ACNA Theologian responds to Australian Archbishop’s criticism of Andy Lines consecration
A response to Archbishop Philip Freier’s letter to the Bishops of Australia (July 3, 2017),
By Joe M Thomas.
Archbishop Philip Freier circulated a letter in conjunction with the consecration of Canon Andy Lines at the 2017 Provincial Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Against his advice, two Australian bishops participated in the consecration. The consecration of Andy Lines as a bishop for Europe came in the wake of the Scottish Episcopal Church approving same sex marriages in June 2017.
The approval of same-sex marriages and the ordination of gay ministers and bishops in the West have been a divisive factor among Christians. Church history is replete with examples of either schism or reconfiguration of denominations, prompted by various issues, including heresies and other doctrinal disagreements. Justifiable or not, these factors continue to emerge in the global ecclesiastical bodies […]
[…] The Australian Archbishop’s letter reveals two good motives, namely, the need for guarding the unity of the Anglican Church in Australia and to affirm its solidarity with the member churches of the Anglican Communion, whose head is the Archbishop of Canterbury. In this regard, the letter is a timely exercise. However, he has said a few things in his letter that need to be probed. Let me identify and address them in the following manner.
Read here [PDF]
Rev Canon Dr. Joe M. Thomas serves as Canon Theologian for the International Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. He was educated at universities in Australia, India, USA, and Canada. He teaches theology and ethics in Ohio.
See also: FCA Australia commends Archbishop Davies and Bishop Condie for their involvement in the consecration of Andy Lines, Gafcon report
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