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	Viewpoints : 55 Lawsuits, 4 Dioceses in Litigation...albany Stays the Course...acna Acts... Virtue Online June 12, 2009 http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=10631 Instead of being an incentive for living a life of holiness, God's love has become an excuse for every base human desire--- Fr. Miguel Grave de Peralta, Augusta, Georgia Word, Worship and Sacrament. Our participation. We participate in Christ's sacrifice only in the sense that we share in the benefits of it, not in the sense that we share in the offering of it. ---From "Your Confirmation" by John R. W. Stott Signs and promises. The sacraments dramatize salvation and do not in themselves automatically convey it. Augustine called them *verba visibilia*, 'visible words', and Hooker 'signs to which are annexed promises'. Therefore it is not by the mere outward administration of water in baptism that we are cleansed and receive the Spirit, nor by the mere gift of bread and wine in communion that we feed on Christ crucified, but by faith in the promises of God thus visibly expressed, a faith which is itself meant to be illustrated in our humble, believing acceptance of these signs. But we must not confuse the signs with the promises which they signify. It is possible to receive the sign without receiving the promise, and also to receive the promise apart from the receiving of the sign. --- From "Christ the Controversialist" John R.W. Stott Justification and the Lord's Supper. The English Reformers were resolved, being consistent theologians, that their doctrines of justification and of the Lord's Supper should be compatible with one another. They strenuously denied transubstantiation ('the change is not in the nature, but the dignity' - Latimer), the real presence of Christ in the elements ('his true body is truly present to them that truly receive him, but spiritually' - Cranmer), and the notion that the mass could be a propitiatory sacrifice (for then 'doth this sacrament take upon it the office of Christ's passion, whereby it might follow that Christ died in vain' - Ridley). They were also consistent (as we should be) in their vocabulary, believing that the presbyter is a minister serving a sacramental supper from a table, not a priest offering a sacrifice on an altar. --- From Foreword to "Masters of the English Reformation", by Marcus L. Loane Dear Brothers and Sisters www.virtueonline.org 6/12/2009 The Episcopal Church USA will soon have a new slogan. In light of the some 55 lawsuits and untold millions being spent on litigation, TEC will have a new video for you all to share with your friends - "The Episcopal Church: Can you feel the Love". Katharine Jefferts Schori, TEC's Presiding Bishop, will take you on an ecclesiastical bus tour of the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Quincy, San Joaquin and Ft. Worth where there is so much love evident that thousands of unchurched locals, disillusioned Catholics, reviled homosexuals and lesbians, and burned out evangelicals are pouring into Episcopal churches to witness the unprecedented love never before seen in the 400-year old history of the church. THE lawsuits keep piling up. Rarely does a week go by without another lawsuit either being filed or resolved and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to satisfy The Episcopal Church and keep another parish safely in its bosom, even though most of the occupants have fled to safer spiritual sanctuaries, never more to return. In Petaluma, California, members of St. John's Episcopal Church in the DIOCESE OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA reached an agreement over property rights with members who broke away from the church in 2006 over ideological differences. The besetting issues are always the same, homosexuality...Gene Robinson's consecration et al. The parish aligned itself with the Province of the Southern Cone and Archbishop Gregory Venables taking the church building and other assets with them, prompting a lawsuit. The agreement struck this week returns the 118-year-old building and $450,000 in endowments to the diocese; in exchange, the leader of the breakaway group will get a greater share of ownership of a house brought partly with church money. A spokesman for the Anglican congregation says they have not yet found a new place of worship. An attorney told VOL that it was a complete settlement with the diocese and national church waiving all future rights to sue anyone. In the DIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES, Bishop Jon J. Bruno chalked up another victory when St. Luke's of the Mountains Anglican Church lost its court battle over its property this week. The San Diego-based Fourth District Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's ruling in favor of the diocese stating its right to the land the church sits on and its buildings. The ruling is the climax to a year-long battle between St. Luke's and the diocese. You can read both stories in today's digest. Lawsuit action would not be complete if the DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA wasn't embroiled in yet another sexual scandal. This time it involves an 81-year-man who says an Episcopal priest repeatedly raped him more than 60 years ago. He is now suing the Diocese of Pennsylvania. Here in brief is Ralph White, Jr.'s story as sent to VOL: "As an adolescent, I was repeatedly raped and sodomized by The Rev. Gibson Bell. This went on for a period of 8 years, and when I rebelled against it, no-one---not even my parents believed me. Instead, I was handed over to the