Anglicans in Canada elect Linda Nicholls as first woman primate

From Canada-

Linda Nicholls, bishop of the diocese of Huron, was elected fourteenth primate of the Anglican Church of Canada on July 13, becoming the first woman in the history of the church to hold the position.

“You have bestowed on me an honour that I can hardly imagine, and it is terrifying. But it is also a gift, to be able to walk with the whole of the Anglican Church of Canada from coast to coast to coast,” Nicholls said in a brief impromptu speech on her arrival, after the vote at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver, where the election was held.

Nicholls will be installed on the final day of General Synod—Tuesday, July 16—succeeding Archbishop Fred Hiltz, who has served the church as primate since 2007.

She was elected on the fourth ballot, with 64.2% of lay votes and 71.1% of votes among the clergy. Jane Alexander, bishop of the diocese of Edmonton, was the only nominee remaining on the fourth ballot. Alexander received 35.8% of laity votes and 28.9% of the votes of the clergy.

More here-

https://www.anglicanjournal.com/linda-nicholls-elected-primate/?utm_source=Anglican+Church+of+Canada&utm_campaign=05894035fc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_07_14_03_34&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6285aca377-05894035fc-243912869 

and here-

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/london-area-anglican-bishop-takes-top-job-with-national-church

Kenya hosts 18 Anglican communion primates

From Kenya-

The primates who are currently at a retreat in Maasai Mara are in the country to reflect and pray over their ministry in a visit hosted by the Most Rev Dr Jackson Ole Sapit, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK).

In the dinner hosted at the Archbishop’s official residence on Sunday evening, the church leaders reiterated the need for oneness among Christian faithful and the need for peaceful coexistence. “This is an annual meeting where we get together and have a peer review even as we share our experiences and pray for each other and deliberate on our ministry,” said Dr Sapit.

He also stated that the meeting which is held in different countries came to Kenya this year; last year it was held in Ghana while in 2017, the leaders were in Zambia.

The trip has been organized by Trinity Church Wall Street, a leading episcopal church in Manhattan, New York.

More here-

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001314042/kenya-hosts-18-anglican-archbishops

Archbishop of Canterbury calls an Anglican Primates’ Meeting in Jordan in January 2020

From ACNS-

The Archbishop of Canterbury has written to the leaders of the 40 autonomous Churches in the Anglican Communion to invite them to attend a Primates’ Meeting in January 2020. Primates’ Meetings are one of four “Instruments of Communion” within the Anglican Communion. The last one took place in Canterbury in October 2017. The 2020 meeting will be in the Jordanian capital Amman from 13 to 17 January.

Archbishop Justin announced the meeting in an Epiphany letter to his fellow-Primates last month. He gave further details in a subsequent letter this month.

In his Epiphany letter, Archbishop Justin spoke of the “long and agonising” list of difficulties facing Christians across the world, including violence, corruption, poverty, religious-based discrimination and climate-change related rises in water levels. But, he said, “it is our vocation to be bearers of joy . . . in the midst of the real troubles of our world.”

More here-

https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2019/02/archbishop-of-canterbury-calls-an-anglican-primates-meeting-in-jordan-in-january-2020.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2mYK01p4MBIBwZ8J9a0vZ1Xoh182fOCNY7uwXG3oTc0gqts3TBhjcRkIg

Nigeria slams stage managed primates meeting

From Anglican INK-

Author: 

Nicholas Okoh

To the Faithful of the Gafcon movement and friends from Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria and Chairman, the Gafcon Primates Council.

My dear people of God,

On the 31st October, it will be 500 years since Martin Luther’s 95 Theses triggered the Reformation. He was fired by holy indignation because of the way ordinary Christians were being abused by a church which was turning the need for divine forgiveness into a money making machine through the sale of indulgences, but that led him on to see the root of the problem.

The message of God’s free grace in the gospel had been buried under layers of superstition and human tradition, which Luther and the Reformers then exposed to the light of God’s Word. The recovery of the Bible as the first and foremost source of authority in the Church was the basic principle of the Reformation. Everything else depended on this and still does. 

