Week Ending 10/19/15

English Bishops Release Text of Letter on Refugee Crisis

Eighty-four English bishops signed a letter sent last month to the prime minister, calling on the government to commit to resettling 50,000 Syrian refugees over the next 5 years. This is more than double what the prime minister has called for.  The bishops also called for a National Welcome and Resettlement Board similar to ones that helped during refugee crises of the 1950s and 1970s.

Creed Revision Urged After of the Anglican Orthodox Agreement

The implications of the agreement announced last week between Anglicans and the Oriental Orthodox groups are now clear.  Those members of the Anglican Communion that have not removed the "Filoque" clause from the Nicene Creed are being asked to do so. The article this week includes an explanation of the clause and its origin. The 1979  Episcopal Book of Common Prayer includes the clause. The phrase involved appears in Roman Catholic texts, but was not accepted by Orthodox Churches.  It is one of the major points of division between the Orthodox traditions and the Roman Catholic ones. Removing the clause will draw churches of the Anglican Communion closer to the orthodox, while introducing another issue of division between Catholics and Anglicans.

Donors of Rose Window at Newport Becah Caught Up in the Controversy

The donors of a signature stained glass window at St. James the Great in Newport Beach are the latest group to be caught up in the controversy over the sale of the church property by Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno.  The family is trying to get an answer on what will happen to a a rose window given in the 1960s in honor of a family member who died at age 8 from cancer.  The family wants to see the window moved to another church should the sale be made final.  They have been unable to get a response from the Bishop.

Churches in SE Asia Deal With Controversy

Discrimination against women and inflammatory statements by a government official have led churches in Southern and Southeast Asia to take public stands.  An historic meeting of women church leaders in South Asia  has led to a strong public call for an end to violence against women, better treatment of tape victims, and human rights and stressed the role church women could take in leading such efforts.  In Indonesia, church leaders publicly criticized the Minister of Education for inflammatory anti-Christian statements.  The Minister of Education had dismissed a web site's exposure of government corruption as a plot by Christians and Jews to divide the Muslims.  The local bishop responded with a public statement criticizing the minister for fueling religious strife in an area with a Christian majority and known for peaceful relations. The comments come at a time when in conservative Aceh Province in Indonesia, officials have bowed to demands by hardline Muslims to demolish 10 small Christian churches for having been built without permits.   The churches had been unable to get permits from local officials. In that province Muslims are the majority.

Global South Primates Agree to Attend January Meeting

In a Communique, Global South Primates meeting in Egypt without the Nigerian Archbishop agreed to attend the meeting called by the Archbishop of Canterbury for January.  They also seated the ACNA ARchbishop Foley Beach as a full member and heard a report from the schismatic bishop Mark Lawrence of South Carolina.  The group provides "oversight" to Lawrence's group.  Their statement also criticized the Episcopal Church for decisions to allow same-sex marriages and stated that they would be submitting items to the Archbishop of Canterbury for the agenda.  This statement is the apparent source of the David Virtue piece discussed in last week's updatehttp://update.pittsburghepiscopal.org/2015/10/week-ending-101215.html#5 which said the primates were going to insist that the Episcopal Church 's actions be the focus of the meeting and that the TEC would be replaced by ACNA at the meeting.