International Briefing
Episcopal News Service. October 7, 2005 [100705-2-A]
* AUSTRALIA: Aspinall inaugurated as new primate
* EL SALVADOR: Hurricane Stan causes torrential rains, diocese responds
* ENGLAND: African Anglican John Sentamu confirmed as Archbishop of York
* ENGLAND: Compass Rose Society meets in London
* IRELAND: Archbishop Eames awarded two honorary degrees by Episcopal seminaries
* MIDDLE EAST: Anglican Church Center to be built in Qatar
* NIGERIA: National Ecumenical Center dedicated despite 'fraudsters'
* PANAMA: Globalization is context of Latin American Anglican Theological Congress
* TASMANIA: Bishop offers prayer for Bali victims
AUSTRALIA: Aspinall inaugurated as new primate
[ENS, Source: Anglican Church of Australia] The Most Rev. Dr. Phillip Aspinall, former Archbishop of Brisbane, was inaugurated as the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia September 29 at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane. He will hold office until the church's next General Synod in 2007.
Aspinall was consecrated bishop in 1998 and served as assistant bishop in the Diocese of Adelaide until he was elected Archbishop of Brisbane in 2001.
Before moving to Adelaide, Aspinall was director of Anglicare in the Diocese of Tasmania. He was awarded an MBA from Deakin University and holds a Ph.D. from Monash University, Faculty of Education.
He is a member of the Appellate Tribunal of the Anglican Church of Australia, and is a past member of the State and Territory Advisory Group for Commonwealth Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. For two years 2000-2002 he was the Chair of Anglicare Australia.
Aspinall is married to Christa, and they have two children.
The full text of Aspinall's inauguration sermon is available online at: http://www.anglican.org.au/docs/PRIMATE%20INAUGURATION%20SERMON%20290905.pdf
Further information about the Anglican Church of Australia can be found online at: http://www.anglican.org.au/.
EL SALVADOR: Hurricane Stan causes torrential rains, diocese responds
[ENS, Source: Diocese of El Salvador] El Salvador has been affected by major floods and landslides after five days of constant rain caused by Hurricane Stan, which made landfall October 4 in Mexico. So far, 65 people have perished in land or mudslides and some 58,000 people are being temporarily housed in more than 600 shelters.
Thirty percent of the total road surface in El Salvador has been affected by the rains and floods. Major roads are still closed by mudslides. The road that leads people to the department of La Libertad -- where the Anglican Church has a beach retreat center, Cielo Mar -- is still closed in parts; a twenty-five minute trip can now take four hours. The road from the airport has also been affected by landslides. Communities in the Bajo Lempa area (to the east) are still incommunicado because of washed-out bridges.
Seventy-five percent of the land is soaked, unable to absorb any more water. Coffee, bean and corn crops have been lost. All schools and universities have been closed this week.
The Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador (IAES) has been responding to the crisis and Bishop Martin Barahona appointed the Rev. Ramiro Chávez and Human Rights Officer José López to head the Diocesan Emergency Committee. "I can personally state that in our community of Lourdes, there are 1,200 people in a school that is being used as a shelter," Chavez said in an October 6 letter to Episcopal Relief and Development. "In this area, six children and nine adults died in mudslides."
He added that two diocesan employees have been greatly affected, one of whom was rescued from her flooded house, the other having to evacuate his home which was threatened by landslides. The IAES has already been able to provide 250 small mattresses to shelters in the affected areas in Lourdes.
Contributions to help people affected by this crisis can be made online at www.er-d.org, or by calling 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to: Episcopal Relief and Development, PO Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101.
ENGLAND: African Anglican John Sentamu confirmed as Archbishop of York
[ENS, Source: ACNS] The Most Rev. John Sentamu was confirmed as Archbishop of York in St. Mary-Le-Bow Church, London, on October 5, in an ancient formal legal ceremony accompanied by hymns, soloist, drums, brass and an address from Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. A majority of the Church of England's House of Bishops was present as well as Margaret Sentamu and members of the family, friends and officials of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. The enthronement service is set for November 30 in York Minster.
