The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) – which brings together conservative churches mainly in Africa and Asia – opposes liberal shifts in parts of the Communion, including the ordination of women and greater inclusion ‌of LGBTQ+ members.

Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/conservative-anglicans-pick-rival-leader-131341633.html

The post Conservative Anglicans to pick rival leader, widening Church rifts first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Mr Welby is facing mounting pressure to resign after it emerged last week that he did not follow up rigorously enough on reports of John Smyth QC’s “abhorrent” abuse of more than 100 boys and young men.

A review of the Church’s handling of Smyth’s case said the archbishop “could and should” have reported the case to authorities when details were presented to him in 2013.

Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley is the most senior member of the Church to call on Justin Welby to stand down, after others accused him of “allowing abuse to continue” between 2013 and Smyth’s death in 2018.

Continue reading HERE

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yx90q0v31o

The post Bishop calls on Welby to resign over Church abuse scandal first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The Church of England – central to the Anglican Communion of 85 million believers across the world – does not allow same-sex marriage, standing by its teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman.

The post Church of England: ‘Profound disagreement’ remains on homosexuality first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Finding out anything about the news is, well, disgusting.  The Church of England is trying to figure out how to handle so-called gay marriage.  All kinds of contortions are necessary to accommodate weird holy men, some of whom are miffed, since the sacrilege is the law of the land in England.  The sodomites think it’s a real slap in the face.  How dare the Church accommodate those who don’t believe in their now mainstream unions?  Christianity ain’t what it used to be.  But since when did the practitioners of sin get to establish church doctrine?  The Priests in particular are deciding whether they can bless something scripture condemns.  Many members are dead set against any official moves that “bless” something the Bible condemns.  So they’re splitting hairs.  

We should note that there has been a “steep decline” recently in church attendance.  Do tell.  The guys in the pointy hats aren’t authorized to perform any weddings, but they are encouraged to welcome homosexuals.  

The situation in Russia is as convoluted as you can imagine.  The media is reporting that Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner group is still in Russia.  There has been all kinds of speculation that Putin will have him killed, but then what would become of Wagner’s 25,000 trained soldiers?  The Wall Street Journal reports that Prigozhin is popular in many regions of Russia, and Wagner is fighting for Russia in Ukraine.  There’s some concern that he may actually be more popular than Putin.  

The Wagner group is involved in numerous skirmishes on Russia’s behalf.  It is a mercenary outfit, accused of atrocities, whose leaders wear Nazi tattoos and soldiers that leave that symbolism behind in conquered territories.  The name Wagner is after the composer that Adolf Hitler loved.  But Wikipedia quotes an expert at the end of their summation who says the outfit is not driven by ideology, but is a mercenary group “linked to the Russian security state.”  Prigozhin used to have a good relationship with Putin.  Presumably things have gotten serious since the aborted coup.  

Wagner recruits prisoners and puts them on the front lines.  If you look them up, you’ll see that they’ve been involved in conflict all over the world, and Russia is never at fault for what they do.  Other than the fact that they are supplied and funded by Russia.  Apparently they’ve only been operating since 2012 or so, but the operation has become a major component of Russian might.  They’ve been decorated by Putin himself, and praised for heroics. 

By now everyone has heard that coke (and I don’t mean the drink) has been found in the White House.  Probably some tourist or other, decided to hide something in the White House.  It could have been anybody.  Right!  

You’ve seen the special prosecutor tapped to go get Trump?  This guy doesn’t exactly have an enviable record.  We’re being blinded by stories of corruption at the highest levels of the U. S., but the main story is the special prosecutor and the mishandled documents.  Meanwhile there are believable reports that we’ve been sold out to the Chinese and who knows who else?  The agencies responsible for this kind of stuff won’t go near it, so here come the hearings.  No doubt Congress will get to the bottom of it while the agencies run interference.  We may be led by people who don’t have the best interests of the country or its citizens at heart.  But Trump!  He may have mishandled documents!  

The prosecutor has charged a Trump employee with a crime (moving boxes) and is apparently getting several people with access to the man on record.  It’s a nightmare scenario, according to the media.  If they could only get someone to flip!

France is finally starting to get the chaos under control.  What did they think was going to happen?  The reports of buildings burnt, vehicles torched is off the chart.  You don’t make the foreigners mad, especially when they’re already crazy.  We may learn our own lesson, if we haven’t already.  This compassion business is out of hand!  Let’s just say, it’s misplaced.

