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The Challenge of Gafcon to the Unity of the Anglican Communion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2022

Keith Joseph
Keith Joseph*
Affiliation:
The Right Reverend Dr Keith Joseph is Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of North Queensland, Australia.
*
Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Since 2008 the Global Anglican Futures Conference (Gafcon) has emerged as a powerful force within the Anglican Communion. It had the potential to reform some of the issues facing the Anglican Communion. However, its Jerusalem Declaration has become a standard of Anglican orthodoxy to the exclusion of many orthodox Anglicans who cannot assent to its extra-doctrinal material. This lends Gafcon to schismatic ends.

Keywords

AnglicanAustraliaGafconloveorthodoxyschism
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Anglican Studies , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , May 2022 , pp. 3 - 21
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

2 Gafcon and GAFCON are both found in reference to the organization. On its website, Gafcon tends to use initial capitalization and then lower case, so this convention will be followed except where quoting, in which case the usage in the quoted text will be used.

3 ‘GAFCON: About GAFCON’, https://www.gafcon.org/about (accessed 10 January 2022).

4 ‘GAFCON: The Complete Jerusalem Statement 2008’, https://www.gafcon.org/resources/the-complete-jerusalem-statement-2008 (accessed 10 January 2022).

5 ‘GAFCON: The Jerusalem Declaration – June 2008’, https://www.gafcon.org/about/jerusalem-declaration (accessed 10 January 2022).

6 ‘GAFCON: Letter to the Churches – Gafcon Assembly 2018’, https://www.gafcon.org/news/letter-to-the-churches-gafcon-assembly-2018 (accessed 10 January 2022).

7 Gafcon Australia, ‘Commitment 2020’, http://www.gafconaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Commitment-2020.pdf (accessed 10 January 2022).

8 ‘GAFCON: Structure’, https://www.gafcon.org/about/structure (accessed 10 January 2022).

9 ‘Anglican Church in North America’, https://anglicanchurch.net/about/ (accessed 10 January 2022).

10 ‘Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa NZ’, https://confessinganglicans.nz/about/ (accessed 10 January 2022).

11 Encyclopedia Britannica, ‘Anglican Church in North America’, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anglican-Church-in-North-America (accessed 10 January 2022).

12 Anglican Church in North America, ‘Sexuality and Identity: A Pastoral Statement from the College of Bishops’. https://anglicanchurch.net/sexuality-and-identity-a-pastoral-statement-from-the-college-of-bishops/ (accessed 13 January 2022).

13 D. Hilliard, ‘Gender Roles, Anglicanism and the Anglican Church in Sydney’, Studies in Church History, Volume 34: Gender and Christian Religion (1998), pp. 509-23.

14 Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney, ‘Human Sexuality Pastoral Guidelines: 34/15 Diocesan Doctrine Commission Report on Human Sexuality, 29 August 2019’, https://www.sds.asn.au/sites/default/files/HumanSexualityPastoralGuidelines.Report2019.pdf (accessed 13 January 2022).

15 Anglican Diocese of Sydney, ‘The Same-Sex Marriage Debate: A Report from the Standing Committee’, Ordinary Session of Synod: Proceedings for 2017. https://www.sds.asn.au/sites/default/files/Same-Sex%20Marriage%20Debate.Report.2017.pdf (accessed 13 January 2022).

16 For example: Bishop Andy Lines, ‘Statement from Bishop Andy Lines following the Church of England’s guidance on liturgies to celebrate gender transition’, https://www.gafcon.org/news/statement-from-bishop-andy-lines-following-the-church-of-englands-guidance-on-liturgies-to (accessed 13 January 2022).

17 ‘GAFCON: Global Movement’, https://www.gafcon.org/about/global-movement (accessed 10 January 2022).

18 REACH-SA: Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of Southern Africa. ‘REACH-SA’, http://reachsa.org.za/ (accessed 12 January 2022).

19 ‘Gafcon Australia Media Statement 19 July 2021’, https://acl.asn.au/pdf/GAFCON_Australia-Media-Statement-19-July-2021.pdf (accessed 10 January 2022).

20 ‘GFSA’, https://www.thegsfa.org/ (accessed 10 January 2022).

21 The author of this article was ordained in the Anglican Church of Melanesia and has discussed Gafcon and related matters with the various Primates of Melanesia since 2008. There was also a long conversation in October 2019 with the late Archbishop Alan Migi, then Primate of Papua New Guinea. While Melanesian culture has strong cultural reservations about same-sex marriage – the idea is fairly incomprehensible – this has not translated into a desire to be involved with Gafcon.

22 Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), ‘Celibacy not ordained – Most Rev. Lasebikan, October 25, 2016’, https://anglican-nig.org/celibacy-not-ordained-most-rev-lasebikan/ (accessed 13 January 2022).