Speaking October 5 following his confirmation of election as Archbishop of York, Sentamu said, "We are living at a time of great opportunity and challenge for the Church of England, and I am looking forward to working with the Archbishop of Canterbury and other bishops, laity and clergy to take forward the mission of the Church to our nation.
"The Christian gospel has the power to transform people's lives, and to transform our nation. We in the Church need to play our part in communicating that gospel in both words and actions, and to speak out and work for justice. Together, we can help people of all kinds to respond to God's invitation in Jesus Christ."
An announcement from Downing Street said, "The Queen has been pleased to approve that the Most Reverend Dr John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu, Archbishop of York, be sworn of Her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council."
Photographs and background information are available online at: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/40/25/acns4043.cfm
ENGLAND: Compass Rose Society meets in London
[ENS, Source: ACNS] The Compass Rose Society (CRS), named for the symbol of the Anglican Communion, completed its annual meeting in London October 5. More than 80 Anglicans from Canada, Hong Kong and the USA met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, and the Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, and heard reports on theological education and communication.
The CRS supports the ongoing work of the Anglican Communion Office with special attention to communications. Many individual members and group members sponsor mission projects in various parts of the Communion.
Further information about the Compass Rose Society can be found online at: http://www.compassrosesociety.org/.
Photographs are available online at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/40/25/acns4044.cfm.
IRELAND: Archbishop Eames awarded two honorary degrees by Episcopal seminaries
[ENS, Source: Church of Ireland] Two Episcopal seminaries in the United States have announced honorary degree awards for the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames.
Virginia Theological Seminary awarded Eames with a Doctor of Divinity degree October 5 after he had delivered two lectures on the Anglican Communion as part of the seminary's 2005 Alumni Convocation.
Berkeley Divinity School at Yale will also honor Eames with a Doctor of Divinity degree when he visits the seminary October 12 to deliver the 2005 Pitt lecture.
The citation in each case refers to the Archbishop's "outstanding leadership and contribution to the life of the Anglican Communion."
In June, Eames celebrated 30 years as a bishop and archbishop in the Church of Ireland.
MIDDLE EAST: Anglican Church Center to be built in Qatar
[ENS, Source: Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf] A new Anglican Church Center is to be built in the State of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. The initiative has arisen from the generosity of the country's Ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who has ensured an allocation of land for churches and church communities in Doha, the country's rapidly-developing capital.
Embarking on the first such construction of church premises in the country since the seventh century, the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf has drawn up plans for a development on the site. London-based architect Tom Hornsby's design has at its heart a church to be known as the Church of the Epiphany for the worshipping community. It also includes meeting space and facilities for a wide range of community activities.
The Anglican Bishop in Cyprus and the Gulf, the Most Rev. Clive Handford, said that the center will also be used for interfaith dialogue.
"This center will serve people of many nationalities and backgrounds who live and work in Qatar," Handford, who is president bishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, said October 5. "For many of them it will be a home from home. But we hope that it will also serve the wider community in the region and in the world. Qatar is an extremely important country in the Middle East and building this center sends an unmistakable message about dialogue and understanding between Christians and Muslims."
The Anglican community in Qatar has already raised a quarter of the £4 million needed for the project and an appeal for the remainder is to be launched at Lambeth Palace October 6 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.
For further information contact Jane Kellet on +44 (0)1243 771962 or +44 (0)7808 724243.
NIGERIA: National Ecumenical Center dedicated despite 'fraudsters'
By Obed Minchakpu
[ENS, Source: Ecumenical News International] Nigeria's National Ecumenical Center, which cost 2.6 billion naira (US$20 million) to build, has been dedicated in the country's capital city at a service attended by President Olusegun Obasanjo who said "fraudsters" had failed to derail the project.
