[Vision2020] And the Beat Goes On!

[heirdoug at netscape.net]

I thought his assesment was accurate: "Archbishop Peter Akinola of 
Nigeria, who has called the growing acceptance of gay relationships a 
"satanic attack" on the church. "



Two Parishes Bolt From Episcopal Church
More May Follow in Fight Over Gay Relationships
By MATTHEW BARAKAT
AP
FAIRFAX, Va. (Dec. 17) - Two of the most prominent and largest 
Episcopal parishes in Virginia voted overwhelmingly Sunday to leave The 
Episcopal Church and join fellow Anglican conservatives forming a rival 
denomination in the U.S.

Truro Church in Fairfax and The Falls Church in Falls Church plan to 
place themselves under the leadership of Anglican Archbishop Peter 
Akinola of Nigeria, who has called the growing acceptance of gay 
relationships a "satanic attack" on the church.

Truro rector Martyn Minns was consecrated a bishop by the Church of 
Nigeria earlier this year to lead Akinola's Convocation of Anglicans in 
North America.

"This has been our spiritual home, so separating is very hard," Minns 
said at a news conference announcing the parishes' decision. "There's 
also the promise of a new day. A burden is being lifted. There are new 
possibilities breaking through."

Virginia Bishop Peter Lee, a centrist, had won praise even from his 
critics for his extensive outreach to all sides in the conflict. He 
said Sunday that the votes "had compromised these discussions and have 
created Nigerian congregations occupying Episcopal churches."

None is as eminent as Truro and Falls Church, however. The parishes 
together claim more than 4,000 members, with roots they trace back to 
Colonial times.

A lengthy and expensive legal fight could erupt over the Truro and 
Falls Church properties, which are worth millions of dollars.

"We fully intend to assert the church's canonical and legal rights over 
these properties," Lee said in a news release, calling it a "sad day 
for the church." Losing all the conservative churches could cost the 
Virginia diocese around 10 percent of its 90,000 members.

The Episcopal Church, the U.S. wing of the global Anglican Communion, 
has been under pressure from traditionalists at home and abroad since 
the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson 
of New Hampshire.

Under Anglican tradition, Akinola's move into Episcopal territory 
amounts to an invasion, since archbishops agree not to start churches 
outside the borders of their own region. Episcopal Presiding Bishop 
Katharine Jefferts Schori will consult with her advisers on how the 
denomination should respond, said Bob Williams, the national Episcopal 
spokesman.

While theological conservatives are a minority within the 2.2 
million-member U.S. denomination, their protests have had an impact.

Ninety percent of Falls Church parishioners and 92 percent of Truro 
members who cast ballots in the last week supported cutting ties with 
The Episcopal Church, parish leaders said.

"It was a very, very emotional time," said Jim Oakes, Truro's top lay 
leader, who supported the split. "In some ways it's like a death in the 
family."

Nationally, Episcopal researchers estimate that at least one-third of 
the nearly 115,000 people who left the denomination from 2003 to 2005 
did so because of parish conflicts over Robinson.

Seven of the 100 U.S. Episcopal dioceses have threatened to break from 
the denomination, but have so far stayed put. The closest any have come 
to leaving was a vote earlier this month in the Diocese of San Joaquin, 
in Fresno, Calif., endorsing a first step toward seceding. But that 
diocese must take a second vote next year before they can formalize a 
split.

The feud has been far more damaging to the 77 million-member Anglican 
Communion.

Most overseas Anglicans believe gay relationships violate Scripture and 
contend liberal interpretations of the Bible are far outside the bounds 
of mainstream Christian belief.

Struggling to hold the communion together, Archbishop of Canterbury 
Rowan Williams, the Anglican spiritual leader, has said that the 
communion may have to create a two-tier system of membership, with 
branches that ordain partnered gays given a lesser status.

Akinola is among the conservatives who aren't waiting for a negotiated 
solution.

In a statement Friday, Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary general of the 
Anglican Communion, said that the archbishop of Canterbury has not 
"indicated any support" for the mission.
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