Bishops of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) are prepared to provide episcopal oversight for Scottish Episcopalians who believe that this morning’s vote by the Church’s General Synod in favour of same-sex marriage is unbiblical.
The offer came in a ‘Letter to Faithful Anglicans’ sent last week and released today by the Scottish Anglican Network.
It reads:
We are saddened and appalled that the Scottish Episcopal Church will next week debate amending its Canon C31, so as to adopt a wholly unbiblical approach to human sexual relationships. To so amend the canon would sever the church from the teaching of Christ and His Apostles, and also the considered and expressed conviction of the vast majority of the bishops of the Anglican Communion at Lambeth 1998, which was reinforced by the Anglican Primates Gathering only months ago.
We stand with you and pray for you as you resist this unhelpful and dangerous innovation.
Should the church decide to follow the revisionist approach, disobey the clear teaching of Scripture, and thus cause a break with orthodox Christian teaching, the Gafcon UK Panel of Bishops offers to provide alternative episcopal oversight, and thereby your recognition as faithful Anglicans by the worldwide Gafcon movement, which represents the majority of Anglicans worldwide.
We remind the Scottish Episcopal Church of the cautionary words of Jude that unbiblical standards in sexual ethics “….deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”. This is an issue over which the Scottish Episcopal Church is dividing the church , and we will stand united with faithful Anglicans in Scotland seeking to uphold the plain doctrinal and moral teaching of the Holy Scriptures.
Warmly in Christ,
- The Rt Rev John Ellison, The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, The Rt Rev Wallace Benn , and The Rt Rev Ken Barham, on behalf of the Panel of Bishops, Gafcon UK
- The Rev Paul Perkin, The Rev Michael Ovey, on behalf of the Exec Committee, Gafcon UK
- The Rev Canon Andy Lines, Mr. Dan Leafe on behalf of the Anglican Mission in England