At the October 2 ceremony, the president condemned those whom he said made false pledges to the fundraiser for the center, and said a lot of work still needed to be done to get the center into a desired state.
Thousands listened to Obasanjo talking of how those behind the cash-strapped center were pushed to obtain a 614 million naira loan to continue the project following the failure of a donor to redeem a pledge of 1.7 billion naira.
"I want to make one point clear, that as far as the money we have spent [on the Ecumenical Center] not one penny of federal government money has gone in. It is money from Nigerian people and institutions who generously gave for the work of God," explained Obasanjo, who said he had been the guarantor of the loan.
Still, barely two days after the inauguration of the center, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), a national church grouping, threatened to boycott a census scheduled for 2006 should the government insist on excluding ethnicity and religion as indices in the national headcount.
CAN is protesting against the inclusion of 'local government of origin' and 'language spoken' in the questionnaire at the expense of 'religion' and 'tribe' from the data collection form for the March 2006 headcount.
Obasanjo had at the ceremony praised CAN for getting the funds to complete the center after taking the bank loan to complete the project.
"I want to thank God that today, we have been able to complete this project which shall serve as a national monument for our people," said Obasanjo, who belongs to the 40 per cent Christian minority in Nigeria.
Archbishop Peter Jasper Akinola, leader of the (Anglican) Church of Nigeria and president of CAN, described the center as the only one of its kind in world Christendom. "We have set this house apart as a symbol of peace in our land," he said.
PANAMA: Globalization is context of Latin American Anglican Theological Congress
[Episcopal News Service] More than 150 delegates from Anglican and Episcopal dioceses in the Caribbean and Latin America are meeting in Panama City, Panama, October 5-10 for the Latin America Anglican Theological Congress, a new initiative coordinated by a sub-commission of the Commission on Theological Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CETALC). The participants, made up of bishops, priests and lay people with a strong representation of women and youth, are meeting under the theme "Globalization and its implications in Latin America: A Challenge to the Episcopal/Anglican Church."
The Congress was the brainchild of Canon Juan Marquez, international companionships officer in the Episcopal Church Center's Office of Anglican and Global Relations, and supervisor of the Commission.
"It is expected that this event will make a significant contribution to the life and ministries of the Episcopal/Anglican Church in Latin America and the Caribbean," Marquez said. "It is also expected that this event will provide not only an opportunity for theological reflection in the region's context, but also provide an avenue in re-examining and evaluating old and new methods and models of missionary strategy for church growth. The whole concept of mission enterprise is at the center of this event."
BOLETÍN DE PRENSA
2do Congreso Teológico de la Iglesia Episcopal / Anglicana de América Latina
y el Caribe
Hotel El Panamá -octubre 5 al 10 del 2005 - Ciudad de Panamá
Iglesia y Globalización
La Iglesia Episcopal Anglicana en América Latina y el Caribe desafía teológicamente al fenómeno de la globalización.
Más de 150 teólogos y teólogas entre obispos, sacerdotes y laicos se reúnen en el 2do Congreso Teológico Anglicano para enfrentar las consecuencias de la Globalización y los Tratados de Libre Comercio en el área.
Este 2do Congreso ha sido convocado por la Comisión de Educación Teológica para América Latina y El Caribe de la Iglesia Episcopal (CETALC), organismo que desde hace más de treinta años ha estado promoviendo y financiando programas de educación teológica y estudios de investigación sobre el desarrollo de la teologóía de América Latina y el Caribe desde la perspectiva de nuestra realidad.
Habrá conferencias magistrales dictadas por reconocidas autoridades en la materia de América Latina y el Caribe quienes harán exposiciones audaces en torno al tema para que desde una perspectiva teológica la Iglesia Episcopal Anglicana ofrezca respuestas a la comunidad latinoamericana y caribeña.
