Peter Abuja, GAFCON and Romanism

We offer our edits to Peter in "red, bold ink."

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

GAFCON Primates Respond to Apostolic Constitution
November 10, 2009Statement from GAFCON/FCA Primates Council

RESPONSE TO OFFER OF AN APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION TO ANGLICANS

We have received the Archbishop of Canterbury’s letter informing us of the Pope’s offer of an ‘Apostolic Constitution’ for those Anglicans who wish to be received into the Roman Catholic Church. We believe that this offer is a gracious one and reflects the same commitment to the historic apostolic faith (PV: Absolutely incorrect. The R0man Gospel is a false Gospel. Here was an opportunity for Peter and GAFCON to speak of the Gospel and call Romanists to flee from Romanism and the false gospel and to join the True Catholic, Reformational Church. This phrase, "same committment to the historic apostolic faith," is egregiously ill-advised. It's cruel and unloving to grant any appearance that Romanism teaches "the historic apostolic faith."), moral teaching and global mission that we proclaimed in the Jerusalem Declaration on the Global Anglican Future and for this we are profoundly grateful.

We are, however, grieved that the current crisis within our beloved Anglican Communion has made necessary such an unprecedented offer. It represents a grave indictment of the Instruments of Communion whose very purpose is to strengthen and protect our unity in obedience to our Lord’s clear command. Their failure to fully address the abandonment of biblical faith and practice by The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada has now brought shame to the name of Christ and seriously impedes the cause of the Gospel. (PV: Excellent, direct, and a solid rebuke to the Western non-Gospellers.)

The Primates Council of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON/FCA) is convinced, however, that Anglicanism has a bright future as long as we remain grounded in the Holy Scriptures and obedient to our Lord Jesus Christ’s call to reach the lost and make disciples of all nations teaching them to observe the whole Gospel. We also believe that there is room within our Anglican family for all those who hold true to the ‘faith once delivered to the saints’. (PV: This is code for we tolerate Anglo-Catholics. Peter has the virus also and he learned it from Westerners. No one is raising the issues, except the Church Society and one Bishop in Brazil.) We would like to encourage those Anglicans who are considering this invitation from the Roman Catholic Church to recognize that Anglican churches are growing throughout the world in strength and offering a vibrant testimony to the transforming work of Christ.

We are convinced that this is not the time to abandon the Anglican Communion. Our Anglican identity of reformed catholicity, that gives supreme authority to the Holy Scriptures and acknowledgement that our sole representative and advocate before God is the Lord Jesus Christ, stands as a beacon of hope for millions of people. We remain proud inheritors of the Anglican Reformation. This is a time for all Christians to persevere confident of our Lord’s promise that nothing, not even the gates of hell, will prevail against His Church. (PV: Reformed catholicity? What is he thinking of with the term "reformed?" This needs the teeth of doctrine and definition without "whistling in the dark." Notably and commendably, he speaks of the "supreme authority" of Scriptures. He appears to put "saint invocation" to the side. He claims we are "proud inheritors of the Anglican Reformation." Excellent, but we've seen enough from GAFCON-participants, like Jack of Texas, Keith of Quincy and others to raise lawful, legitimate, and necessary questions, theologically. We don't think Peter of Africa has dealt with the neo-Tractarian squatters--nor has there been the discipline that's needed by those of "the Anglican Reformation." You can bet that Jack Iker, Keith Ackerman and other AC-enthusiasts aren't clapping at that claim about the Reformation. It's a superior statement than the one muddling Bob of Pittsburg, a graduate of "Lance Corporal Theological Seminary," NY, in the 70's.)

+Peter Abuja, Chairman,
GAFCON/FCA Primates Council