AMERICAN ANGLICAN COUNCIL STATEMENT ON SINGAPORE CONSECRATIONS
The American Anglican Council views the consecration in Singapore of two missionary bishops to be released to minister in the United States as the beginning of a new reality for the Episcopal Church. In many ways it is reminiscent of the founding of our Church when the profound insensitivity of English bishops to American missionary needs forced faithful congregations to seek alternative oversight. While we had sincerely hoped that these consecrations could have been avoided, it is our prayer that they will offer many alienated Episcopalians a way to move forward in the mission and ministry of the Church.
We are sympathetic to the sincere desire of those involved to find a way to support faithful brothers and sisters who find themselves oppressed by bishops who are openly hostile to traditional, biblically-orthodox Christianity. Much of the Episcopal Church leadership has utterly failed to recognize the magnitude of the crisis that is tearing apart our Church. Instead, these leaders have placed ideology before unity in Christ, jeopardizing the future of our Church.
Despite this growing crisis, the AAC is determined to continue its struggle for biblical truth. We remain committed to working for the reformation of the Episcopal Church. Furthermore, the AAC appeals to the Primates of the Anglican Communion who will be gathering in Lisbon in March to develop a plan that would prevent division in the Communion by preserving orthodox teaching and faithful witness.
We additionally call upon our Episcopal leadership finally to take seriously the gravity of this current crisis. Our recent proposal, the Jubilee Initiative put forth by AAC Bishops, offers a reasonable means to make the liberty of alternative oversight available to conservative and liberal parishes alike. This is a common-sense proposal intended to foster unity. Unfortunately, the Jubilee Initiative has repeatedly been suppressed and the consecrators of the new missionary bishops were painfully aware of this fact. [See the ENS report of this initiative on October 21, 1999 -- Louie Crew]
This is a grave moment. Before the present crisis grows deeper, we pray that our church, in the spirit of Jubilee, will provide for alternative Episcopal oversight. In this way the crisis in America can be addressed and the place of orthodox parishes be preserved. Nothing less than the integrity of the Gospel and the future of the church is at stake."
Released for the American Anglican Council by The Rev. John A. M. Guernsey
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