++Jensen Writes about the Global South Communique on behalf of GAFCON/FCA

While I certainly do not agree with Archbishop Jensen of Sydney, Australia, on everything (e.g., lay presidency at the Eucharist), his just-released statement interpreting the Global South's "Fourth Trumpet Blast" from Singapore last week is "spot on."

His comment that the "Trumpet Blast" did not provoke a dramatic reaction is true, but so is the reason he gives--the crisis moment is now long past and the statement simply clearly affirms facts everyone involved knows to be true. The fact that TEC will soon consecrate a non-celibate lesbian as a bishop simply confirms what pretty much everyone has seen clearly for five years or more: TEC is firmly committed to a path that most of the Anglican Communion firmly rejects and nothing is going to get TEC to give up their new path ("short of a new Great Awakening," which no one really expects to transpire!).

Among the most important paragraphs of ++Jensen's statement for ACNA members are the following (boldfaced emphasis added by me):

The Global South Encounter could not in itself recognize the authenticity of churches. But the communiqué goes as far as is possible to recognizing the authenticity of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) and declaring this body to be the true heirs of the Anglican tradition on that continent. This is precisely what the GAFCON/FCA Primates Council did in 2009, and it really means that the leadership of the vast majority of the Anglican Communion regards itself as being in communion with ACNA and out of fellowship with the other North Americans. This was symbolized by the part played by Archbishop Bob Duncan at the conference, especially when he presided at Holy Communion. Furthermore the welcome accorded to the two bishops from the Communion Partners demonstrated the Global South commitment to Biblical standards as a test of fellowship.

In the meantime, of course, there are those, notably in the West, who want to play by the old institutional rules. They would argue that ACNA cannot be part of the Anglican Communion because it has not passed the tests of admission via the Anglican Consultative Council. This is so artificial as to be risible. As the last paragraph of the communiqué observes, the unreformed ‘instruments of communion’ (who invented such an inelegant phrase?) are archaic remnants of a system which has failed. The Global South is vibrant with spiritual reality. It has taken a time for them to break the courteous habit of deference, but they have now chosen reality, not the artificial constructs dominated by the money and politics of western churches.

The entire text of the archbishop's remarks may be found on the GAFCON website. Hat tip to Stand Firm.