perpetrator, time and again, for more 'guidance'. Eventually, when I made it clear I would go public with what happened to me, the perpetrator conspired to have me arrested, thrown in jail and then committed to Norristown State Hospital where I was subjected to 70 insulin shock treatments and threatened with a lobotomy. As a result of that, even when I gained my release, my mother had disowned me and, when she died, she left everything to the priest who abused me. When he died, a portion of his estate went to the church where the abuse took place. "I have spent more than 60 years suffering the injustices done to me, always feeling the pain of betrayal. I speak out today not just to get justice for myself, but also to encourage others to speak out and tell the truth about what has happened and is happening---to them. That way, what happened to me might never happen to others." You can read the full story in today's digest. It seems that events are still not going well in the diocese despite the departure of Charles E. Benison. A message from Diocesan Council showed irrefutable evidence that, after two years without Charles Bennison at the helm, things have not improved. "With actual pledges in hand, dramatically lower than what was budgeted at Convention, our ability to carry out the mission and ministry of the Diocese is in serious jeopardy." VOL was told that there is no visible overall plan and the Diocese is still stumbling from pillar to post. "The frustration level since then is 'more of the same' and has built to the point that many are exiting the diocese." ***** By contrast, the DIOCESE OF ALBANY took a stand at their annual diocesan convention this past week with two significant things occurring. Delegates passed a resolution re-affirming its loyal membership in Province II and to The Episcopal Church, recognizing the legislative authority of General Convention governing the Episcopal Church. But then they said that their understanding of the seat of authority in the Episcopal Church, as elaborated by the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, resides at the diocesan level. They said TEC by its structure was "that of a voluntary association of equal dioceses." They said the Constitution and Canons of the Church make no provision for either a central hierarchy or a Presiding Bishop with metropolitan authority. This was smack up the side of the head at Mrs. Jefferts Schori and blindsided Via Media liberals in the diocese who tried to pass a resolution affirming the national church's leadership (the exact opposite of what passed). A VOL reader who was present said, "If we had left the resolution alone, it would have been overwhelmingly voted down, playing into what I believe was the intent of Via Media. Rather, we turned the whole thing around to endorse the 'Bishops' Statement on the Polity of the Episcopal Church' and simply affirming what is currently true - that we are still loyal members of the Episcopal Church." The second major event was Bishop William Love's message to his people. It was a resounding clarion call for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be heard from every pulpit in the diocese. He also said Episcopal dioceses should be permitted to vote on the Covenant being drawn up by Anglican Communion leaders. He also took a strong swipe at Episcopal leaders (he did not name names) who deny central tenets of the Faith. Love said he has traveled widely throughout The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion and that he is deeply grieved by the growing division within The Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion. "I had hoped, and still do, that the proposed Anglican Covenant could help bring healing into the Communion." Love said he is greatly troubled by rampant biblical illiteracy and the resulting ongoing struggle amongst so many to recognize the Bible as the living Word of God -- that continues to speak to us today and has authority over our lives, containing all things necessary to salvation. He urged daily Bible reading, study and memorization and blasted those called to leadership positions in the Church who fail to recognize, or stand up and proclaim the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the Son of God incarnate, "The Way, The Truth, The Life," the ONLY ONE through whom salvation and entrance into eternal life with God the Father is possible. You can read the full story in today's digest. Wrote a VOL reader: "Bishop Love is a loyal, orthodox Christian. He received a standing ovation after his opening address to the convention. He was absolutely clear throughout the convention on his faithfulness to the Creeds." ***** The launching of the new ANGLICAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA is producing much last minute activity prior to the grand opening later this month. ACNA leaders have produced an 'Overview of the work of the Governance Task Force on the Constitution and Canons for the Anglican Church in North America'. The work of the Governance Task Force (GTF) began last October and concluded in April when the Common Cause Council, meeting in Texas, adopted the final version of the Constitution and Canons which are being submitted to the Assembly for adoption. The GTF is quick to admit that its work is not perfect. Undoubtedly, some of the provisions when adopted in June will, in time, be changed as the Province gains experience in its common life. The Constitution and Canons bring together the past experiences of its many separate constituent jurisdictions, along with earlier disappointments and hopes for a vital and effective