Bishop Shuts Down Anglican Mission Church for Remaining True to Scripture
by Jim Brown
January 12, 2004
(AgapePress) - An Anglican priest from British Columbia is speaking out after his conservative mission church was shut down by its local diocese.
Bishop Michael Ingham of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster recently closed Church of the Holy Cross because of its opposition to homosexuality. Holy Cross rector James Wagner says a decision by the diocese to create a rite to bless same-sex marriages was "divisive" and a departure from scriptural truth. That is why his church refused to perform same-sex "blessing" ceremonies.
"We felt that the closure or termination of our mission was premature," he explains, "and that it actually preempted some steps that were being taken to provide Episcopal oversight for churches such as ourselves."
Wagner's church is still gathering to worship every Sunday, despite being shut down by its liberal diocese. Holy Cross held its Christmas service in Wagner's living room, but commonly meets in a public facility near Vancouver.
Wagner says he has grown closer to God during the adversity. "The greatest lesson for me is just a larger awareness of the greatness of God and the way that He sovereignly rules in the world in which we live.
"So I see that a local church such as ourselves, as well as all local churches throughout the world, don't have significance just in the little place in which they worship -- but significance throughout the world in which we live," the pastor says.
Wagner's church is part of a nationwide movement called "The Essentials," which is similar to the new U.S. Network of Confessing Anglican Dioceses and Parishes that is forming to protest the ordination of Vicki Gene Robinson, the openly homosexual bishop who now oversees the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire.
Griswold on Division
Frank Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church USA, continues to downplay divisions in his denomination over Robinson's November consecration, in which Griswold himself participated -- despite the opposition of traditionalists in ECUSA and many Anglicans worldwide.
Associated Press reports that in his Sunday sermon at Washington National Cathedral, Griswold said there have been disputes among Christians since the days of the apostles. He blamed today's divisions on "fear or arrogance and sinfulness."
Traditionalists say the Bible condemns homosexual sex, but Griswold said Christians should value their differences. And he warned Episcopalians to "beware of visions of an unblemished church built upon judgment rather than love."
Meanwhile, conservative Episcopalians who oppose their denomination's consecration of Robinson have gathered to discuss forming their own network of dioceses and congregations -- a move that could become official next weekend. The weekend conference outside Washington, DC, attracted about 3,000 Episcopalians from 47 dioceses across the country.
They discussed forming the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, which hopes to realign itself with the worldwide Anglican Communion without separating from the Episcopal Church. Another conference is set for next weekend in Plano, Texas.
A leader of the American Anglican Council, Rev. Martyn Minns, says conservatives are "currently inside" the Episcopal Church, but are organizing amid uncertainty about the future.
Associated Press contributed to this story.
