| [CAPA - Kenya] Statement issued after the Meeting of January 27th/28th, 2005 |
A RESPONSE TO THE WINDSOR REPORT FROM THE PRIMATES OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN AFRICA AND THE GLOBAL SOUTH, JANUARY 2005 |
| 1. We are gathered in Nairobi, Kenya to strengthen our shared ministries and in anticipation of the third South-South Encounter that will take place in Egypt October 25th/31st 2005. We are encouraged by the reports that we have heard of the transforming power of the Gospel around the Anglican Communion and yet we are conscious that there are fundamental issues of faith and order confronting us that threaten the very existence of our common life. | We are Primates of the Church in Africa and the Global South in the Anglican Communion members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We are gathered in a meeting to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit as we prepare for service in this new year of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We do so, grateful for the “Faith once delivered to the Saints” and the generosity of those who first brought the Gospel to our continent. |
| 2. At meeting of the Primates in October 2003, in response to these concerns, we called for the establishment of the Lambeth Commission on Communion and we are very grateful for their hard work over these past months. We also commend the dedicated servant leadership offered by the Most Reverend Robin Eames. We believe that the Windsor Report offers a way forward that has the potential of being marked with God’s grace. | We have been invited to offer a response to the Windsor Report in anticipation of the meeting of the Primates of the Anglican Communion to be held in Ireland at the gracious invitation of the Primate of Ireland, The Most Rcvd. Dr. Robin Eames. We echo, with him, our conviction that the future of our Communion is at stake, and that “should the call to halt and find ways of continuing in our present communion not be heeded, then we shall have to begin to learn to walk apart”. (Windsor Report 157). |
| We are very grateful for the hard work of the Commission members. While we note that there are serious flaws in the Windsor Report we do agree that it offers a way forward that has the potential of being marked with God’s grace. We are hopeful that this seemingly endless debate on matters of human sexuality, to which we believe the Holy Scriptures speak with clarity and compassion, will soon be ended so that we can refocus our efforts on the work of the Great Commission “to make disciples of all nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you …” (Matthew 28:19,20). | |
| 3. We agree that the Windsor Report correctly points out that the Episcopal Church USA and the Diocese of New Westminster have pushed the Anglican Communion to the breaking point. The report rightly states that they did not listen to the clear voices of the Communion, rejected the Counsel of the four Instruments of Unity and ignored the plea of the Primates in their statements issued on October 16th and November 2nd, 2003. It is our considered opinion that their actions represent a “departure from genuine, apostolic Christian faith” [TWR 28] | We note that the Windsor Report correctly points out that the Episcopal Church of USA and the Diocese of New Westminster have pushed the Anglican Communion to breaking point. The report rightly states that they did not listen to the clear voices of the Communion, rejected the Counsel of the four Instruments of Unity and ignored the Primates of the Global South in their statements issued on October 16th and November 2nd, 2003 respectively. We are grieved by their continuing intransigence and their unwillingness to acknowledge the seriousness of their offence and reluctance to make genuine attempt to make amends. |
| It is regrettable to observe that the Commission did not see the action of ECUSA and Anglican Church of Canada on homosexuality and the same-sex union as SINFUL hence they did not call for their repentance. | |
| 4. We call on the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada to take seriously the need for “repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation enjoined on us by Christ” (Windsor Report [134]) and move beyond informal expressions of regret for the effect of their actions to a genuine change of heart and mind. We are grieved that while we all acknowledged that the actions of both provinces have torn “the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level” to date there have been no concrete steps taken towards repentance and reconciliation. As we declared in our statement of April 15th/16th, 2004 failure to do so within the next three months (i.e. by May 31st, 2005) will indicate that they have chosen to “walk alone” and follow another religion. | We therefore call on the Episcopal Church of USA and the Anglican Church of Canada to take seriously the need for “repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation enjoined on us by Christ” (Windsor Report [134]) and move beyond informal expression of regret for the effect of their actions to a genuine change of heart and mind. Failure to do so would indicate that they have chosen to “walk alone” and follow a new religion of their own making. |
| 5. We are encouraged by the recent actions of the minority of bishops in ECUSA who at the meeting of their House of Bishops in Salt Lake City signed “A Statement of Acceptance and Submission” indicating their willingness to renounce the actions that have been so injurious to our common life. We invite other primates to join us in declaring that full communion with these bishops is maintained. | |
| 6. We note with that the Windsor Report calls for a moratorium on the election and consecration of any candidate to the episcopate who is living in same gender union and the use of rites for the blessing of same-sex unions. We urge the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada to take this call to heart mindful that this is only a first step towards acknowledgement of Lambeth Resolution 1.10 “We cannot advise the legitimizing or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions.” | We note with approval that the Windsor Report calls for a moratorium on the election and consecration of any candidate to the episcopate who is living in same gender union and the use of rites for the blessing of same-sex unions. We urge the Episcopal Church of USA and the Anglican Church of Canada to take this call to heart mindful of Lambeth Resolution 1.10 “We cannot advise the legitimizing or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions”. |
