“Tell me again: why are you going to GAFCON?”
I guess I should have a stock answer by now, given how often the question has been put to me in the last month, including by my wife as we chatted at the airport.
In our office, we took to calling it GAVCON (one of those early mispronunciations that sticks, and then becomes a joke), and then GAVISCON (a well-known indigestion reliever in our part of the world). Is that what GAFCON is? A calmative for the upset stomach of Anglicanism?
Well, hardly. In fact, it would probably be more accurate to describe this year’s Lambeth Conference as a dose of Gaviscon—an attempt to calm things down and last through the day, taken in irrational hope by a patient with stomach cancer.
But I digress. Because now, sitting in a hotel lobby in Jerusalem with a registration tag around my neck for the Global Anglican Future Holy Land Conference and Pilgrimage (GAFHOLYCONAGE), I almost feel I know why I’m here.
All around me are bishops, reverends and lay people of all shapes, sizes, colours, cultures and ecclesiastical styles, representing over half of the world’s Anglicans. What unites us is a common commitment to historic orthodoxy, to the Bible, to the truth and to the transforming power of the gospel. GAFCON is really an opportunity for this sort of Anglican to get together—the true-blue kind of Anglican, who celebrates rather than repudiates our Reformation roots.
So GAFCON is a place where gospel-loving, Bible-believing Anglicans can make a stand and a statement, can get to know and encourage each other, and can make plans together for future cooperation and growth. I gather it’s why Jerusalem was chosen as the venue—a place that symbolizes a return to biblical and historical roots. We are followers of this Jesus, not the pale Galilean of the 19th-century liberals or the skivvy-wearing New Yorker of the 21st-century liberals.
So why am I at GAFCON? For one thing, I was invited, which was fortunate because it’s by invitation only. But it’s really because there comes a time to say, “They went out from us because they were never really of us”. We are well past that time in the fellowship of churches that is the Anglican communion. It’s time to stop the charade of negotiating with those who don’t share the core beliefs of Anglicanism, and to move forward positively in fellowship with those who do, encouraging each other, praying for each other, working together for the cause of Christ. Are there a thousand Anglican leaders who want to do this—from every corner of the world?
It’s worth being part of, I think.
What is so funny about GAVcon?
I quite like the sound of it
Gav
Hey Tony – go easy on the overt criticism of others with different perspectives … ” not the pale Galilean of the 19th-century liberals or the skivvy-wearing New Yorker of the 21st-century liberals”.
I recall Jesus suggesting that we love our enemies, not ridicule them.
Like us all, revisionists have been made in the image of God, and their dignity as called people needs to be respected as such.
Cheers.
Stephen,
I agree that sometimes people are unnecessarily harsh in how they make their points, and I have said so elsewhere.
But I think you are the one who over-reacted this time. The ‘pale Galilean’ phrase has been around for ages. I think Tony was just trying a bit of a humorous update with the skivvy thing. Maybe Justin Moffatt can let us know from over there in NY!
And actually, Jesus used some harsh language at times – especially for religious leaders. Check out Matthew 23 to the scribes and Pharisees: “hypocrites”, “blind guides”, “whitewashed tombs”, “serpents”, “brood of vipers”.
Also, in what appears harsh to our ears at first reading, but perhaps had more of a humorous needle to it, Jesus made an implicit comparison between Gentiles like the Canaanite woman and scavenging dogs in Matthew 15:21-28, only to encourage her for her great faith. Yet many people since have found his ‘humour’ here right on the edge.
And he talked about not casting pearls before swine and so forth.
Perhaps we might extend the same charity to Tony for his colourful phrase.
hey Tony
heaps keen to hear your take on what makes a bible believing Jesus loving kinda of Gafcon leader.
Is there a distinction to be made between ‘orthodox’ Anglican, ‘evangelical’ Anglican and even ‘reformed’ Anglican (that last one may be an oxymoron).
I’ve seen a couple of conversations recently where the question comes up about just how biblically reformed this anglican alliance is. Are we ‘in bed with the right people’ you might ask?!
How much has GAfcon been formed on pragmatic lines as opposed to theological committments?
whilst there is a common enemy,how strong is that which unites?
Does Tony Payne have a surprising penchant for purple shirts?!
Looking forward to hearing more…
Sandy,
Thanks for the considered response.
I agree that Jesus didn’t hold back with his criticism of the religious leaders of the day, and I suspect his language may have even been more colourful in unrecorded remarks.
I still think that those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Humility should, I believe, always over-ride any sense of point scoring or conceit we may harbour about our strongly held convictions. Both sides of the theological divide need to remember this!
Cheers.
Skivvy-wearing = ridicule??
Someone should tell Steve Jobs.
For those of us in Britain:
what’s a skiwy?
Steve Walton
Steve, if you click on the link in Ian Carmicael’s comment, just above yours, you will see a currently funky example.