GAFCON 3 in Jerusalem sounds firm notes
by Chris Sugden, CEN
GAFCON 3 opened at the International Conference Centre in Jerusalem on Monday June 17. Worship of and faithful obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord and his teaching in the Bible was front and centre in all the plenaries. A sizeable cross stands on the stage, following delicate negotiations with the ICC management. “We will proclaim” with the congregational response “Christ faithfully to all nations” is the watchword of the gathering.
The role of the African church in the movement and the Communion was silently stated by the background of the first Bible Reading by Bishop Alfred Olwa from Uganda and the Keynote address by the GAFCON chairman, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh of Nigeria. A choir drawn from across Nigeria led the worship in upbeat style. Applause regularly signaled agreement with statements made in the course of addresses.
Archbishop Suweil Dewani of Jerusalem and the Middle East welcomed the almost 2000 delegates to “the city of God, the city of the resurrection and the city of the empty tomb”. Claimed as the largest global Anglican gathering for fifty years, delegates themselves sat in assigned seats for the first morning sessions to share and pray in small groups after the Bible exposition.
Archbishop Okoh analysed pressures leading churches to lose the essence of the gospel in various cultures. “The West maintains an optimistic view of human nature. The Church of England substituted moralism for the gospel of grace. When morality in wider society ceased to coincide with the Christian gospel problems arose.” In Africa the power of the gospel appealed to solve existential problems but then could be lost in forms of prosperity gospel or to solve problems created by politicians. Changes by TEC, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and Canadian and New Zealand Anglicans had ‘ awoken the sleeping giant of orthodox Anglicans around the world’. GAFCON represents 71% of the 70 million active Anglicans according to the Global Center for Christianity in Boston.
GAFCON3 is a step change up from the 2008 and 2013 GAFCONs in presentation and use of media. The movement is clearly institutionalizing. A panel of advice, with a bishop, priest and layperson from each province or region will give a more synodal feel to a movement led up to now by a Primates’ Council. Regional deputy secretaries will be appointed. Nine global networks will cover Theological Education, Church Planting, Mission Partnerships, Youth and Children’s ministry, Sustainable Development, Lawyers’ Task Force and an Intercessors Fellowship; the Bishops Training Institute which has held three courses for over 100 bishops, plans to include bishops’ wives and bishops from USA, Australia and Britain according to its director, Bishop Samson Mwaluda. Gloria Kwashi from Jos, Nigeria leads the Mothers Union and Women Senior Leaders’ network: ‘This will be fully concerned about Christian teachings about marriage. Some people are turning their backs on the Mothers Union which is losing face.’ She hoped to reawaken what the Mothers Union used to be, take Christian women back to their responsibilities and help families be what they should be.
Reviewing the history of GAFCON Archbishop Peter Akinola said there had been no point in bishops attending Lambeth 2008 because decisions taken in previous meetings were not acted on. Bishops would attend Lambeth 2020 if TEC, Canada and Scotland returned to their teaching and practice of 1998. Churches in South Carolina, Edinburgh, Brazil and New Zealand spoke of their costly stands against the actions of their provinces. “Good disagreement on matters of faith ends up with an inclusivism that means all arrive at the same destination”, said Archbishop Okoh. “It cannot solve the problem of human depravity. Jesus is the only solution.”
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