GAFCON Australia have responded with a strongly-worded statement to the growing crisis facing the Anglican Church of Australia following the decision by the synod of the Diocese of Wangaratta to authorise blessings for persons who have entered a same-sex marriage.
As well as criticising the Wangaratta decision as one which “has torn the fabric of our communion within the Anglican Church of Australia”, the statement highlights “a move in the Anglican Church of Australia away from our doctrine” and points to the decision of several dioceses to pursue same-sex blessings, as well as the Diocese of Grafton’s rejection of key elements of the national church’s Fundamental Declarations and Ruling Principles in its Constitution.
They also make an open invitation to any who are “troubled” by these moves to contact GAFCON Australia directly. This appears to be the first move to formalise support for those who are disenfranchised by the decisions made in their dioceses. The invitation is extend across the national church but also “including those in the Dioceses of Wangaratta and Grafton”.
The full text of the statement is below.
It’s remarkable how outraged everyone is about this. I must have missed the similar outrage when it was revealed that kids were being raped by priests on a regular basis…..
Is God still the God of love? Or is it selective love?
yes, you’re right – you must have missed the outrage because it was clear.
Grafton did not reject “key elements of the national church’s Fundamental Declarations and Ruling Principles in its Constitution”. Every part of that statement is untrue. It simply didn’t happen.
What did happen is that a motherhood motion to affirm these elements failed, mainly because how can you be more affirming of them than having them in the fundamental declarations and constitution? The division by houses on this issue was an abuse of synod for political purposes.
no, “Donatus” (please note the commenting rules ask for no such anonymising – I would be grateful if you would identify yourself in future) I don’t think that’s quite right.
The way to get rid of such a motion is to move that it not be put, and this has occurred in many other dioceses at other times. But no such move was made at the Grafton synod, instead the delegates chose to actually vote the motion down and therefore put their names to a motion that rejected an element of the Fundamental Declarations and Ruling Principles. That is an important distinction.
As I have said on this “blog” before, the horse has bolted on blessing same-sex marriages. By not demonstrating to all ACA (ambitious prelates & progressive synods included) that the Church affirms scripture by celebrating religious marriages only (NOT combined religious/civil) our “Leaders” have allowed this situation to develop.
Because Caesar changed the law so clergy do not face civil sanction for marrying opposite-sex couples only, does not mean we should hide behind it. Leaders with any backbone would have told their vicars to offer religious marriages only, telling opposite-sex couples to seek an additional civil ceremony if they want to be legally married.
Sensing that weakness, the dissidents have seized the moment. The split is in. There is no turning back. Get used to it Gafcon.