MINISTER’S LETTER
Play the Man, Mr Ridley
On October 16th, 1555 Hugh Latimer, bishop of Worcester and Nicholas Ridley were burned at the stake in Oxford for “heresy”. In reality they simply held to the protestant and biblical doctrines of the apostolic faith, including but not limited to justification by faith alone and the authority of Scripture over the church. It is reported that, as they were set alight, Latimer told Ridley “play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as I trust shall never be put out.”
It is significant, therefore, that on the 470th anniversary of their martyrdom for holding to biblical orthodoxy the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (hereafter known as GAFCON) released a historic statement “reordering the Anglican Communion”. In a Statement with the headline “The Future has Arrived”, The Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda, chair of the GAFCON Primates’ Council, communicated 8 statements with seismic implications. Here are some important extracts:
We declare that the Anglican Communion will be reordered, with only one foundation of communion, namely the Holy Bible, “translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense, respectful of the church’s historic and consensual reading”
We reject the so-called Instruments of Communion, namely the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the Primates Meeting, which have failed to uphold the doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Communion.
We cannot continue to have communion with those who advocate the revisionist agenda, which has abandoned the inerrant word of God as the final authority and overturned Resolution I.10, of the 1998 Lambeth Conference.
The vitally important claim of GAFCON, made to those who criticise them for “schismatic behaviour”, is that “GAFCON has not left the Anglican Communion; we are the Anglican Communion”. This is the crux of the matter, because what is at stake is nothing less than the Gospel of the Kingdom and its authority, through the Word, over the Church of Christ. It is not that GAFCON, which represents 85% of global anglicans, has left the Anglican Communion, rather it is that the historic “instruments” charged with upholding the communion have themselves become corrupted and erroneous and have departed from the faith by their actions and decisions; by pedalling a revisionist and liberal agenda regarding marriage, sexuality and gender identity, the Church of England and the See of Canterbury have failed in their duty to be faithful leaders. GAFCON have spent 17 years calling on them to repent and return to biblical orthodoxy and they have not, and so now the majority of the global Anglican Communion have acted.
This is an important moment in global evangelicalism, and we at Gilcomston Church have much to be thankful for and much to learn from what is transpiring. Here are five points to take away:
First, this highlights the significance of the Global South within the Catholic Church. By Catholic we mean the universal, world-wide church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and what has happened serves to impress upon the church in the Global North just how large and just how important our brothers and sisters in the global south are to the health of the church as a whole. We in Scotland and in the West are now the minority (and have been for a while), and the church in the Global South is thriving and growing and rising to the challenge. It’s not without its problems or issues, but then again neither are we. We should be grateful for our brothers and sisters in the global south, and humble about the significance and/or importance of global north churches in world events. A large majority of protestants and catholics now reside south of the Equator. They are taking a lead. Gone are the days where the Archbishop of Canterbury speaks with authority for the global church. Because of compromise and cowardice, a huge majority of the Anglican Communion have rejected the traditional seats of power.
Second, recent events impress upon us the continuing relevance, the importance and controversial nature of the Authority of Scripture. This is not an historic debate but rather a current issue with far reaching implications, and so faithful churches must continue to speak with clarity, grace and unapologetic finality on the fact that the Word of God has authority over all of life. The church submits to the Word.
Third, we should have a large amount of gratitude for those who are boldly standing for the truth, for orthodoxy, and for the authority of Scripture over and above fidelity to church structures. I am very grateful for those who are courageously counting the cost and leading the way. We have much to learn from our African brothers and sisters in the faith.
Fourth, there is a sadness at the unrepentant hearts of those who are causing schisms in the church. “By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed” goes the words of that great hymn “The Church’s One Foundation”. We must pray for repentance and a turning away from the embracing of sinful practices.
Fifth, I have a hope that we may yet see great gospel fruit yielded from amidst these sad events. How we must pray that the Lord will guard and protect his church from all attacks, all false doctrine, all wolves in sheep’s clothing; and we can have great confidence in the fact that the Lord is already at work. Hundreds of thousands are coming to saving faith in the Lord Jesus, particularly in the Global South. May the Lord protect his church from those who would do her harm. And may we stand shoulder to shoulder with all faithful followers in the Way of the Word.
“The church shall never perish,
Her dear Lord to defend
To guide, sustain and cherish,
Is with her to the end
Though there be those that hate her,
And false sons in her pale
Against a foe or traitor,
She ever shall prevail”
The Church’s One Foundation
Grace and Peace in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Nathan