Tag Archives: Archbishop Foley Beach

A Statement on Archbishop Beach’s Participation at Primates 2016

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Contrary to previous reports, it seems that the lack of repentance from TEC and the ACoC did finally provoke a walkout.

From here (my emphasis):

The Anglican Church in North America has received numerous questions regarding whether or not Archbishop Beach was “a full voting member of the Primates Meeting.” Archbishop Beach did not consider himself a full voting member of the Primates Meeting, but with the exception of voting on the consequences for the Episcopal Church, Archbishop Beach participated fully in those parts of the meeting that he chose to attend.

Prior to Primates 2016 he was informed that there may be certain times when the Primates would move into a formal meeting, and, as the Anglican Church in North America is not an official member of the Communion’s instruments, he would be asked to step out of the room. However, he was never asked to leave the meeting.

While at the meeting, he addressed the gathering and participated in various balloting measures that set the agenda, ordered the agenda, and sought to discern the way those in the room wanted to proceed. He did not vote on the consequences for The Episcopal Church.

Some have asked whether Archbishop Beach voted to approve the final Communique or the new members of the Standing Committee. Neither he nor a majority of the GAFCON Primates were​ present for these discussions on Friday. Although early in the week he joined the other Primates in affirming his desire to walk together, this desire was necessarily contingent upon The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada giving evidence of returning to Biblical and historical Anglican theology and morality (Amos 3:3). On Thursday ​evening, ​with the absence of repentance, restored order, and true unity, Archbishop Beach felt it necessary to withdraw from the meeting.

Archbishop Beach appreciated the gracious invitation from the Archbishop of Canterbury to attend the meeting, and was thankful to be warmly received as the Primate of the Anglican Church in North America by most of the other primates who were present.  While the Anglican Church in North America is recognized and in full communion with provinces who represent the majority of Anglicans in the world, the future place of the Anglican Church in North America in relation to the formal instruments remains an open question.  Archbishop Beach was encouraged to see the growing recognition of the Anglican Church in North America as a part of the Communion by many of the Primates and Provinces around the table.

An interview with Archbishop Foley Beach

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Apparently, it would help foster reconciliation if TEC stopped suing ACNA congregations. Who knew?

Another interesting point in the interview is that the Delphi method – beloved of process addicted corporate zombies – employed in the meeting was less than effective.

From here:

Dr Beach’s presence at the gathering was at the insistence of the GAFCON Primates, who had said earlier that they would not attend a meeting without him. He was widely expected to be asked to leave after the first two or three days, but instead stayed for the whole of the meeting, and was included in a number of the votes the Primates took.

He said, however: “I did not vote when it came to the Episcopal Church. In my conscience I didn’t feel that that was appropriate. I’m not part of the official Anglican structures yet, although I’m in communion with provinces that represent the majority of the Anglican Communion.

“They basically gave out pieces of paper when it was time to vote, and I just refused it.”

The Canterbury gathering was the first time that Dr Beech met the new US Presiding Bishop, the Most Revd Michael Curry. “We were very cordial with each other, but we didn’t have any deep conversations.

“But one thing I did say, and I said this in front of the other Primates, because I was asked a question: one thing that would help towards reconciliation and collaboration would be if they call off the lawsuits. Right now they’re suing numbers of our congregations for millions of dollars and property and church buildings, and on and on it goes. They could call that off in a moment. It’s going to be hard as long as we’re in court against each other.”

Dr Beach described the mood of the meeting as serious and, at times, tense. But he had been treated at all times, he said, “with respect and dignity as an Anglican Primate”. He scotched the rumours of confiscated phones and a “divide and rule” approach to preventing the conservatives getting together.

“There was a time when we were wrestling with an issue, so we all divided into groups, and came back — and it didn’t help. It just didn’t help.

“But at any time Archbishop Welby would say: ‘I think it’s time for you to gather in your own groups, or maybe you just want to go for a walk,’ and gave time for us to meet together.

“I think that’s part of why people were able to stay engaged and be a part of it, because we were able to communicate.”

The departure of the Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Revd Stanley Ntagali, was accepted as a consequence of the canons passed by his provincial synod, which prevented his sitting in a meeting with the US Episcopal Church or the Church of Canada unless they repented.

“For him to even show up was really putting him out on a limb with his people,” Dr Beach said. “And the longer he sat there — he’s such a godly man with such a tender conscience — the more he came under the conviction that he cannot offend or hurt his people. He didn’t leave out of anger. . . he just felt he was not being faithful to his duties as an Archbishop. And so we blessed him, and he blessed us. And then we continued on.”

He was optimistic about the future acceptance of ACNA. “What this meeting did was allow other folks, who had only heard rumours about us, to get to know what we are, what we’re not, what God is doing in our midst.”

The question of admitting ACNA as a full member of the Communion was raised, but referred to the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), which next meets in April. In the full communiqué released by the Primates on Friday afternoon, this was described as a matter of “polity” — i.e. something on which the Episcopal Church will not be able to vote if the ACC accepts the sanctions imposed by the Primates’ gathering.

 

Pope recognises ACNA, Archbishop of Canterbury doesn’t

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From here:

Pope Francis has signalled his blessing to the breakaway traditionalist American church at the centre of the split which has divided the 80 million strong worldwide Anglican Communion over the issue of sexuality.

He sent a message offering his “prayers and support” to Archbishop Foley Beach, the new leader of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the conservative movement which broke away from The Episcopal Church after the ordination of the first openly gay bishop.

[….]

“Assure him [Archbishop Foley] of my prayers and support at this moment and in the future as he leads the Church at this very important moment of revival and mission.”

[….]

in an interview last week, Archbishop Welby underlined his view that ACNA is “not part of the Anglican Communion”.

The Pope has it right: ACNA is a catalyst for revival.

Although the Pope didn’t say it, Establishment Anglicanism represented by Canterbury and North America is an agent of decay.

The fruitless ARCIC meanderings have fizzled into endless vapid dialogue. It would be satisfying if some type of unity could be achieved between ACNA and the Roman Catholic church while Canterbury is still refusing to acknowledge the obvious – that ACNA really is a member of the Anglican Communion. Of course, if this takes too long, it will be transparently clear: ACNA will be a member of the only part of the Anglican Communion still left standing – GAFCON.