Week Ending 9/12/21

Churches Mark the Death of Queen Elizabeth

The death of the 96 year old Queen Elizabeth II, has led the news all week.  As the titular head of the Church of England, leaders throughout the Anglican Communion posted statements on her death.  This article has a good sampling of those statements, including one from The Episcopal Church's Presiding bishop. 

Singapore removes last penalty on LBTQA+

When Singapore removed the criminal statutes on oral and anal sex several years ago, they did not remove the ban on sex between two men, but they stopped enforcing it.  Now the government has lifted that ban, but evangelical Christians are opposing removal and want guarantees that marriage will remain legal only for a man and a woman. The issue has divided Christians, some approving of the removal of the final criminal penalty. Evangelicals (including Anglicans)  are worried that the government wants to reserve marriage for heterosexual couples in a process that is easier to change than a constitutional protection.  Given that the Anglican province of South Eastern Asia has been one of the strongest opponents of LGBTQA rights and is active in GAFCON, the change begins a process of eroding that position.

Continuing Stories.

Florida Sets Date on Redo for Bishop Election

The Diocese of Florida's Standing Committee has announced that the Diocese will hold an in-person convention on November 19 to elect a bishop coadjutor.  There are 3 candidates, including Charles Holt, whose May election was ruled invalid because of a lack of a quorum in the clergy order.  The Standing Committee has set a period for additional nomination by petition, and has said there will be one round of meetings to introduce the candidates.  More details will soon be available.   Update carried notices of the earlier failed election, the protest, investigation,  Holt's decision to rescind his acceptance of election, and the decision to hold another election.  The most recent post is here. 

Two Queensland Clergy Join GAFCON Diocese

Two clergy have announced they are resigning their parishes in the Queensland diocese, as a result of the Australian Anglican Church's failure to endorse resolutions limiting ordination of and marriage by LGBTQ+ members.  The result left decisions on these matters to individual bishops and dioceses.  The clergy and parts of their congregations are joining GAFCON's schismatic new diocese the Diocese of the Southern Cross.  In Australia, the legal status of property is clear.  It remains with the Australian Church.   At this point, there has been no major rush of conservative clergy to leave dioceses. Update has carried earlier stories announcing the creation of the GAFCON Diocese.  These are the first two clergy to join.

ACNA Parish Asks for Rehearing 

In South Carolina, eight parishes that the South Carolina Supreme Court returned to the Episcopal Church, asked for a rehearing.  The Court dropped one of eight immediately but seven of the parishes got a rehearing. and the court reversed its two earlier rulings and said they could remain in the ACNA diocese.  The court's new "final" opinion granted six of the parishes the right to stay in ACNA with their property.  As Update reported earlier, the Episcopalians then filed paperwork asking for a rehearing on two of the six because the court decision was based on evidence that had not been litigated, and Episcopalians had not had a chance to present evidence.  Now it has been announced that the one parish whose rehearing was denied at the final stage has asked for another rehearing.  The ball is now fully in the South Carolina Supreme Court's court.  They may be regretting their decision to allow any rehearings given that this is becoming a case which simply won't end.