Gafcon 'is not the start of an Anglican schism' says Archbishop

Monday, 23rd June 2008
By George Conger

Jerusalem: There will be no schism from the Anglican Communion by conservatives, Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola told the opening session of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem.

The week-long gathering of 300 bishops and 700 clergy and lay leaders hopes to offer a way forward through the crisis over homosexuality.

But secession was not the answer. The introduction of gay bishops and blessings justified by novel methods of Scriptural interpretation would not drive out traditionalists, the Nigerian church leader said. We are Anglicans by “conviction” who had no “intention to start another church.”

“Anglicans we are, Anglicans we’ll remain until the Lord shall return in glory to judge each one according to his deeds,” Archbishop Akinola said on June 22. the rest