Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, moderator of the Common Cause Partnership, which describes itself as "a federation of Anglican jurisdictions in North America," has invited conservative archbishops, bishops, clergy and laity from around the world to a June 14-22 conference in the Holy Land, ignoring a plea from Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani who says he is "deeply troubled" by the planned gathering and has asked its organizers to reconsider. Dawani, who was not consulted about the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), is concerned that it "will import inter-Anglican conflict into our diocese, which seeks to be a place of welcome for all Anglicans," he said in a January 2 statement.
GAFCON is due to be held one month prior to the Lambeth Conference when more than 800 of the Anglican Communion's bishops will descend on the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, for more than two weeks of spiritual reflection, learning, sharing and discerning.
According to organizers, GAFCON is not intended as a specific challenge to the Lambeth Conference, but it "will provide opportunities for fellowship and care for those who have decided not to attend Lambeth."
Duncan's invitation, dated January 6 and addressed to "all bishops of the common cause partnership," was issued on behalf of six Anglican Primates, several bishops -- some of whom are former Episcopalians -- and two lay canons.
Meeting under the theme, "A Gospel of Power and Transformation," the conference, Duncan said, "will bring together orthodox Anglican bishops from all over the world, especially gathering those who for reasons of conscience are unable to accept their invitation to this year's Lambeth Conference, as well as some who believe it crucially important to attend both conferences."
Describing itself as "a pilgrimage back to the roots of the Church's faith," the GAFCON event is exclusive to "Anglicans from both the Evangelical and Anglo-Catholic wings of the church," a December 24 news release from the conference organizers says.
GAFCON's organizers, Duncan told invitees in his letter, "hope that we, as Anglican leaders, can re-commit ourselves to our apostolic call, under the Word, as we examine the emerging outlines of a missionary and post-colonial Global Anglicanism for the 21st Century."
"In addition to bishops and wives from every part of the Anglican Communion, it is our intent that a number of clergy and lay leaders, including young leaders, from every continent will be a part of the Global Anglican Future Conference," he added, noting that space is limited to 1,000 attendees.
Meanwhile, Anglican Bishop Brian Farran of Newcastle in Australia criticized GAFCON in a January 10 statement. "GAFCON is being organized because its proponents are dissatisfied with the breadth of the Archbishop of Canterbury's invitation list to Lambeth. It is therefore a theologically political conference. It will cause embarrassment whether intended or not to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to the rest of the Anglican Communion," he said.
Following the Archbishop of Canterbury's May 2007 announcement that he had invited all but a small number of bishops to the Lambeth Conference, the leadership of some conservative provinces indicated that their bishops might not be attending.
"It is imperative that Communion-wide respectful conversation mark those who hold seriously differing theological views," Farran said. "Part of the genius of Anglicanism has been to contain differing perspectives within the fellowship of the one church. Unlike contemporary churches whose abilities to contain differences are very fragile, Anglicanism has been marked by respectful thoughtful theological exploration and a recognition that on many vital issues there is no one definitive viewpoint."
In his January 2 statement, Dawani expressed his concern that Australia's Archbishop Peter Jensen of Sydney, one of GAFCON's organizers, is encouraging clergy and lay people from the Jerusalem diocese to attend the conference.
Newcastle's Farran said: "It needs to be understood that Dr. Jensen is an organizer of this conference in his own personal capacity or possibly in his capacity as the Bishop of the Diocese of Sydney. It must be seen that Dr. Jensen has no authorization to do this as the Metropolitan of the Anglican Province of New South Wales," under whose jurisdiction the Diocese of Newcastle falls. "I am not suggesting that Dr. Jensen would act in this way as the Metropolitan of New South Wales but public perception might not be discriminating in this regard."
"As the Bishop of Newcastle," Farron added, "I wish to dissociate myself from any movement such as GAFCON that might damage or lessen the moral authority of the 2008 Lambeth Conference."
The conference vision, according to one if its organizers, Kenya Anglican Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, is "to inform and inspire invited leaders 'to seek transformation in our own lives and help impact communities and societies through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.'"
But the gathering, Dawani said January 2, could have "serious consequences for our ongoing ministry of reconciliation in this divided land. Indeed, it could further inflame tensions here. We who minister here know only too well what happens when two sides cease talking to each other. We do not want to see any further dividing walls.
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