FiFNA 2010: Opening Address

I have discovered in these years of serving Jesus Christ that I can often times figure out what people are against. It just occasionally takes a little more work occasionally to find out what they are for.

And I have often thought in this winnowing process and in what has taken place as it relates to the Church. Those who are against something often times just continue being against something else. 

But those who are for Jesus are serving the God of the living, not the god of the dead. 

And I suspect, that although for some of you, I am a mere lad at the age of 64, in some ways at the age of 64 I have earned the ability, if nothing else, through longevity to reflect a little more than I use to. That is to say to be able to look back over a little longer picture than I might have had just before I went to seminary perhaps I knew infinitely more. 

But what I have discovered today is that, precious as the history of the Anglo-Catholic movement is, in this country, as precious as it may be it is not everybody's history who is here tonight.

Well, if that weren't enough, while I recognize there are some of you who could all of your membership buttons from every organizations over the years that lead us up to this point that you could actually have four lapel-fills full of such buttons. I mean, I discovered that yesterday, that we could revise that and say: "Been there, done that ... have the pin." 

There's nothing wrong with that as long as you allow yourself to be pinned for Jesus. 

So I shall not wax it in a nostalgic fashion as I look over our history, so much as I do it in a type of instructive way with an eye towards the future.

For once we recognize that we have had our hand to the plow and we look back we recognize we forget what lies ahead. 

Among us today are a number of people who at a Forward in Faith Assembly for the very first time. In order to demonstrate that I would like all you who are here for the very first time at a Forward in Faith Assembly will you please stand up.

I want for you to look around my friends in Christ. I want you to even imagine what percentage of the total number is here today, and you must recognize why I must keep my hand on the plow that moves ahead.

You may be seated, please.

But if that isn't remarkable in and of itself, what is remarkable to me is what has been affectionately called the "alphabet soup" has now produced a magnificent stew. In fact it has been marinating.

However, with that in mind, just again to be somewhat instructive I would like to be able to tell you how you have self-described yourselves in the smaller categories.

Forty-seven of you have said you are from the ACNA. Eighteen of you have said you are from the Missionary Society of St. John. Sixteen of you are from the Forward in Faith Missionary Diocese of All Saints. Fifteen of you are in The Episcopal Church. Two of you are in the CCR (Communion of Christ the Redeemer). Four of you -- and I think that is an inaccurate number now -- are from the REC (Reformed Episcopal Church). Five of you are from the AMiA (Anglican Mission in America). Two of you are from Uganda. One claims to be independent. One from the Diocese of the Holy Cross (Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas) -- although I think a few more have come in. Two from the ACA (Anglican Church in America-Traditional Anglican Communion). Two from CANA (Convocation of Anglicans in North America). One self-described as Southern Cone. One from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. And four representing Religious Orders.

Now what exactly does this tell us?

Looking back will only be instructive in one sense. It will tell us where we have been.

But the theme of our Assembly is: "The New Oxford Movement." My sincere hope is that the next few days you'll leave here with a vision. With a purpose. But with the joy of the Lord that is firmly in the midst of you. 

I come out of the Anglo-Catholic movement remembering the ACU. And there are even some here who say: "I remember it, I not only have the pin, I went to the meetings." 

American Church Union

What was remarkable about the American Church Union is that most of its emphases was on the Catholic spiritual life. It was on discipline and prayer. It was on Religious Orders and the necessity of having religious orders and deaconesses. It talked a great deal about the necessity of being able to have a spiritual director and confessor. It talked about the Eucharist being the central action of our life together. 

And as a matter of fact -- it was fun. There were stories about some of the old characters, embellished as the years went on. But it was fun. It was fun to be an Anglo-Catholic. 

And then 1967 came along, and we began to see a remarkable evolutionary reality. Suddenly people didn't seem to be having quite as much fun. Suddenly people didn't seem to be all that jolly. Suddenly people began to be more strident. 

And suddenly, Anglo-Catholics suddenly asked the question: "Gee whiz. A change in status. We used to be a tolerated minority now we're becoming a persecuted minority.

And as this evolution took place the Committee on Apostolic Ministry came up. But it wasn't as political as it was envisioned to be so it became ECM (Evangelical & Catholic Mission) because of the fact that, you see, that we needed to make sure that the Evangelicals and the Catholics were together because it was now 1970. 

But we saw some more things on the horizon. And it worked well for a time, and then what happened suddenly, fast forward, it became 1973 ... 1976 ...

It seemed that every post-General Convention time was spent regrouping, re-evaluating, and nursing each other's wounds. And suddenly, unless we were masochists, we were having fun. 

In 1989 it was said: "What could we do? Because something happened in Boston, Massachusetts that doesn't look all that great." 