future together. Compromises in some places were necessary as were the acknowledgment that time may produce a more comprehensive set of documents. What is most remarkable, however, is the unanimity found in setting forth the fundamental declarations of faith and belief. You can read the full statement here or in today's digest. http://tinyurl.com/mpqugr ***** In today's digest, you can read Part V in my ongoing series on Episcopal Dioceses & Parishes as they face the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. http://tinyurl.com/l7r3z6 This story updates the financial status of dioceses and parishes that we first reported on three months ago. In most dioceses, the situation has only worsened. There is also new information showing that Episcopal dioceses and parishes continue to spill red ink as they scramble to make sense of declining budgets, diminished Trust Funds, aging congregations and personal incomes ravaged by an economy in free fall. The DIOCESE OF WASHINGTON is among the worst hit, drastically revising its 2009 budget, largely because of paltry giving from the bulk of its congregations plus a drop in its investment income. They can no longer rely on the Soper Fund to bail them out. This pro-gay diocese, led by revisionist Bishop John Chane, also has the dubious privilege of knowing that at least 3 per cent of the District of Columbia residents have HIV/AIDS, which is now regarded as "epidemic" in proportion with rates higher than West Africa, according to Shannon L. Hader, director of the District's HIV/AIDS Administration. "They're on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya. We have every mode of transmission -- men having sex with men, heterosexual and injected drug use -- going up, all on the rise, and we have to deal with them," Hader said. Fascinating. This is the same bishop who keeps howling and braying at archbishops like Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola for his lack of inclusivity. So, rather than calling on people to abstain from anal sex, Chane blesses the behavior and watches people die off all around him. Then he has the nerve to criticize the Anglican Church of Nigeria and the Government of Nigeria for clamping down on sodomite behavior. The sheer hypocrisy of this man should not be lost on Episcopalians. His diocese is withering and dying just about as fast men with HIV/AIDS in DC and he doesn't see the connection. Oy vey. ***** Is the bloom off the rose for Bishop Robinson? According to an interview he gave National Journal" Robinson said his "Patience Is Wearing Thin" with Obama. Is the party over then? During a recent interview, Robinson, who gave the invocation at Obama's inaugural event, said that the gay community "patience is wearing thin" with the president for not acting to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' among other issues. You can read the full interview in today's digest. ***** Apparently the faux bishop of SAN JOAQUIN, The Rt. Rev. Jerry Lamb has upset a priest over his being deposed. In an article by attorney A.S. Haley titled "The Proper Treatment of Arrogance", the Anglican Curmudgeon produces a series of letters written by Fr. Michael Fry blasting the actions of Lamb for his uncanonical acts in presuming to "depose" clergy in the Diocese of San Joaquin. Lamb recently signed sentences of deposition for 61 clergy. Fry wrote: Dear Bishop Lamb, I trust this letter finds you well. Please accept this letter as a formal "Denial" of the charges of abandonment of Communion under Canon IV.10.1. I would ask one favor of you, however: Please refrain from corresponding with me again. If your lawyers insist that some final word must be said I would encourage you to mail it to my California address which is probably still in your records. As I haven't lived there in well over a year, the Post Office will not forward it. That will make us both happy-you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you at least attempted to inform me of your final judgment and I will be spared the joy of reading it. For the full exchange read the story in today's digest. ***** From the DIOCESE OF SOUTHEAST FLORIDA VOL learned this week that Alberto Cutié will tie the knot within weeks, say sources close to the former Roman Catholic priest who joined the Episcopal church in late May. Cutié and his fiancée, 35-year-old Ruhama Buni Canellis, recently hired several off-duty police officers to work security at the high-profile private wedding, which will take place at an unnamed Episcopal church in the next two weeks. The Rt. Rev. Leo Frade, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida, will officiate at the wedding ceremony. One church not on the wedding list: Miami's Trinity Cathedral, the diocese's flagship church and one that dozens of international reporters flooded after Cutié and Canellis switched Christian denominations on May 28. Cutié, nicknamed "Father Oprah," gave his first sermon as an Episcopalian on May 31 at Church of the Resurrection in Biscayne Park and has started a yearlong process to become an Episcopal priest. In the meantime, he will continue to give sermons and rehabilitate ailing Episcopal churches, including Church of the Holy Comforter in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. Cutié left his position at St. Francis de Sales Catholic church in Miami Beach when photographs showing him nuzzling Canellis on a Florida beach -- a violation of his vow of celibacy -- were published in a celebrity magazine in early May. ***** In my last digest I wrote: "Death is catching up on the aging denomination. The Episcopal Church is