rain. The Bishop, his chancellor, and two diocesan employees were there to greet those who came. Raymond Dague, the attorney for the parish, accompanied by one member of the parish brought a petition to the bishop. Five other people showed up for the meeting.

Text of the petition read to the Bishop:

To: Bishop Gladstone B. Adams, III
July of 2006

We, the undersigned People of the Free Church of St. Andrews in the Valley, have received a letter from you inviting us to attend a meeting with you for “open dialogue.” We are deeply offended that you have sued our church and its leaders. We support our church and its leaders in the actions which they have taken and for which you have sued us. We find your words and actions hypocritical when you claim to desire open dialogue with us while you are suing us. We will meet with you to discuss our differences in our respective faith, beliefs, and practice once you have discontinued the lawsuit against us. We urge you to repent of your actions and the ungodly spectacle of you, a bishop, suing a Christian Church to impose your will on us. May God have mercy on your soul.

153 people who attend the Free Church of St. Andrews in the Valley in Syracuse, New York signed this petition to the bishop in response to his request to come to the cathedral to discuss things with him just after he sued the parish, its rector Fr. Bob Hackendorf, and all of the individuals on its board of trustees/vestry. The statement was read to the bishop and he was shown the written copy of it and allowed to flip through the pages to see all of the names. Out of concern that he could use this list against the people who signed it, the bishop was not given a copy of the petition.

Each person who signed the petition set forth next to their name the year in which they started to worship at St. Andrews. The total came to 1,712 years of attendance at the parish.

Our God is Jehovah of hosts, who can summon unexpected reinforcements at any moment to aid His people. Believe that He is there between you and your difficulty, and what baffles you will flee before Him, as clouds before the gale. F.B.Meyer

Connecticut Six: VIDEO: Attorney Raymond Dague Interview (pt I)
Posted At : July 25, 2006 3:38 PM
Posted By : Kevin Kallsen

God has raised up many faithful laypersons during the last few years in response to ECUSA's continued apostacy. Attorney Raymond Dague is one of those persons. In Part I Raymond talks about the infamous Dennis Canon.

Video here

Connecticut Six: VIDEO: Fr Bob Hackendorf Interview (part I)
Posted At : July 25, 2006 1:00 PM
Posted By : Kevin Kallsen

This is part I of an interview conducted with Fr. Bob Hackendorf. In Part I Fr. Bob gives background about his relationship with the Diocese of Central New York and his extraordinary Diocesan "reception" process. This really shows ECUSA politics at its finest.

Video here

Paganism gaining popularity in prison
By KRISTEN GELINEAU
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

STAUNTON, Va. -- A pagan religion that some experts say can be interpreted as encouraging violence is gaining popularity among prison inmates, one of whom is scheduled to be executed this week for killing a fellow prisoner at the foot of an altar.

Michael Lenz is scheduled to die Thursday for the death of Brent Parker, who was stabbed dozens of times at Augusta Correctional Center during a gathering of inmates devoted to Asatru, whose followers worship Norse gods. At his trial, Lenz testified that Parker had not been taking the religion seriously and had to die to protect the honor of the gods. the rest

Divine Inspiration From the Masses
Open-source programming's organizing principle has been embraced in medical research, engineering -- even religion
By Charles Piller, Times Staff WriterJuly 23, 2006

Behold, brethren. The "open source" movement, long championed by computer whizzes as a way to solve problems using the input of all, is increasingly being applied to other disciplines including literature, scientific research and religion.Yes, religion.

Yoism — a faith invented by a Massachusetts psychologist — shuns godly wisdom passed down by high priests. Instead, its holy text evolves online, written by the multitude of followers — much the same way volunteer programmers create open-source computer software by each contributing lines of code.

Adherents of Yoism — who count Bob Dylan, Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud among their saints — occupy the radical fringe of the open-source movement, which is quickly establishing itself as a new organizing principle for the 21st century.Although an extreme example, Yoism shows how far beyond computer programming the open-source method has progressed. At its core, the process presumes the intelligence of crowds, and Yoans build their faith around the notion that, together, they take the place of divine inspiration. the rest


Website: Yoism-Welcome to the Way of Yo
A community of individuals unitedby a shared vision of human possibility.
Together, we can create Heaven on Earth.

"Yo" is the Infinite Unknowable Essence from which all that we experience manifests. The existence of Yo can be proven. For some Yoans, awareness of the existence of Yo is of central importance. To others, Yo is irrelevant!

You may be like many Yoans who became uncomfortable when they first heard such words. If so, this type of "religious talk" may make you feel that we are trying to recruit you for some kind of "cult." Indeed, we believe it is approriate to be highly skeptical when a new world view is presented, with the implication that you should consider it for yourself.

Church Society: Anglican Primates should break with U.S.
25 July 2006 For immediate release

Church Society has called on the heads of the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion to take steps to break formally with the Episcopal Church of the United States (ECUSA).

