Global Anglican Fellowship Conference Finds Agreement in Condemning Welby’s Actions
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, a global leader of the Anglican Church, is being called upon to repent in light of his recent appointment of a new Dean of Canterbury. The Dean of Canterbury, who is the lead minister of the Canterbury Cathedral, is in a civil same-sex partnership, causing Anglicans across the globe to call into question Welby’s beliefs and practices as well as his fitness for ministry.
“Our spiritual leader, who we revere and respect so much, is basically embracing the teaching of the world and leaving the teaching of Scripture,” said Archbishop Foley Beach from North America, the chair of the GAFCON Movement (Global Anglican Fellowship Conference).
The Primates of GAFCON met in Kigali, Rwanda recently and issue a formal statement and call to repentance. They argue that Welby has,
“Departed from the authentic exercise of his office by normalizing and praising those who have departed from biblical teaching and practice…and giving equal place to practices contrary to biblical norms, as Anglicans have received them. We urge him to repent.”
Archbishop Foley further commented that it was a shock to hear of the appointment of the Dean of Canterbury. “I don’t know how to describe it other than it was just so shocking that the mother church of the Anglican communion is basically going along with this new doctrine and new morality.”
Though the Anglican community is reeling from these developments, such shifts in doctrine are sadly becoming more and more common. A trading of orthodox theology and practice for cultural sentiments is increasingly common in church leadership, often leaving parishioners wondering what is true.
The firm stance and call to repentance issued by GAFCON, therefore, is a refreshing reminder that not all Christians are swayed by cultural norms. Christian Union is grateful for the commitment to biblical orthodoxy that the Anglican church is demonstrating. Though orthodox sexual ethics are unpopular in our culture, it has never been more important to stand firm on the Word of God.
