July 21st: A crisis in leadership, truth and faith

  • Over 100 attended the day and joined together in fellowship, prayer and worship.   
  • Bishop Julian Henderson spoke from 3 John, helping us to think about how we “walk in the truth”.
    • we are called to discern the boundaries and limits of truth 
    • we should not be afraid to speak up (with grace) about truth and those who depart from it (eg Diotrephes) 
    • we are called to model the truth (eg Demetrius) 
  • Archbishop Justin Badi Arama (Primate of South Sudan and chair of Global South Fellowship of Anglicans) spoke about the work of the GSFA
    • Their history over the decades as a faithful remnant calling the Anglican communion to faithful witness  
    • How they were misunderstood and felt rejected at the Lambeth Conference last year  
    • Their call for the Church of England to repent from the proposed “prayers of love and faith”  
    • Their rejection of the CofE as mother church of the Anglican Communion, and the Archbishop of Canterbury as “first among equals”.  
    • Their work to reset the communion through a covenantal structure and upcoming general assembly (GSFA meeting in Cairo, scheduled for May 2024)  
  • Archbishop Justin also spoke about the link between Salisbury Diocese and the Sudans
    • His gratitude for those from the UK who gave their lives to bring the gospel to Sudan and for Salisbury Diocese’s support during many turbulent and war-torn years  
    • His grief at the diocese departing from orthodoxy under the leadership of Bishop Nicholas, and how the recent attempt to start again with Bishop Stephen has failed because of his voting and statements about LLF  
    • His delight at seeing that there is a faithful remnant in Salisbury Diocese, represented by the SDEF, and by the CEEC in the wider Church of England  
    • His desire to work together in partnership only with those who are orthodox, and our need to be willing to make sacrifices to maintain this partnership  
  • Canon John Dunnett (Director of Church of England Evangelical Council) explained the aim of CEEC to resist the proposed “prayers of love and faith” and changes to pastoral guidance, but also got us thinking about what would happen if the changes were confirmed at the November General Synod
    • Oversight: a college of orthodox bishops (diocesan, suffragan and retired) to provide oversight across diocesan boundaries. This would probably have to be informal at first.  
    • Financial: the potential creation of a national “Philippian Fund” through which churches could, if they decided, direct their finances instead of diocesan parish share. 
    • Fellowship: we were asked for our preferences for different options of expressing fellowship outside of diocese/deanery structures  
    • Pipeline to a future for the orthodox: the importance of discernment boards for ordinands, patronage bodies, training for lay ministry, help for wardens, raising up senior leaders 

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