Following the appointment of an actively homosexual man as a Bishop in the US the Primates rebuked ECUSA and called them to show clear signs that they regretted this action and will not repeat it.

At the recent ECUSA General Convention it became clear that they have no intention of turning back from the course they have taken.

With the Primates due to meet early next year it is imperative that action is now taken. Since the Anglican Communion is a loose affiliation of national or provincial churches rather than a monolithic structure it is important that action taken is appropriate.

In line with Biblical teaching and historic Christian practice Church Society has called on the Primates to formally break fellowship with ECUSA.

There is within ECUSA a large minority opposed to the errors of their church and many more who have themselves separated from ECUSA because of error. Therefore it is important to embrace these dioceses, churches and denominations within the Communion. END. Link here


Letter to the Anglican Primates
from Church Society - July 2006

Dear Archbishop ….

In the wake of the recent ECUSA General Convention we hope and pray that appropriate action will now be taken to safeguard the future witness of the Anglican Communion.

It should be clear to all that ECUSA and others have stepped well beyond the boundaries of orthodox, apostolic Christianity. We believe that postponing action any longer can only damage the Communion and the witness of Anglican churches worldwide.

Discipline is a “mark” of “the true Church” (Homily 28 on the Holy Spirit – part 2). Whilst in a local, or provincial church there will be clear means of discipline, at the international level discipline must be exercised carefully. The primary means of discipline in this way is to formally break fellowship with those in error. The purpose of this is to bring the erring to their senses by showing that they have separated from the truth, to safeguard the faithful from such error and to show to the world that we do not agree with them.

In the light of this we ask you to bring about the following:

1. The removal of ECUSA from the instruments of unity of the Anglican Communion, in particular membership of the ACC and invitations to the Primates Meetings and the Lambeth Conference. The Archbishop of Canterbury should be strongly requested to declare himself out of communion with ECUSA as a body.

2. The agreement within individual provinces that the orders of those now ordained within ECUSA will no longer be recognised.

3. The breaking of fellowship, including sacramental fellowship, at all levels with members of ECUSA, particularly its Bishops unless they show clear evidence as standing against the errors of their church. Such moves should not prevent discussion by appropriate channels as with those of other religions nor prevent humanitarian concern.

4. The establishment of a mechanism to establish fellowship with those in the United States who remain faithful to orthodox, apostolic Christianity and thus reject such innovations as the acceptance of same sex sexual activity. We suggest that a Commissary be appointed by the orthodox Primates who will work with the various bodies and individual churches in the US so that they can establish some means by which they can be welcomed formally into fellowship.

5. We advise strongly that the Primates give consideration as to how, as in the great creeds, statements can be crafted and required to delineate truth from error on the matter of sexual conduct.

6. We strongly advise that the Primates also recognise the innovation introduced within some provinces of admitting women as Priests and Bishops is divisive and that the only way to retain genuine unity is to call on all Anglicans to submit to the Biblical teaching that Presbyters/Elders should be male (1 Tim 3, Titus 1).

You may be assured of our prayers and support.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

David Phillips,

General Secretaryon behalf of the Council of Church Society

link

Anglican Communion Network Announces Annual Council Meeting, July 31-Aug. 2 , 2006

Pittsburgh, PA Over 80 representatives from the dioceses and convocations of the Anglican Communion Network will gather at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh from 1:00 p.m. July 31 through 1:00 p.m. on August 2 for the Network's Annual Council Meeting. This will be the third meeting of its kind since the birth of the Network in January 2004. Delegations are composed of two clergy and two lay representativesas well as the diocesan bishop or convocational dean from each of the Network's ten dioceses and six convocations. Other invited guests will include representatives from the Network's missionary organizations, nine Common Cause Roundtable partners, the ACN Steering Committee and the Moderator's Cabinet.

Plenary sessions and working groups will address the current state and future direction of the Anglican Communion Network as well as specific topics such as returning to the biblical view of marriage, divorce, and singleness, and renewing our emphasis on holiness in personal and congregational life. The council will also be considering the tenets of the Theological and Mission Statements under consideration by the members of the Common Cause Roundtable, who will meet together in Pittsburgh August 16-18.

the rest at titusonenine

Jerusalem's Only 24/7 Christian Radio Station Provides News from a Biblical Perspective to U.S. Via Sky Angel

Ministry has endured years of violence, disrupting operations and costing lives of staff

NAPLES, Fla., & JERUSALEM, July 25 /Christian Newswire/ -- As the Hezbollah-Israeli conflict persists, U.S. subscribers to the Sky Angel Christian satellite TV and radio service are receiving the news from a perspective that unlike most mainstream reports hits closer to their faith: a biblical viewpoint straight from Jerusalem’s only 24/7 Christian radio station--a ministry that has suffered much since first establishing operations in South Lebanon in 1979.

the rest

Schools of Hate
by Lynn Woolley
Posted Jul 24, 2006

At a time when the United States could use a stiff dose of unity, some students are being taught just the opposite in a new phenomenon called “Schools of Social Justice.” The idea here is that the United States has a sordid history of racism and prejudice and that young people -- particularly Latino kids -- should rise up.

