Two and a half years ago, we resigned from the ACNA. The primary reason being a noticeable drift toward Social Justice Ideology in several forms that made it apparent that the ACNA could be heading down the TEC path.
The presenting issues at that time were immigration, racial issues, and the rise of the AMEN Network [Anglican Multi-Ethnic Network]. Never in our wildest dreams would the most dangerous issue turn out to be sexual ethics. After all the ACNA was formed by refugees who had abandoned TEC for that exact same reason. Many of whom had been deposed, punished, and sued by TEC.
Yet here it is; March 2021 and THE presenting issue upon which the future and survival of the ACNA may hinge is.............wait for it.................sexual ethics.
The brief, but intense history is too long to repeat here, so we will offer links to help.
First the ACNA CoB and ABp Beach released a 3700 word treatise that basically said we are sympathetic to people with same-sex attractions and here is how we will refer to them https://anglican.ink/2021/01/20/sexuality-and-identity-a-pastoral-statement-from-the-college-of-bishops/
Then Bp. Todd Hunter of the Diocese for the Church of Everything rebutted the statement directly, https://anglican.ink/2021/01/30/c4so-pastoral-guidance-on-the-acna-statement-on-sexuality-and-identity/
Then a same-sex attracted aspirant wrote a Dear Gay Anglicans letter to further undermine the CoB statement, https://anglican.ink/2021/02/22/dear-gay-anglicans-letter/
ABp Beach pens a letter denouncing the Gay Anglicans Letter, https://anglican.ink/2021/02/23/archbishop-beach-writes-to-the-diocese-of-the-south-about-the-dear-gay-anglicans-open-letter/
The ABp of Nigeria in no uncertain words criticizes the Gay Anglicans Letter, https://anglican.ink/2021/02/26/church-of-nigeria-criticizes-acna-over-dear-gay-anglicans-letter/
Then the ACNA offers a press release to claim they have not changed their stance on homosexuality, https://anglican.ink/2021/02/27/acna-repudiates-claims-that-it-has-changed-its-teachings-on-human-sexuality/
Then the homosexual activists in England get into the act, https://anglican.ink/2021/03/02/gay-christians-acna-and-gafcon/
Then ABp Welby chimes in against Nigeria, https://anglican.ink/2021/03/05/welby-singles-out-nigeria-for-criticism-for-failing-to-abide-by-lambeth-1-10-while-also-calling-lambeth-1-10-unsuitable-for-the-modern-church/
Then other liberals in the Church of England pile on here, https://anglican.ink/2021/03/05/liberals-begin-pile-on-of-nigeria-over-dear-gay-anglicans-response/
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And so we see the typical trajectory of Social Justice Ideology at work. Homosexuals, Transgenders, and Gender Fluid folks make up about 1 to 3 to 5% of the population [take your pick] and likely about the same percentage in average congregations.
Yet here we see the activists pushing to make these issues 100% of the conversation within the Church. And they will keep at this until it is officially 100% of the conversation of the Church and until they have successfully driven the ACNA in the direction they want to drive it.
Unless, ABp Beach and the CoB search diligently and find their spines and publicly and aggressively take charge of the conversation within ACNA and keep it strictly on the Gospel of Redemption. And where Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and lay leaders do not fall into line, swift and maximum punishment for those, including, ex-communication for heresy should be the plan until the message is firmly heard.
Otherwise, the ACNA will just become TEC 2.0.
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