More here-

http://anglican.ink/article/nigeria-slams-stage-managed-primates-meeting

Primates’ 2017 Communiqué

From The Living Church-


“In our last meeting in January 2016 we made a clear decision to walk together while acknowledging the distance that exists in our relationships due to deep differences in understanding on same-sex marriage,” the primates write in their latest communiqué. “We endorsed this approach, which we will continue with renewed commitment.”

The full communiqué follows.

More here-

http://htl.li/RPZX30fKonr

Presiding Bishop's message from the Primates Meeting

From The Episcopal Church- (video)

At the conclusion of their meeting, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael B. Curry offers a reflection on the actions and discussions of Primates of the Anglican Communion.



https://www.episcopalchurch.org/library/video/presiding-bishops-message-primates-meeting

Primates conclude Canterbury meeting ‘renewed in their ministry’

From ENS-

A positive spirit has swept through the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral this week as primates from most of the Anglican Communion’s 39 provinces gathered to address issues of common interest, with many saying they feel renewed in their ministry.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, attending his second Primates Meeting, spoke about his sense of the meeting being a “holy convocation.”

“We concluded our time together washing each other’s feet, following the teaching and the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Curry said in a video message to the church.

“This wasn’t just a meeting. This was not just a gathering. This was, as a friend of mine often says, a holy convocation. We gathered in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and we did our work together in agreement and disagreement, following and in his spirit.”

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2017/10/06/primates-conclude-canterbury-meeting-renewed-in-their-ministry/

Anglican Church penalises Scottish arm over gay marriage

From Yahoo-

The Anglican Church on Tuesday disciplined its Scottish branch for deciding to allow same-sex couples to get married in its churches.

The Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) voted in June to change its law on marriage, removing the reference to it being between a man and a woman.

As a result the first gay wedding in a UK Anglican church took place last month in Edinburgh, according to British media reports.

But while the SEC followed through with its decision -- which included a conscience clause for those ministers who do not want to officiate same-sex nuptials -- it was also prepared for the consequences.

"I recognise that this decision is one that has caused some hurt and anger in parts of the Anglican Communion," said Bishop Mark Strange, head of the SEC, at a meeting of Anglican leaders at Canterbury Cathedral in southeast England.

More here-

https://www.yahoo.com/news/anglican-church-penalises-scottish-arm-over-gay-marriage-210021058.html

Anglicans sanction Scottish Episcopal Church over same-sex marriage

From The BBC-

The Scottish Episcopal Church is to be excluded from ecumenical and leadership roles in the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.

The decision follows the SEC's vote to begin marrying same-sex couples.

The Most Rev Justin Welby set out the decision in a news conference mid-way through a week-long meeting of Anglican primates in Canterbury.

He said: "There were a lot of expressions of disappointment, strong feelings from many of the provinces."

The archbishop said the consequences were agreed unanimously. He said he felt "very sad" about the decision.

More here-

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-41491989

Anglican church faces punishment after making history with UK's first same-sex church wedding

From The Independent-

The first same-sex wedding in an Anglican church in the UK has gone ahead despite the threat of punitive sanctions against the church body that gave the ceremony the go-ahead.

Alistair Dinnie and Peter Matthews made history by becoming the first gay couple to tie the knot after the Scottish Episcopal Church, which runs St John’s Church in Edinburgh, voted to overturn rules stipulating that marriage must be between a man and woman.

In June, members of the Scottish Episcopal Church general synod voted overwhelmingly to allow its churches to hold same-sex ceremonies.

More here-

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anglican-church-same-sex-wedding-gay-marriage-alistair-dinnie-peter-matthews-st-johns-edinburgh-a7974151.html

‘Consequences’ for Scottish Episcopal Church in the offing when Primates meet, after gay marriage vote

From The Church Times-

NEXT week’s Primates’ Meeting in Canterbury is likely to impose the same “consequences” for the Scot­tish Episcopal Church (SEC) for endors­ing same-sex marriage as those set out for the Episcopal Church in the United States last year.

After the meeting in January 2016 in Canterbury, the Primates agreed that US Episcopalians should not take part in decision-making on doctrine or polity in the Com­­munion for three years (News, 15 January 2016). They were also prohibited from representing the Anglican Communion at ecumen­ical and interfaith talks.