Los temas centrales del taller giran en torno al desafío de las iglesias ante la Globalización y sus implicaciones en América Latina. Concretamente: ¿Qué ha hecho la Iglesia Anglicana en América Latina y el Caribe en los últimos diez años?, ¿Cuál ha sido el liderazgo de la Iglesia?, Misión profética de la iglesia ante las injusticias sociales y económicas de los países?, ¿Qué expresiones y qué visiones debe tener la teología anglicana en los próximos años?, ¿Cómo debe ser el ministerio de la Iglesia Episcopal Anglicana en el contexto de América Latina y el Caribe.
Además de Conferencias Magistrales habrá diferentes talleres en donde los congresistas podrán discutir, deliberar y llegar a conclusiones consensuadas sobre el tema. También, en los talleres se tratarán otros aspectos colaterales al fenómeno de la Globalización que es el propósito central del congreso. Para mencionar algunos temas que serán tratados tenemos: Desarrollo Congregacional, Estrategia misionera ante la globalización, Expresiones culturales y autóctonas en la liturgia, Desafíos para ofrecer esperanza a la juventud de América Latina y el Caribe.
Comisión de Educación Teológica para América Latina y El Caribe de la Iglesia Episcopal
Unidad de Prensa del Congreso
SOUTH AMERICA: Southern Cone primate writes to Recife bishop and clergy
[ENS, Source: ACNS] Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone, which includes dioceses in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, has written a letter to the deposed bishop of Recife and diocesan clergy providing "a special status of extra-provincial recognition ... until such time as the Panel of Reference, the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Anglican Communion has, in some way, adequately addressed this crisis."
The Primate of Brazil, the Most Rev. Orlando de Oliveira, and a House of Bishops' committee deposed Robinson Cavalcanti for contumacy (resistance to authority) June 17, directing his suffragan, the Rt. Rev. Filadelfo Oliveira Neto, to assume ecclesiastical authority for the diocese.
Cavalcanti had also been accused of intimidating clergy and laity in his diocese with the threat of disciplinary measures due to pastoral and theological divergences.
Several clergy in the diocese have reportedly been excommunicated for refusing to accept the primate's authority.
The Panel of Reference was established by the Archbishop of Canterbury in response to the request of the Primates at their meeting in Dromantine, Northern Ireland, in February 2005 to mediate in situations where congregations are unwilling to accept the episcopal ministry of their bishop and to consider circumstances where dioceses are in serious dispute with their provinces.
In his letter, Venables refuses to accept Oliveira's decision, noting that the Panel of Reference has been operating at an "extremely slow pace" and that "a great gap has been created exposing a need for the bishop and clergy of Recife to receive ongoing recognition and some measure of spiritual covering."
The full text of Archbishop Venables' letter can be found online at: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/40/25/acns4040.cfm
Further information about the Archbishop of Canterbury's Panel of Reference can be found online at: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/commission/reference/index.cfm
TASMANIA: Bishop offers prayer for Bali victims
[ENS, Source: Diocese of Tasmania] Bishop John Harrower of Tasmania has expressed his deep sorrow over the October 1 bombings in Bali. "We pray for all those affected by this tragedy, and that the perpetrators may be brought to justice," Harrower said. "Our hope is in the God who can provide true comfort, and who through Jesus can bring new life even out of death."
Harrower has rewritten and distributed a prayer he wrote at the time of the first Bali attacks in 2002, used in the National Day of Mourning.
God of Love,
look mercifully upon all those suffering because of the recent bombings in Bali.
Heal the injured,
comfort the dying,
console those who mourn,
especially those who are reliving the previous bombings through this event,
Strengthen the nurses, doctors and all care givers.
God of Justice,
lead the investigators to the truth,
bring the guilty to trial, to their just penalty,
and to repentance.
Enable governments to rule with compassion and justice
and deny terrorists their evil intent.
God of Compassion,
assist those identifying the dead.
Be with those awaiting news of their loved ones.
Draw near to those in despair.
God of Hope,
help us to be bridge builders,
peacemakers,
resilient to withstand evil,
bearers of love, justice and compassion.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.