23rd August, 2000
My Dear Brothers,
I am writing to you on behalf of "The Nassau Coalition-A Broad Based Consultation on Anglican/Episcopal Essentials"
We greet you in the name of our Triune God, The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit.
"The Holy Catholic Church is fully present in each of its local embodiments. Decisions about the life and mission of the Church should be made in that place and need only be referred to wider councils if the matter threatens the unity and the faithfulness of teaching or practice of the Church Catholic, or where the local church encounters genuinely new circumstances and wishes advice about how to respond." (The Virginia Report, page 39)
Conscious of our responsibility to exercise faithfulness in our respective roles in the Anglican Communion, we Primates, bishops, leaders and scholars have gathered in consultation in Nassau, 21st until 23rd August, 2000.
The first meeting, hosted by the Primate of the Province of the West Indies, gathered at the initiative of a group of Primates of the Communion representing The Caribbean, Southern Cone of America, South East Asia, Africa, as well as the Archdiocese of Sydney.
Primates present were:
The Most Rev. Drexel Gomez
The Most Rev. David Gitari,
The Most Rev. Maurice Sinclair.
The ECUSA bishops present were:
The Rt. Rev. Keith L. Ackerman, Bishop of Quincy
The Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker, Bishop of Fort Worth
The Rt. Rev. James M. Stanton, Bishop of Dallas
The Rt. Rev. Stephen H. Jecko, Bishop of Florida
The Rt. Rev. Edward L. Salmon, Jr., Bishop of South Carolina
The Rt. Rev. John David M. Schofield, Bishop of San Joaquin (represented by
his Canon)
The Rt. Rev. Robert W. Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh
The Rt. Rev. Daniel W. Herzog, Bishop of Albany
Leaders present included representative from:
Scholarly Engagement of Anglican Doctrine (SEAD)
Forward in Faith
First Promise
The American Anglican Council
The Prayer Book Society
Episcopalians United
Ekklesia
EFAC USA
ABAE/EFAC Brazil
Other bishops present included
The Rt. Rev. Robinson Cavalcanti, Bishop of Recefe, Brazil
The Rt. Rev. John CHEW Hiang Chea, Bishop of Singapore
The Most Rev. Louis Faulk representing our friends in continuing Anglican
churches.
We are aware of our own frailties, our dependence on God's redemptive grace, and how our own actions have contributed to the crisis in Anglicanism. In the midst of this, we recognize that our primary concern is a call to be faithful to the integrity of Anglican Christianity. We view the present controversies in the ECUSA as symptomatic of a breakdown of Anglican doctrine and discipline. Although concerned with controversial matters, we draw deep encouragement from our participation in the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ and are deeply aware of God's challenge to us all to be more faithful to His calling.
Careful study of the 73rd General Convention documents, and first hand accounts of ongoing practices in the ECUSA demonstrate a clear departure from historic Anglican practice as articulated in the Virginia Report and re-affirmed by both the Lambeth Conference and the last Primates meeting.
The passage of resolution A-045, which mandates enforcement procedures for women's ordination in all dioceses, by the Convention, constitutes a repudiation of the consensus of Anglicanism as expressed at the 1998 Lambeth conference (See Resolution III.2) It also ignores the recommendations of the Virginia Report and the Eames Commission.
The passage of resolution D-039 together with the frank admission on the convention floor that "local option"(with respect to the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of same sex unions) is the present practice in many dioceses, seeks to normalize a new sexual ethic. According to Resolution D-039, recognition and support must be given to an unspecified number of sexual relationships which are placed alongside Christian marriage. This resolve departs from historic Christian teaching and practice, and represents a decision beyond the competence of a single member church in the Communion. It willfully disregards the central concern of the Lambeth resolution I.10 on sexuality and shows no adequate respect for the warning against divisive teaching and practice issued by the Primates meeting in March 2000.
These departures have created a situation of [begin boldface] Pastoral Emergency [end boldface] in the ECUSA. Many Christians seeking to remain loyal to Anglican teaching and practice, do not believe they have a future in the ECUSA in its present condition. Many have already left; many more are leaving. This Pastoral Emergency clearly effects the ECUSA, but it also threatens the integrity of the Anglican Communion. It entrenches impaired communion.
In the absence of an appropriate arrangement within the ECUSA for traditional Anglicans to exercise their ministry without let or hindrance, an alternative arrangement with the full recognition of the Primates and the Archbishop of Canterbury needs to be provided as a matter of urgency.
In the mean time, the Pastoral Emergency is so serious special Episcopal visitations become necessary. In our opinion, this will involve the crossing of diocesan boundaries in appropriate circumstances.
This coalition humbly requests all primates of the worldwide Anglican Communion to give this letter serious and prayerful consideration. Rest assured that this letter comes with our most cordial greeting and intent.
Sincerely in Our Lord,
(signed)
The Most Rev'd. Drexel Wellington Gomez
ARCHBISHOP OF THE WEST INDIES
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