Imposing the same sanctions, which the Archbishop of Canter­bury has insisted did not amount to punishment, on the SEC is likely to be agreed by the 34 Primates.

While some conservative voices in the Communion questioned whether the consequences had any teeth after last year’s Anglican Consultative Council meeting — in which delegates from the US played a full part — sanctions on the Scots are expected to mean that the new Primus will be unable to follow his predecessor in leading the Anglican dialogue with the Reformed Churches.

More here-

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/29-september/news/uk/consequences-for-scots-in-the-offing-when-primates-meet

The Scottish Episcopal Church and the upcoming Primates’ Meeting

From Scotland-

There’s been a little flurry of articles in the press this week about the Scottish Episcopal Church.

“SANCTIONS LOOM FOR SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH’S PRO-GAY MARRIAGE VOTE”

“SCOTS ‘TO FACE CONSEQUENCES’ OVER GAY MARRIAGE”

“GLOBAL ANGLICAN CHURCH LEADERS CONDEMN SCOTLAND FOR ALLOWING SAME-SEX WEDDINGS”

And so on.

The only awkward thing about all these articles is that the Primates’ Meeting hasn’t happened yet. No-one has condemned anything and no-one really knows what is going to happen.

This press interest seems to have started in London in the middle of the week when someone gave a briefing to the likes of the BBC, the Telegraph and the Guardian. All three had identical stories which didn’t reference anyone in Scotland at all. It isn’t rocket science to come to the conclusion that someone in either Lambeth Palace or the Anglican Communion Office was briefing journalists against the Scottish Episcopal Church.

More here-

http://thurible.net/2017/09/29/scottish-episcopal-church-upcoming-primates-meeting/

Scottish church faces 'consequences' over vote to allow same-sex marriage

From The Telegraph-

The Scottish Episcopal Church is likely to face "consequences" for its vote to allow same-sex marriage, the Daily Telegraph understands.

Next week Anglican leaders will decide how to respond to the church's vote to change its Canon on Marriage to remove the definition that marriage is between a man and a woman.

The most likely outcome is that they will decide to restrict the organisation from representing the group at interfaith meetings and from voting on decisions about policy or teaching.

The measures, which are effectively sanctions, would restrict the church from taking part in these key roles for three years. 

More here-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/27/scottish-church-faces-consequences-vote-allow-same-sex-marriage/

also here-

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/27/scottish-anglican-church-faces-sanctions-over-vote-to-allow-same-sex-marriage

Up to 6 primates set to miss meeting with Archbishop of Canterbury

From Premier-

Justin Welby has confirmed he's expecting up to six of the most senior Anglican church leaders to reject his invitation to Canterbury next month.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is set to host a meeting of the 39 primates from across the world.

It'll be the first meeting of its kind since the January 2016 meeting in which there was said to be much conflict on the issue of sexuality.

The Archbishops of Nigeria (pictured below) and Uganda have already confirmed that they won't attend because of their belief that not enough progress has been made on the subject since that meeting.

More here-

https://www.premier.org.uk/News/World/Up-to-6-primates-set-to-miss-meeting-with-Archbishop-of-Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby excited by prospect of “extraordinary” Primates’ Meeting

From ENS-

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been speaking of his excitement at the prospect of next month’s Primates’ Meeting. Justin Welby has invited primates and moderators from around the Anglican Communion to Canterbury for the Oct. 2-6 meeting.

The gathering gives Anglican leaders an opportunity to discuss major issues within their provinces, broader topics affecting the whole Communion and more general global matters.

“I am greatly looking forward to the primates meeting,” the archbishop told ACNS. “It’s an extraordinary feeling to have the leaders of all the provinces gathering together to pray, to encourage one another, to weep with one another, to celebrate with one another.”

The final agenda will be agreed by the primates themselves at the beginning of the meeting. But it is expected to include sessions on mission and evangelism; reconciliation and peace-building; climate change and environment; and migration and human trafficking.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2017/09/20/archbishop-of-canterbury-justin-welby-excited-by-prospect-of-extraordinary-primates-meeting/

Welby writes to Primates as provinces continue to differ

From Church Times-

THE Archbishop of Canterbury has written to every Primate in the An­­glican Communion about the next Primates’ Meeting, to be held in Can­­ter­­bury in October.

