Anglican Mainstream

Professor Harrison’s remarks about what in other words would be called ’parochialism’ are specially revealing. That is why the Global Anglican Future Conference will be so important.  Paul’s letter to the Ephesians chapters 2-3 makes it clear that the evidence that the death of Jesus has been effective in changing the world is the emergence of a community that crosses the major social and religious barriers (2.19-22) His death has broken down the dividing walls of hostility (2.14) Paul’s correspondence with all the churches deals with some aspect of building these communities where Jewish and Gentile Christians belong on the same footing rooted in the death and  resurrection of Jesus and the gift of his Spirit.  GAFCON will represent hundreds of Gentile Christians coming back to Jerusalem from where this global community of Christians burst forth, and whose Gentile membership on equal terms was endorsed by the first council in Acts 15.

The Anglican Communion (membership 55 million) seeks to be a global church. The way the communion is currently run internationally neither gives membership on equal terms nor allows the space for the majority who are orthodox to be themselves. None of the current instruments of the Communion have done or said anything about Dr Packer’s suspension. GAFCON will seek to be properly representative of the communion. 60% of the Communion lives in Africa and 60% of the participants of the Pilgrimage are expected to be from Africa.

A leading Christian businessman recently said that in business now unless you are ready to be Global you are dead.  The challenge of the GAFCON movement is that churches who wish to be orthodox need to be Global, be in partnership with, mutually interdependent on and accountable to others around the globe. GAFCON will represent many opportunities to develop and give expression to global partnership for churches across cultural and economic divides. The current crisis has meant that North American congregations have had to be ready to relate to African leaders, and seek their advice, guidance and leadership. Could any other situation but a threat to their Anglican existence and identity have brought this about?

Being Global as a Christian (go into all the world) has always been a matter of Biblical obedience. Now it has become a matter of practical necessity for orthodox survival in an international fellowship.  Dr Packer will in future hold the licence of a Bishop who is licenced by the Archbishop of the Southern Cone of America. Unless we are Global Anglicans we will be cease to be Anglican.