experiencing 19,000 more deaths than births per year, which roughly equals the loss of a diocese annually with Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) now hovering at about 700,000." A long time reader and friend from upstate New York wrote to say that retired TEC clergy and their spouses are living to be 80-100 years old. "Each month, I get a list of those who have died, and seldom are the deceased under the age of 80." She then wondered aloud how many vestries were reducing clergy and lay staff to part-time in order to reduce the 18% CPS assessment. She wrote: "Several years ago, the Diocese of NY went to the "50-50" plan. Participating congregations sent 50% of their pledge and plate to the Diocese, which then picked up all clergy compensation costs. The 50% kept by the congregation was to go for liturgical supplies, heat, and other operational costs. Bishop Mark Sisk has just announced the Diocese can't afford this any longer. This will hit several South Bronx congregations very hard -- and probably some upstate congregations, too. Sisk sought to reduce costs by letting go The Rev. Jerry Keucher as CEO and bringing in a retired businessman who is working without a salary. Since Keucher's "partner" was also costing the Diocese money (he's also a priest), there ought to have been big savings. Now Keucher, who maintained his position as "Bishop's Vicar" of the Church of the Intercession, is engaged in a battle with Sisk over the Diocesan delegation to GC2009: Keucher is one of the priests elected as a delegate." Suffragan Bishop Catharine Roskam, who rides in a float in the "Gay Pride Parade" each year, is likely helping Keucher. On the Diocesan News listing of the DIOCESE OF NEW YORK comes this: The Church of St. Luke in the Fields is proud to host the 21st Annual Center Kids Pride Picnic, co-hosted by the Center Kids / Center Families from the LGBT Pride Center. Come enjoy music, games, crafts and food with us. Suggested donation $5.00 per adult, children are free. Suggestion: Take your children and flee to the Adirondacks. ***** According to "Ecumenical News", U.S. "mega-churches" - predominately large Protestant or Pentecostal churches, many without denominational affiliation - attract more younger and unmarried members than smaller and more established Protestant churches, a new study concludes. A survey, issued on 9 June, found that of the 24, 900 people who attend services at 12 U.S. mega-churches, almost two-thirds (62 percent) are under the age of 45, a sharp contrast to the 35 percent under 45 who attend all Protestant churches in the country. Similarly, the survey conducted jointly by the Dallas-based Leadership Network, a non-profit public charity, and Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research, based in Connecticut, found that nearly a third of those attending a mega-church are single and unmarried. By contrast, single, unmarried persons constitute only one in ten in all Protestant churches in the United States. ***** From The Church of England Newspaper comes this report: BISHOPS' EXPENSES in the House of Lords were defended this week, as critics said they undermined the Church's comments on MPs. The president of the National Secular Society, Terry Sanderson, observed that some claims suggested a legalistic attitude similar to that in the House of Commons. He said: "Most of the bishops seem to be playing by the rules, although it is difficult to see why Tom Butler needed to attend the Lords on 83 days when he voted only 10 times. Given that he lives on the doorstep, I suppose it is easy for him to pop over, sign in and then pop back to his palace. "We won't be taking any sermons from him about the propriety of claiming expenses until he comes up with a satisfactory explanation for this." Explaining the £6,743 subsistence costs claimed by the Bishop of Southwark, Dr. Tom Butler, between April 1 2007-March 31 2008, a spokesperson for the Bishop said: "Part of the Bishop of Southwark's 'job description' involves him spending a good deal of time in the Lords. This has been the case with Bishop Tom and his two predecessors. " Bishop Tom also has national responsibilities as Chair of the Public Affairs Unit of the Archbishops' Council and Co-chair of the Inter faith Network for Britain. Both of these responsibilities involve reacting to a large amount of government legislation and consultation and involves time in both meetings and helping to draft responses." Nothing was claimed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who attended on seven days, or the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who attended on 10 days. While there were examples of bishops managing to save the taxpayers money, they inevitably raised questions regarding the value of money for others. While the Bishop of Leicester, The Rt. Rev. Tim Stevens, attended on 23 days and claimed £414 in overnight subsistence. The Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright, attended on nine days and claimed £1,312 for over night subsistence. A statement from the Bishop's office read: "The Bishop of Durham takes the responsibility very seriously and wishes he could attend more often although the distance makes that less easy. Within his busy schedule as a diocesan bishop he attends as often as he can." The Bishop of London, The Rt. Rev. Richard Chartres, attended 15 days, and claimed a total of £4,180. In response to whether this represented good value to the public, a spokesperson for the Bishop said: "The Bishop of London leads for the Church of England in the House of Lords on a number of issues, most notably