23 Madelaine Davies, ‘Welby too Supportive of Homosexuality, Says Church of Uganda’, Church Times, 6 March 2020, https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2020/6-march/news/world/welby-too-supportive-of-homosexuality-says-church-of-uganda (accessed 13 January 2022).

24 Thinking Anglicans, ‘Anglican Bishops in Ghana Support Anti-gay Legislation’, 22 October 2021, https://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/anglican-bishops-in-ghana-support-anti-gay-legislation/ (accessed 13 January 2022).

25 Archbishop Justin Welby, ‘Archbishop of Canterbury’s Statement on Ghana’s Anti-LGBTIQ+ Bill, 26 October 2021, https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/archbishop-canterburys-statement-ghanas-anti-lgbtq-bill (accessed 13 January 2022).

26 Madeleine Davies, ‘Anti-LGBT Bill Is “Severe and Must Be Reviewed” Says Ghana’s Bishops, Church Times, 2 February 2022, https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2022/4-february/news/world/anti-lgbt-bill-is-too-severe-say-ghana-s-bishops (accessed 4 February 2022).

27 For example: David Virtue, ‘ACNA Archbishop Blasts Liberal Lutherans and Anglicans for Throwing Away Biblical Morality’, 13 August 2017, https://virtueonline.org/acna-archbishop-blasts-liberal-lutherans-and-anglicans-throwing-away-biblical-morality (accessed 13 January 2022).

28 Gafcon, ‘History’, https://www.gafcon.org/about/history (accessed 13 January 2022).

29 Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), ‘Exclusive with the Most Revd. Benjamin Kwashi, Bishop of Ios Anglican Diocese and the newly elected secretary of GAFCON, September 24 2018’ https://anglican-nig.org/exclusive-with-the-most-revd-benjamin-kwashi-bishop-of-jos-anglican-diocese-and-the-newly-elected-secretary-of-gafcon/ (accessed 13 January 2022). The reference to Lambert rather than Lambeth appears to be a transcription error.

30 A full transcript of the speech on 23 June 2008 is found at The Guardian, ‘Archbishop Peter Akinola’s Speech at Gafcon’, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/23/religion (accessed 13 January 2022).

31 Egan Millard, ‘Former Albany Bishop William Love Leaves The Episcopal Church to Join ACNA’, https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/03/30/former-albany-bishop-william-love-leaves-the-episcopal-church-to-join-acna/ (accessed 21 January 2022).

32 Jeremy Bonner, ‘The United States of America’, in David Goodhew (ed.), Growth and Decline in the Anglican Communion, 1980 to the Present (London: Routledge, 2017), p. 245.

33 Jeff Walton, ‘Contra Expectations, Anglican Numbers Largely Hold Steady in 2020’, https://anglican.ink/2021/06/24/contra-expectations-anglican-numbers-largely-hold-steady-in-2020/ (accessed 21 January 2022).

34 Egan Millard, ‘2019 Parochial Reports Show Continued Decline and a “Dire” Future for the Episcopal Church’, https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2020/10/16/2019-parochial-reports-show-continued-decline-and-a-dire-future-for-the-episcopal-church/ (accessed 21 January 2022).

35 Anglican Church of Canada, ‘2017 Statistical Report’, https://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017-ACC-Stats.pdf (accessed 21 January 2022).

36 Anglican Communion News Service, ‘Anglican Church in New Zealand Opens the Door to Blessing of Same-sex Relationships’, https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2018/05/anglican-church-in-new-zealand-opens-the-door-to-blessing-same-sex-relationships.aspx (accessed 21 January 2022).

37 Gafcon, ‘A New Diocese & Bishop for the Church of Confessing Anglicans in New Zealand’, https://www.gafcon.org/news/a-new-diocese-bishop-for-the-church-of-confessing-anglicans-in-new-zealand (accessed 21 January 2022).

38 Anglican Church League, ‘Jay Behan Consecrated in Christchurch’, https://acl.asn.au/jay-behan-consecrated-in-christchurch/ (accessed 21 January 2022).

39 CCAANZ, ‘Find a Church’, https://confessinganglicans.nz/find-a-church-2/ (accessed 21 January 2022). Seventeen churches are currently listed here.

40 ACANZ, ‘Directory’, https://www.anglican.org.nz/Directory (accessed 21 January 2022).

41 The parish figures are rubbery. Wikipedia quoting the Word Council of Churches in 2008 claims 552 parishes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Church_in_Aotearoa,_New_Zealand_and_Polynesia (accessed 21 January 2022). More recent figures are not readily obtainable. Allowing for a decline of the numbers of Anglicans according to the census statistics, a total of 500 parishes seems a reasonable estimate.

42 Anglican Taonga [News Service of ACANZ], ‘Pasifika’s Perspective’, https://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/features/extra/perspective (accessed 21 January 2022).

