Archbishop Foley Beach’s address to Provincial Council

Jun 23, 2021 by

From ACNA:

Editor’s note: ACNA Provincial Council met 15-16 June. Here are excerpts from Archbishop Beach’s address:

[On culture wars and social media]

[…] Another thing I see in the rear-view mirror is social unrest and the Internet. I think we saw the pandemic serve as a pressure-vent for much of the political or social unrest in the culture. People’s fear, frustration, anger, and concerns overflowed into the streets and the internet about all kinds of issues. We saw quite a cultural awakening, or some might say, a social upheaval in the past 15 months.

A number of terms were part of the 2020/2021 lexicon, and many have new definitions: racist, white supremacy, white privilege, systemic racism, cultural appropriation, Critical Race Theory, cancel culture, illiberal, woke, content modification, Christian nationalism, toxic masculinity. But what is most disconcerting to me is the tone, the vitriol, and the lack of Christian character displayed among Christians on social media. Frankly, as followers of Jesus we should be appalled by the broad labeling, assumptions, and condemning of whole groups of people, along with the mean and personal attacks on individuals.

Sisters and brothers, this is not the way of Jesus Christ…

[On critical race theory]

Theories can be helpful. The one getting the most attention in the media, Critical Race Theory, has some things which are helpful, but it is also full of anti-biblical and anti-Christian rhetoric and assumptions. We know that the Bible teaches us that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All races have sinned. Every person in every race has sinned. The Bible also teaches that adultery is a sin (Ex.20:14), but just because this is a sin and some people commit it, it doesn’t mean everyone is an adulterer. Racism is a sin, but this doesn’t mean that all people of certain races are racists and all institutions of certain countries are racist, as Critical Race Theory proclaims.

I grew up in an era where to view someone through the color of their skin and base my actions toward someone because of the color of their skin (or their race) was wrong. The Bible teaches this. If you remember, the Apostle Peter was confronted by God with his racism in Acts 10. Once convicted, he said, in Acts 10:34, “Truly, I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation (race) anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

[On the ministry of Bishops]

One of my personal objectives as Archbishop is to encourage our bishops to reclaim the historic role of the teaching office of the bishop. Through their own diocesan channels of email, video, internet platforms, and teaching conferences, I hope that bishops will take up the mantle again that was dropped in the 20th Century. Collectively, as the College of Bishops, there are times when we will offer an official pastoral letter or statement to the Church, as we did on sexual identity this year and a few years ago on marriage. Canonically, scripturally, and ecclesiastically this is appropriate. We are not perfect, but we are prayerfully seeking the mind of Christ through the lens of Holy Scripture, our rich Tradition, and the culture in which we find ourselves.

[On Gafcon]

Gafcon, the Global Anglican Fellowship Conference, continues to work to share Christ faithfully to the nations. We had several primates meetings via Zoom and plans are underway for Gafcon 2023. We are hoping to gather in person in Dubai this September, the pandemic and the Lord permitting. We also give thanks to God for using modern medicine to bring healing from colon and liver cancer to the Gafcon General Secretary, Archbishop Ben Kwashi. He will be preaching at our Eucharist tomorrow night and leading the bishops in morning devotions at our meetings later this week…

…Sunday, June 27th is Gafcon Sunday throughout the Anglican Communion. We are asking that each person who attends worship that day contribute $1 for the ministry of Gafcon…If we all participate, it will make a huge difference.

Read in full here

See also:

Contra Expectations, Anglican [ACNA] Numbers Largely Hold Steady in 2020by Jeffrey Walton, Juicy Ecumenism:

 

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