| 7. We would also point out that faithfulness to the Holy Scriptures and to the expressed mind of the Communion requires that non-celibate homosexual clergy be asked to reform or resign and instead of a moratorium on same-sex blessings there should be a permanent cessation of such practices. | We would also point out that faithfulness to the Holy Scriptures and to the expressed mind of the Communion require that none-celibate homosexual clergy be asked to reform or resign and instead of a moratorium on same-sex blessings there should be a permanent cessation of such practices. |
| 8. The Windsor Report acknowledges the great pain that has been inflicted upon those faithful communities that have resisted doctrinal innovations within Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada. However, we reject the moral equivalence drawn between those who have initiated the crisis and those of us in the Global South who have responded to cries for help from beleaguered friends. To call on us to “express regret” and reassert our commitment to the Communion is offensive in light of our earlier statements. If the Episcopal Church USA had not willfully “torn the fabric of our communion at its deepest level” our actions would not have been necessary. | The Windsor Report acknowledges the great pain that has been inflicted upon faithful communities that have resisted doctrinal innovations within Episcopal Church of USA and the Anglican Church of Canada. However, we reject the moral equivalence drawn between those who have initiated the crisis and those Primates and Bishops in the Global South who have responded to cries for help from their beleaguered friends. To call on them to “express regret” and reassert their commitment to the Communion is offensive in light of our earlier statements. If the Episcopal Church of USA and the Diocese of New Westminster had not willfully “torn the fabric of communion at its deepest level” these actions would not have been necessary. |
| 9. We note with approval the recognition that extraordinary episcopal
care is needed for congregations alienated from their diocesan bishops. While we remain committed to the importance of coherent diocesan and provincial structures we believe, however, that there are times when these very structures can and have been used to intimidate the faithful. We, as Primates, are prepared to make provision for adequate Episcopal care for those parishes that find themselves alienated from their diocesan bishops because of their refusal to distance themselves from the historic faith of the church and embrace the proposed innovations. We recognize the essential role of the minority bishops who signed “A Statement of and Submission to the Windsor Report 2004,” and encourage other primates to do the same. |
We note with approval the recognition that extraordinary Episcopal care is needed for congregations alienated from their diocesan bishops because of their refusal to accept erroneous teaching. We remain committed to the importance of coherent diocesan structures. We discover, however, that there are times when these very structures can and have been used to intimidate the faithful. We encourage the Primates at their meeting in Ireland to provide adequate Episcopal oversight to those who are being oppressed for their commitment to the historic faith of the church and who refuse to bow their knees to the spirit of this age. |
| 10. We are encouraged by the suggestions offered for restructuring the various instruments of unity to strengthen our common life. We look forward to the day when the voices of the majority of the Anglican Communion are adequately represented in those various instruments. We believe that the Primates Meeting is already in place to serve as a ‘Council of Advice’ to the Archbishop of Canterbury and we anticipate an expanded commitment to this ministry. We believe that there must be a more collaborative and defined role in appointments to commissions and task forces established to serve the whole Communion. | We are encouraged by the suggestions offered for restructuring the various instruments of unity to strengthen our common life. We look forward to the day when the voices of the majority of the Anglican Communion are adequately represented in those various instruments. We also feel that we cannot continue this endless process of debate and delay and that the time has come for us to move forward. We wish to note that the whole attitude of ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada on these issues under reference is cancerous and if not cut off immediately, will definitely spread to the detriment of the whole communion. |
11. We note with profound sadness that as a consequence of the actions of ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada, and their continued intransigence, the Provinces that we serve are in various stages of impaired and or broken communion with them. This now makes it impossible for many of us to share in any formal gatherings or celebrations of the Holy Communion with their respective Primates since to do so would be a violation of our own consciences and the consciences of the people whom we serve.
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Finally, we acknowledge with sadness that sexual brokenness affects every church and every culture – all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We declare, however, that we have witnessed the healing power of the Gospel and the transformation that is available to those who will turn to Christ in faith and repentance. We know that no one is beyond the reach of His outstretched arms. |
| 12. We are committed to the future life of the Anglican Communion, one that is rooted in truth and charity, and faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We applaud the proposal for an Anglican Covenant and are ready to endorse the following statement as an initial step in this direction: | It is with that hope that we remain committed to the future life of the Anglican Communion, one that is rooted in holiness, truth, charity and faithfulness to the Word of God. |
| "Each church shall act in a manner compatible both with its belonging
to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and with its
membership of the Anglican Communion. In all essential matters of
common concern in the Anglican Communion, no member church shall act without
consideration of the common good of the Communion.” --[TWR, Appendix Two, Article 9] |