To put a little differently, if somebody had told me when I was 12-years-old that the new bishop of Massachusetts suffragan would be wearing a cope and a mitre, I would have said that would have been a good move. The only thing is when I found out who it was (Barbara Harris) I wasn't sure it was all that good a move. 

Suddenly the distinctions and those distinctives which seemed to identify what we believed were blurred and wasn't clear. And ESA (the Episcopal Synod of America) said we have a plan of action. We must move ahead, we must establish ourselves. And there we were. 

But in the process, in this evolution, was not just an evolutionary reality as we made contributions to numerous churches around the world, numerous communions.

Witnessing the breaking of relationship with the Polish National Catholic Church for many of us a tragedy, because he happen to live in areas where that was a viable ministry between Episcopal parishes and Polish National Catholics The ending of ecumenical relationships, or at least a pause. It didn't look all that bright.

But there were two realities that faced us. The one was: We didn't seem like we were having much fun, and to be honest with you, I didn't really witness everybody being all that jolly. 

The mark of the light-hearted Anglo-Catholic who just wanted to be a simple Christian was somehow contentious reality. And that which we just assumed always was seemed to have been put in a questionable position, whereby we were asked if we would please suddenly defend why we had always believed what we had always believed and what the Church had always taught. Putting us into a mold that became very difficult for an Anglo-Catholic, and that is being defensive and becoming political.

We Anglo-Catholics have always been rotten politicians. Now if you feel otherwise, then I want to congratulate you. But, by and large, we Anglo-Catholics are the ones who went were nobody else wanted to serve, to take care of parishes where people were in need, and knew we would never receive preferment, and never become the cardinal-rector of anything. And it was okay, as long as we could say Mass, hear confessions, be with our people and love them with the Love of Jesus Christ. 

We were fish out of water. We didn't know what to do. Forward in Faith suddenly came into being, and because of the fact we had been a national reality in England was now faced with similar difficulties, particularly in 1992 we were asked what our role would be in the political structure and we said: "Umm ... well ... we're try." 

But to be really honest, we were better at rattling rosary beads than rattling cages. We have been taught to pray and to "offer it up". And we had discovered the rules to the game had changed. 

Now we are in a totally new set of circumstances. We asked the significant question, which is legitimate as members of Forward in Faith: "Where are we going?"

I'd like to share with you a vision I have shared with Council, we have been meeting the last couple of days and it is this: With all of my heart, Beloved in Christ, I think we need to make the transition back being an organism from being an organization.

What I mean by that, is that as an organism that we once again propagate the Catholic Faith That we once again move into the mode of teaching, and preaching, spiritual direction, and all the things that the next generation wants. 

If we are not good politicians, then why do we keep playing that as our trump card? There are others who are better qualified in such things.

And so it is, this time last year we had not Forward in Faith dioceses -- and now we do. We had no Forward in Faith bishop for a Forward in Faith Diocese -- now we do. We had no word from Rome -- and now we do. We has no real word from Eastern Orthodoxy -- but now we do. We didn't even have exactly a Province that Catholics have been promising for generations -- but now we do. 

Is this a victory? Well, it depends upon your point of view.

It is because as President of Forward in Faith-North America I actually have five "sons". And I love all my sons. 

My five sons happen to be: Anglo-Papalist; Anglo-Orthodox; Anglican Church of North America; Episcopalian; and Continuing. And the only time that my sons get in trouble is when they think they are the only son in my family. When they play "Smothers Brothers" with me. And when they are convinced ... Oh, I'm sorry for those of you under (garbled). The difficulty, of course is, while each one of my sons is highly principled, they are at their best when they offer what they have been given, and at their worse when they think there is nobody else in the family.

My Anglo-Papalist son has been anxiously waiting to hear what Rome has to say. Occasionally he hears some good news. Occasionally he is a little confused. Often times he says: "It would be so comfortable; and besides with all of this chaos it would sure be nice for Dad to stand up and say, 'That's it, over and out, thank you very much'." Definitive words are very nice.

My Anglo-Papalist son feels very much at home at times and at other times he wonders if people really understand him. Occasionally when he meets with his cousins on the other hand and they are convinced they are one hundred percent correct it does on the other hand make life a little bit difficult for the other siblings.

Now my Anglo-Orthodox son may appear to be just a hair exotic from time to time, but because he has done family research and family history he recognizes that some good words have come which indicate that he can continue with some of the traditions he's had that are important to him in the West and a little dabbling of East is pretty nice because after all we're Anglicans, aren't we.

My Anglo-Orthodox son becomes quite excited when he is able to hear encouragements about ethnicity not being as significant as it used to be. My Anglo-Orthodox son is rather excited because of the fact that he believes that there will be a way for moving forward with a conciliar style which is a little bit more congenial to his way of thinking. I love him. It really doesn't bother me whether he has a beard or not. 