43 Anglican Community of St Mark, ‘Our Community’, https://acm.net.nz/ (accessed 21 January 2022).

44 Anglican Taonga, ‘GSSC Responds to Sydney’, https://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/news/common_life/sydney (accessed 21 January 2022).

45 Gafcon GB & Europe, https://gafcongbe.org/ (accessed 21 January 2022).

46 Gafcon GB & Europe, ‘About Gafcon GB & Europe’, https://gafcongbe.org/about (accessed 21 January 2022).

47 Anglican Church of Australia Appellate Tribunal, ‘Primate’s References re Wangaratta Blessing Service, 11 November 2020’, https://anglican.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AT-Wangaratta-formatted-11112020FINAL.pdf (accessed 21 January 2022).

48 Anglican Church of Australia Appellate Tribunal, ‘Primate’s References re Newcastle Discipline Ordinance, 11 November 2020’, https://anglican.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/AT-Newcastle-formatted-11112020-FINAL.pdf (accessed 21 January 2022).

49 Gafcon Australia, ‘Commitment 2020’, http://www.gafconaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Commitment-2020.pdf (accessed 20 January 2022).

50 Gafcon Australia, ‘Commitment 2020’, p. 1.

51 Gafcon Australia, ‘Commitment 2020’, p. 1.

52 Gafcon Australia, ‘Commitment 2020’, p. 2.

53 Gafcon Australia, ‘Commitment 2020’, p. 3.

54 Gafcon Australia, ‘Media Statement, 19 July 2021’, https://acl.asn.au/pdf/GAFCON_Australia-Media-Statement-19-July-2021.pdf (accessed 26 January 2022).

55 Gafcon Australia, ‘Media Statement, 19 July 2021’, p. 2.

56 This correspondence can be found on the website of the Anglican Diocese of North Queensland at https://www.anglicannq.org/bishops/synod

57 Keith Joseph, ‘Letter to Bishop Richard Condie, 5 March 2021’, https://www.anglicannq.org/images/documents/03_Bishops/02_Bishop_Bill_Bulletin/Gafcon/2_Letter_in_response_from_Bishop_Keith_Joseph_to_Bishop_Richard_Condie_dated_5th_March_21.pdf (accessed 26 January 2022).

58 Richard Condie, ‘Letter to Bishop Keith Joseph, 11 April 2021’, https://www.anglicannq.org/images/documents/03_Bishops/02_Bishop_Bill_Bulletin/Gafcon/3_Letter_from_Bishop_Richard_Condie_to_Bishop_Keith_Joseph_received_evening_11th_April_21.pdf (accessed 26 January 2022).

59 Keith Joseph, ‘Letter to Bishop Richard Condie, 23 April 2021’, https://www.anglicannq.org/images/documents/03_Bishops/02_Bishop_Bill_Bulletin/Gafcon/4_Letter_from_Bishop_Keith_Joseph_to_Bishop_Richard_Condie_dated_23rd_April_21.pdf (accessed 26 January 2022).

60 Although not explicitly stated here, the reference to the Book of Common Prayer seems to make it clear that the Creeds invoked are those to be found in the BCP; that is the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Creed of St Athanasius.

61 Gafcon Australia, ‘Commitment 2020’.

62 The Declaration as extracted from the Gafcon website is found as an Appendix to this paper.

63 The Anglican Church in North America ‘Constitutions and Canons’, Article 1 (7) p. 3. https://anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CURRENT-C-and-C-2019.pdf (accessed 19 January 2022).

64 Anglican Church of Melanesia, The Manual containing the Constitution, Canons & Standing Resolutions of the Anglican Church of Melanesia, 2008, ‘The Constitution of the Anglican Church of Melanesia’, Article 1, p. 1.

65 ACNA ‘Constitution and Canons’, Article 1(2) p. 2.

66 ACNA ‘Constitution and Canons’, ‘Canon 7: Of Christian Marriage’, Section 1, p. 16.

67 Anglican Church of Melanesia, Manual, Canons, Title A, ‘The Sacraments’, p. 12.

68 ‘GAFCON: ‘Letter to the Churches – Gafcon Assembly 2018’.

69 Bible Hub, ‘Calvin’s Commentaries, Matthew 13’, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/calvin/matthew/13.htm (accessed 31 January 2022).

70 Presbyterian Church of the United States, ‘Barmen Confession’, in The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): Part I, Book of Confessions, pp. 279-284, https://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/oga/pdf/boc2016.pdf (accessed 20 January 2022).

71 Source: Gafcon, ‘The Complete Jerusalem Statement 2008, 22nd June 2008’, https://www.gafcon.org/resources/the-complete-jerusalem-statement-2008 (accessed 10 January 2022).