The Jerusalem Declaration: a summary of authentic Anglicanism

Apr 4, 2023 by Andrew Symes

From Gafcon Great Britain and Europe:

This collection of short studies uses reflection on the articles from the Jerusalem Declaration to re-state classic orthodox Anglican Christian teaching, and comment on issues facing the church. They are taken from original editorials in the monthly online circulars from Gafcon Great Britain and Europe.

Contents:

Text of the Jerusalem Declaration Gafcon calls for a return to faithful Anglicanism (Jerusalem Declaration Article 1)

What Anglicans believe about the Bible (Jerusalem Declaration Article 2)

Orthodox Anglicanism is both traditional and innovative (Jerusalem Declaration Articles 3 and 4)

The church must proclaim the reality of the unique Christian world view (Jerusalem Declaration Article 5)

We are Anglicans! (Jerusalem Declaration Articles 6 and 7)

The bridegroom is coming for his bride: marriage and the Bible’s witness (Jerusalem Declaration Article 8)

Evangelism and Social Justice (Jerusalem Declaration Articles 9 and 10)

Anglican diversity and unity (Jerusalem Declaration Articles 11, 12 and 13)

Secular versions of Christianity must face the return of Christ (Jerusalem Declaration Article 14)

The energy that drove the formation of Gafcon in 2008 came from a protest of righteous anger against injustice and wrongdoing, and against a lie originating in human philosophy infiltrating and endangering the church. The Jerusalem Statement, of which the Declaration forms the main part, talks about the crisis facing world Anglicanism:

“…the acceptance and promotion within provinces of the Anglican Communion of a “different gospel” (cf Galatians 1:6-8) which is contrary to the apostolic gospel. This false gospel undermines the authority of God’s word written and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the author of salvation from sin, death and judgement…”

The story of how Anglican leaders from around the world formed the new movement of ‘confessing Anglicans’ which became Gafcon, is told in the book Being Faithful: The Shape of Historic Anglicanism Today (Latimer, 2009).

Despite gracious and patient advocacy by faithful Archbishops, predominantly from the global south, during the 1990’s and early 2000’s, events such as the consecration of Gene Robinson in the US (2003) and the presence of unrepentant bishops at the Lambeth Conference (2008) were said to have “torn the fabric of the Communion” (first used in a statement by Anglican Primates in 2003). Arguments about sex and marriage were not in themselves the main issue, but the most obvious symptom of departure from biblical Christianity, resulting from the influence of Western secularism in the church.

However, while concern about the threat of false teaching, and determination to resist it, has united Gafcon, this is not the main vision and message. Rather, “Gafcon is a spiritual movement to preserve and promote the truth and power of the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ as we Anglicans have received it” (Jerusalem Statement, opening paragraph). In other words, Gafcon stands for the making of disciples on a global scale in ways that are biblical and Anglican.

Read in full here

Download PDF here Jerusalem Declaration Authentic Anglicanism