It is now just over a year since the last Primates’ Meeting, in Can­ter­bury, which envisaged “con­sequences” for the Episcopal Church in the United States. A press release from the Anglican Com­munion Office this week stated that these consequences had meant that TEC representatives at the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Coun­cil in Zambia last year had not taken part in “formal votes on issues of doc­trine and polity”.

On Wednesday, these represent­atives issued a statement disagreeing with this account of events.

“Each of us attended the entire ACC-16 meeting and voted on every resolution that came before the body, including a number that con­cerned the doctrine and polity of the Anglican Communion,” they wrote. “As the duly elected ACC members of a province of the Anglican Com­mun­ion, this was our responsibility and we fulfilled it.”

More here-

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/10-february/news/uk/welby-writes-to-primates-as-provinces-continue-to-differ

Archbishop of Canterbury sets out vision for 2017 Primates Meeting

From ACNS-

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has written to every primate in the Anglican Communion to set out his hopes for the next Primates’ Meeting, which will take place in Canterbury in October.  He also gave details of last week’s report by the Church of England’s House of Bishops on human sexuality. In the letter, Archbishop Justin sets out his vision for the meeting in Canterbury as an opportunity for relaxed fellowship and mutual consultation. He invites the primates to submit items for the agenda and says he’s aware of the pressures under which many of them live.

“I certainly feel the need to be with you, to share our experience and in prayer and fellowship, to support one another and seek how best we can serve the call to preach the gospel, serve the poor and proclaim the Kingdom of God,” he says.
More here-

http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/02/archbishop-of-canterbury-sets-out-vision-for-2017-primates-meeting.aspx

Where are we now? The aftermath of the January meeting of primates

From Anglican Ink-

In January this year, the Primates of the Anglican Communion were summoned by the Archbishop of Canterbury to a meeting.  So serious is the crisis in the Communion about the authority of God’s word that almost every Primate attended.

As I have said previously, the result was the mildest possible rebuke over the greatest offence for the greatest offenders, with the hope that there may be repentance.

It is now perfectly clear that the meeting failed in its intention. Far from being rebuked, the leaders of the Episcopal Church said that they intend to continue in their present course and indeed to export their ideas vigorously to the rest of the world.

It seems, from what the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion is communicating, that repentance was never required – which makes the disciplinary measures rather strange.

More here-

http://www.anglican.ink/article/where-are-we-now-aftermath-january-meeting-primates

Anglican chief counters accusations of 'Lusaka six'

From Christian Today-

Further Anglican divisions have emerged after six delegates to a recent influential meeting last month of church leaders denied that they had either endorsed or affirmed the actions of the Anglican Communion primates in January.

Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, rejected criticism from six delegates to the Anglican Consultative Council's meeting in Lusaka, Zambia.

The six outgoing members of the council and its insisted their meeting had "neither endorsed nor affirmed" the consequences contained in the primates' communiqué from their meeting at Canterbury cathedral.

Christian Today was among the news outlets that reported the Anglican Consultative Council had unanimously backed the primates in outlining "consequences" to the decision by The Episcopal Church to back gay marriage. The primates had voted to limit participation of The Episcopal Church for three years.

More here-

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/anglican.chief.counters.accusations.of.lusaka.six/85682.htm

Uganda: Church of Uganda to Boycott Anglican Summit Over Gays

From All Africa-

The Church of Uganda has said it will boycott a top Anglican Church summit due in April in the Zambian capital Lusaka over failure by the top church leadership in Canterbury to disassociate itself from homosexuality that is threatening the moral fabric of the Church.

In a confidential letter addressed to the bishops, clergy and other Lay leaders in the Church, Church of Uganda Archbishop Stanley Ntagali on Tuesday indicated it had also been resolved by the Provincial Assembly that the Church province of Uganda "will not participate" in any of such conferences of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) until "Godly order is restored."

The ACC is a periodical meeting aimed at facilitating the co-operative work of the churches of the Anglican Communion. The last meeting was held in New Zealand in 2012, while the next is due in Zambia between April 8 and April 19.

More here-

http://allafrica.com/stories/201602292375.html