climate change and the environment. "This has been seen in the work that he and his staff have carried out over the past 18 months, for instance with his contribution to the passing of the Climate Change Act. This is in turn reflected in the expense claims made, which support the Bishop's Parliamentary activity." ***** To all intents and purposes, Episcopal Church leaders appear to have vetoed a bishop-elect for the first time since the 1930s. Barring a last minute change of heart by opponents, it appears certain that a majority of bishops and Standing Committees have rejected the consecration of a bishop-elect who denies traditional Christian teachings about sin, salvation, and Christ's atoning death at Calvary. Evangelicals inside and outside the Episcopal Church say they would have been concerned if Kevin Thew Forrester had been given a ceremonial shepherd's staff and a sacred charge to "feed and tend the flock of Christ" in the DIOCESE OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN, where he was elected on February 21 as the only candidate. Thew Forrester, who has rewritten the church's baptismal covenant, the Apostles' Creed, and the Book of Common Prayer's Easter Vigil liturgy to remove historic Christian doctrines, would be the first bishop-elect to be vetoed by denominational leaders since at least the 1930s, according to the church's Office of Communications. ***** The Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church should end the spirit of rivalry between them and concentrate on jointly facing modern challenges, according to Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the head of the Moscow Patriarchate's external church relations department. Both churches have long clashed over territory, foremost over Ukraine. At a meeting recently with Archbishop Paolo Pezzi, the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Archbishop Hilarion said he was determined to continue the course of his predecessor, Patriarch Krill of Moscow and All Russia, on the position of external church relations and to look for ways towards improving mutual understanding and relations with the Roman Catholic Church in Russia, the Moscow Patriarchate said in a statement posted on its website. Archbishop Hilarion and Archbishop Pezzi shared their views on the need to develop more efficient cooperation between the two churches in defending traditional Christian values against modern secularism. In this connection, Archbishop Hilarion said, "any spirit of rivalry should be left in the past." Archbishop Pezzi vowed to look for new forms of interaction that would meet important goals of Christian testimony and suggested that the two churches discuss the possibility of arranging joint Orthodox-Catholic events to this end. ***** If you want to know where the ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF OTTAWA, is going consider this. A VOL reader wrote to say that in the May edition of the Quebec Diocesan Gazette, it mentions the appointment of The Rev. Garth Bulmer as Diocesan Archdeacon. "He recently stormed out of the closet with two failed marriages behind him, in the diocese of Ottawa. I would have to conclude that this points clearly the direction that the diocese will be taking." Bulmer, a supporter of gay rights once said if he can't bless same-sex unions, he might not perform marriages at all as a gesture of support for gays and lesbians. ***** In the DIOCESE OF NEW WESTMINSTER, closing arguments were made this week in the case of the Anglican Network in Canada and four parishes versus the diocese. You can read closing arguments. We await the verdict of the courts. ***** As you read these VIEWPOINTS, Virtueonline is covering the ANGLICAN USE Conference in Houston, Texas, this weekend and will report on it fully to you. The Anglican Use is a special Pastoral Provision of Pope John Paul II for the Anglican Usage of the Roman Rite (http://www.pastoralprovision.org). It is under the leadership of The Most Rev. John J. Myers, Ecclesiastical Delegate for the Pastoral Provision and Archbishop of Newark. There is a contingent from the Anglican Diocese of Ft. Worth present at this conference. On June 21, VOL will be present at the inauguration of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) in Ft. Worth, Texas, where we will have a small contingent of reporters to mark the occasion. Later I will fly to England to cover the opening of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, a story, which you can read in today's digest. Immediately after that is over, I fly to Anaheim, California for General Convention. To make this happen, Virtueonline NEEDS your financial support. We cannot do it without you. VOL believes we should be at these conferences, a belief encouraged by our donors and supporters. However, reporters cost money for travel, hotels, meals and gratuities. VOL is going out on a limb and by faith we believe you, our readers, will support us so we are not left in the lurch looking for money to pay for it all. I was encouraged today by a phone call from an 88-year-old VOL supporter who said she has been reading VOL for a number of years and will be at the ACNA conference. She expects to see me there. I will not disappoint her. Please consider a tax deductible donation to VOL. You may send your gift to: VIRTUEONLINE 1236 Waterford Rd. West Chester, PA 19380 If you would prefer to make a donation through PAYPAL, you can do so by going to www.virtueonline.org and clicking on the PAYPAL ikon. We will respond promptly. Thank you for your support. All Blessings, David
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