Anglican Group Threatens Boycott of Global Bishops Conference
A conservative group of Anglican bishops, the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) has threatened to boycott the upcoming global bishops’ conference due to the presence of bishops whose territories support gay marriages.
GAFCON revealed this in a statement on Monday regarding the Lambeth Conference, a major Anglican Communion gathering held in Canterbury, United Kingdom every 10 years, Christian Post reports.
A Communique sent from the body’s Primates Council from Sydney in Australia expressed concerns about the 2020 conference.
The communique stated that, “Last year in Jerusalem, our delegates urged us not to attend Lambeth 2020 if godly order in the Communion had not been restored. They respectfully called upon the Archbishop of Canterbury to effect the necessary changes that fell within his power and responsibility.
“We have not yet received a response from the Archbishop of Canterbury. We note that, as it currently stands, the conference is to include provinces who continue to violate Lambeth Resolution 1.10, thereby putting the conference itself in violation of its own resolution: failing to uphold faithfulness in marriage and legitimizing practices incompatible with Scripture.”
GAFCON disclosed its decision to host a bishops conference in Kigali, Rwanda come June 2020 to cater for bishops who refuse to attend Lambeth.
“On one hand, we have no interest in attempting to rival Lambeth 2020. On the other hand, we do not want our bishops to be deprived of faithful fellowship while we wait for order in the Communion to be restored.” GAFCON stated.
In another development, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communication, Josiah Idowu Fearon has stated that invitations have been sent out to consecrated bishops.
Fearon said, “Invitations have been sent to every active bishop. That is how it should be, we are recognizing that all those consecrated into the office of bishop should be able to attend. But the invitation process has also needed to take account of the Anglican Communion’s position on marriage which is that it is the lifelong union of a man and a woman. That is the position as set out in Resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference.”
The Anglican Communion which is said to Comprise of 40 provinces and over 80 million members, is a global body representing churches from diverse communities.
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