Mark

The post Weekly Update by Mark Armstrong – July 7, 2023 first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The archbishop of York has suggested that opening words of the Lord’s Prayer, recited by Christians all over the world for 2,000 years, may be “problematic” because of their patriarchal association.

In his opening address to a meeting of the Church of England’s ruling body, the General Synod, Stephen Cottrell dwelt on the words “Our Father”, the start of the prayer based on Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4 in the New Testament.

“I know the word ‘father’ is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have laboured rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life,” he said.

His comment – a brief aside in a speech that focused on the need for unity – will divide members of the C of E, a body whose differences on issues of sexuality, identity and equality have been highly visible for years.

Continue reading HERE

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/07/lords-prayer-our-father-opening-may-be-problematic-archbishop-of-york-stephen-cottrell

The post Lord’s Prayer opening may be ‘problematic’, says archbishop first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The issue reflects growing global awareness about the assumed usage of pronouns causing offence or upset to those who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.

“Christians have recognised since ancient times that God is neither male nor female,” a spokesperson for the Church said. “Yet the variety of ways of addressing and describing God found in scripture has not always been reflected in our worship.”

But he added that there were “absolutely no plans to abolish or substantially revise” authorised services and that no changes could be made without “extensive legislation”.

Continue reading HERE

Source: https://www.euronews.com/2023/02/08/britain-religion-gender-neutral

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The post Church of England explores gender neutral God first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The decision followed five years of debate and consultation on the church’s position on sexuality. It is expected to be outlined in a report to the church’s national assembly, the General Synod, which meets in London next month.

Under the proposals, the Church of England’s stance that the sacrament of matrimony is restricted to unions between one man and one woman will not change.

However, same-sex couples would be able to have a church service with prayers of dedication, thanksgiving or for God’s blessing after they have a civil wedding or register a civil partnership.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in England and Wales since 2013, but the church did not change its teaching when the law changed.

Continue reading HERE

Source: https://apnews.com/article/anglicanism-england-wales-marriage-religion-5086b3376929156e5f41461193a67aa5?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_07

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The post Church of England refuses to back same-sex marriage first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Key points:

• The apology recognized “the division and hurt this has caused”
• However, the statement did not retract the “pastoral guidance” issued by the Bishops
• In an open letter to Archbishops, supporters of LGBT+ equality in the church described the pastoral guidance as “a laughingstock to a nation that believes it (the church) is obsessed with sex”
  

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  The top archbishops and bishops of the Church of England have issued an apology for a statement released last week which declared only married heterosexuals should have sex.
  Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York John Sentamu said they took responsibility for the announcement.

  “We as archbishops, alongside the bishops of the Church of England, apologize and take responsibility for releasing a statement last week which we acknowledge has jeopardized trust.

  “We are very sorry and recognize the division and hurt this has caused.”

  However, the statement did not retract the “pastoral guidance” issued by the bishops, which came in response to the extension of civil partnerships to heterosexual couples in the UK.

  The guidance said “sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage are regarded as falling short of God’s purpose for human beings”, and that people, gay or straight, who are in civil partnerships should be abstinent.

  In an open letter to the archbishops, supporters of LGBT equality in the church described the guidance as “a laughingstock to a nation that believes it (the church) is obsessed with sex.”

  “Whilst we are grateful for the archbishops’ apology and the recognition that their statement has jeopardised our trust, the fact is more than words are now needed.”

  Over 3500 people signed the open letter, including a range of senior church leaders.

  “This shows the strength of concern that exists across the Church of England that its mission is being significantly damaged and that their promise of a ‘radical new Christian inclusion’ must now be delivered,” the letter said.

  The letter also raised concerns over the Church’s’ ‘Living in Love and Faith project’, which seeks to address questions of human identity, sexuality, and marriage in relation to Church doctrine.

  In their apology, the Archbishops said they were committed to the project.

  “This process is intended to help us all to build bridges that will enable the difficult conversations that are necessary as, together, we discern the way forward for the Church of England,” the statement said.

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  Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-01/church-of-england-statement-on-sex-outside-of-marriage/11920864

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The post Church of England apologizes for saying sex is only for married heterosexuals first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.