Thousands of traditionalist Anglicans are expected to attend the July 6 launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, but organizers have emphasized that it is not schismatic.The launch event, entitled ‘Be Faithful! – Confessing Anglicans in Global and Local Mission’ will be held at Westminster Central Hall, where 2,300 people are expected.
A statement from the organisers said: “The Fellowship is the outworking of last year’s Gafcon conference in Jerusalem, at which 1,200 delegates signed up to the Jerusalem Statement. Those attending Gafcon 2008 represented some 40 million Anglicans world-wide, 70 per cent of the total active membership of 55 million.”
The event chairman, the Rev Paul Perkin, emphasized that “this is not the start of a new Church. Everybody’s determined to cast this as a separatist movement -- this is not a separatist movement. We are not seceding, this is not schismatic.
“It is precisely the opposite of separation, the purpose is unity and mission. The focus of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans is of unity, solidarity, and support of the majority of the Anglican Communion.”
Prominent traditionalist Anglicans will gather for the event from across the Communion. Speakers will include the President of Forward in Faith North America, Bishop Keith Ackerman, the secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, Archbishop Peter Jensen, and the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali.
The major goals of the Fellowship, supporting Anglicans suffering through poverty and discrimination around the world, are close to the priorities identified by Bishop Nazir-Ali when he announced his resignation last month.
As to whether the Bishop would be taking a greater leading role with the Fellowship, Mr Perkin said: “We haven’t gone that far with our planning.”
The launch will feature seminars and workshops and reports on projects around the country.
In the third week of May events will be taking place in Bath, Virginia Water, Manchester, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Sheffield.
For more information, email befaithfulanglicans@gmail.com.
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(Source: RI)