Bishop Anis Withdraws from GAFCON

Posted on: May 21, 2008

Bishop Mouneer Anis has decided not to attend the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in the Holy Land next month, citing concerns for the unity of the Global South.

Bishop Anis is President Bishop of The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, as well as Bishop in the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa. In a letter sent last week, Bishop Anis said his comments were in his role as diocesan bishop and not the views of the whole province.

In the letter, Bishop Anis cautioned other Global South leaders “not to make binding decisions which may result in dividing Anglicans in the Global South and elsewhere.” He also pleaded with the Global South leadership to reconsider their plans to boycott the Lambeth Conference.

“The absence of any of your voices will be a great loss,” he said. “Please remember that there will be bishops who are not fully aware of the seriousness of the situation. They need to be alerted. Your presence would be a help, as indeed it was in 1998.”

The letter by Bishop Anis noted that GAFCON was being held with his blessing and prayers for success.

“GAFCON is by invitation from the conference leadership team,” said Canon Chris Sugden, GAFCON coordinator. He said the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, Bishop of Jerusalem, “has been invited to lead our pilgrimage to the baptism site of Jesus in Jordan on June 21 at the close of the conference in Jordan, and to address the leadership team and pilgrimage study leaders at a prayer service at St. George’s Cathedral at the very beginning of the pilgrimage.” However, neither he nor Bishop Robert O’Neill of the Diocese of Colorado is expected to participate in the entire conference, Mr. Sugden said.

This article comes from The Living Church Foundation
http://www.livingchurch.org/

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