Schools of this type have been functioning for a while -- some as taxpayer-funded affiliates of the National Council of La Raza (“The Race” in Spanish) -- and some have grown out of the recent marches in support of illegal immigration.

According to organizers, a summer school non-credit course at Austin’s Lanier High School grew out of conversations with some of the students who protested an enforcement-first bill passed by the House of Representatives.

You would think the kids at Lanier, a high school with a pathetic academic performance record -- would be crowding into summer school to brush up on reading, writing and math. Some may be -- but about a dozen enrolled in a non-credit class where the “the three R’s” gave way to just one R: racism. the rest

Conservatives encouraged by 'values' votes
By Amy Fagan
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
July 25, 2006

The Republican base is being rejuvenated, some conservative activists say, by a flurry of congressional action on "values" issues such as marriage safeguards, flag protection and abortion restrictions, as well as President Bush's veto last week of stem-cell legislation.

They warn against counteracting that progress with a comprehensive immigration bill that conservatives consider amnesty.

Jim Backlin, vice president of legislative affairs at the Christian Coalition, said the spate of "values" votes "really, really helps rejuvenate our base -- especially Bush vetoing the stem-cell bill."

In the past few months, Mr. Bush signed legislation against broadcast indecency, both chambers of Congress voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and woman, and the House voted to retain the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. the rest

Religious Groups Outraged by Amnesty International Abortion Proposal
Monday, July 24, 2006

ATHENS, Greece — Famed for its human rights work, Amnesty International is under siege from religious groups outraged by a proposal that would expand Amnesty's mandate to include supporting access to abortion in cases such as sexual violence.

A small but growing band of anti-abortion campaigners and Roman Catholic clerics — including some who have backed Amnesty's activities in the past — claim the Nobel Prize-winning group is drifting away from its principles of unbiased advocacy.

They have threatened to pull away members and donations, and have called for a flood of protest letters to Amnesty offices — the same strategy Amnesty uses to pressure for the release of political prisoners and others. the rest

Albany Intercessor: A word received

A word received July 23, 2006: Times of trial are coming. Seek my face. Cling to me.

A word received July 24, 2006: Keep your attention on me. I Am. I Am Lord of the battle. It is my battle and I Am sufficient for every need.

[Note: the liberal bishops of California are seeking to get rid of Bishop John-David Schofield, Bishop of San Joaquin. He and his diocese are orthodox. They are claiming that he has abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church. Under the canon (church law) they are using, they get to be prosecutor, judge, and jury. There is no evidence presented, only the charge. Cry out to the LORD for Bishop Schofield and the Diocese of San Joaquin.]

Prayer based on Psalm 48 here

Pray also for the Forth Worth Diocese in their brave decision to leave their province, for St Andrew's Church, Syracuse, NY and all the faithful churches and dioceses, especially those facing legal battles.

A Resolution of the Diocese of Fort Worth to Leave Province VII

THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF FORT WORTH
July 24, 2006STANDING COMMITTEE RESOLVES TO LEAVE PROVINCE VII

FORT WORTH, Texas – The following Resolution was unanimously adopted today by the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and will be presented to the Diocesan Convention in its annual meeting on Nov. 18, 2006.

WHEREAS the Archbishop of Canterbury in light of the actions of General Convention 2006 has proposed that the “best way forward” for the Anglican Communion is to have in the future both “constituent” and “associated” members, necessitating “ordered and mutually respectful separation between ‘constituent’ and ‘associated’ elements” within local Churches; and

WHEREAS the stated aim of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is to be a constituent member of the Anglican Communion as provided for in the Constitution of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America; and,

WHEREAS the Bishop and Standing Committee believe it necessary for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth to dissociate itself from those actions of the 75th General Convention which constitute a decision of the Episcopal Church to walk apart from the Anglican Communion; and,

WHEREAS the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth in good faith appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primates of the Anglican Communion, and the Panel of Reference for immediate alternative Primatial oversight and pastoral care so that a unifying solution can be found to preserve an authentic Anglican community of witness within the United States of America and provide pastoral and apostolic care to biblically orthodox Anglicans in this country regardless of geographical location;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, pending final ratification by its 24th Annual Convention, withdraws its consent, pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, to be included in the Seventh Province of the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth consists of 55 congregations serving 24 north central Texas counties. The major cities in the diocese include Fort Worth, Arlington, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Wichita Falls, Grand Prairie, Richland Hills, Brownwood, and Stephenville. The Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker has served as the third Diocesan Bishop of Fort Worth since 1995. The diocese enjoys companion relationships with the Dioceses of Northern Malawi and Northern Mexico.

Link and comments at titusonenine