My Anglican Church of North America son is quite remarkable because, you see, he recognized that there is a little extra room at the table because of the fact that Forward in Faith-North America has a voice as an organization and a founding partner, so does the Missionary Diocese of All Saints, and besides for many of the people who have come in and joined that part of the family, what's exciting is they can pray for the See of Canterbury and say, "You know, I think we're connected. I mean, our family's a little bit bigger than we thought it used to be, and we're so happy there is room for us."

They [ACNA sons] say to me: "It's so wonderful that we no longer being treated like step-children, but rather that we are told our point of view is valued and valuable." They like to tell me it is so good that they finally have a safe place. 

And my Episcopal son, on the other hand, looks a little nervous a great deal of the time. I mean, he is not really sure what the family reunion is going to look like, because it looks like some of the family is not there anymore. And yet, my Episcopal son tells me, "I can't leave my people." He tells me about his 90-year-old parishioners and 85-year-old parishioners in the small community in which he lives that tell me -- that tell him -- they wouldn't know where to go. And, as a matter of fact, while he looks at his watch and recognizes that the clock is ticking... 

How can I not love my son? I worry about him. He worries about the left-foot of fellowship that's coming. But I love him. 

And my Continuum son is very interesting. He is a cogitator. He thinks a lot. He's been watching the scenery, he's been watching the landscape, and he really, really wants to come to the family reunion, but he is not always sure who the family is. And he wants to see how some of this works out, because he wants to come but he doesn't want to be hurt. He wants to bring the experiences he's had, to be told that he has value. 

Now Beloved, this is my family. And before me this evening are all five of my sons and daughters who make up this family. 

And the problem with people is very often when they feel they have been devalued there are several marks of leadership that must be noted. Leaders who have an inner circle but forget to tell everybody else about it are leaders who are poised for trouble. Leaders who do not convey to the people in the family that are valued are in for trouble. Leaders who become volatile and angry when they think that one of their children has misbehaved often times convey a much higher form of frustration than necessarily needs to be conveyed. Because, you see, long before I became their father, they knew they had a Heavenly Father. And at least from my part it was HIS Church before I was born, and most assuredly it will be HIS Church after I'm gone. 

I've learned a long time ago, what I hope you've learned too, I am not so important that I have a right to see how it all turns out. But I do believe that you and I are a part of God's plan, which means that we must be faithful every day so that HE can use us. 

So...is Forward in Faith needed? Absolutely. Not because I like the new pin so much by the way, although it is very nice Michael (Howell). Not because I think that the logo is really sharp, and it is. But Forward in Faith needs to exist, not in the structural way that people envision it. Not as a group that gets together every now and then to determine who the best candidates are for any given office. Not because it's a voting bloc, because of Forward in Faith is nothing other than a political entity then I really think that it ought not to exist. 

But if Forward in Faith will return to the vision that Anglo-Catholics had, as we will be talking about, as we look to the Oxford Movement, as we review the original Oxford Movement, and as we look at the Catholic Movement in this country, we are going to learn some principles our original mission, and I believe regain a vision of propagating to faith of the English Catholic patrimony.

Because, you see, some of the debate between my five sons is over which one of them will adequately be able to carry on the Anglican -- English Catholic -- patrimony and have it preserved. 

My sons worry about whether it will be absorbed and lost a generation or two later. And they want to wait in some ways to see how it will best lived out, because they believe that the Church and the English heritage is two thousand years old. 

They believe that this patrimony includes an unbroken faith from Glastonbury to Canterbury, the Celts to Salisbury (Cathedral) ... Whitby (Abby) ... Saint Augustine. All that proceeds from Saint Albin to Saint Hilda, Dame Julian (of Norwich), Benedictines -- abbots, bishops, monks, nuns, deaconesses; (John) Keble, (John Henry) Newman, (garbled), (Edward) Pusey, and (Michael) Ramsay. This is our heritage. And this is our day. 

You and I have been placed in a position that is transitional and pivotal, because we have been given the opportunity to live out the implications of this Catholic heritage in a new and exciting way. 

This is a time for a New Oxford Movement. This is not new in terms of faith. But it is a revival of who we have been, what we are, and what we must be. And we have our past, we have our present, and we have our future. But all are, and must be, built on the one sure foundation Who is Jesus Christ Our Saviour, the only Name given for health and salvation, Who is the same yesterday, today and forever -- without change. Who is and was and ever shall be, and that is why we are here.

Because we believe the Catholic Tradition has been the richest of the Traditions to be able to hold up an unbroken heritage, a continuity of faith, saints in every generation, a high view of the Church as the Bride of Christ, instead of an institution that is so often so flawed. 

Our past in significant. But the very strengths of our past must be the strengths of our future. Not in terms of nostalgia. Not in terms of self-satisfaction. But in terms of vision with no unprecedented innovations. No additions or subtractions. No dilution, no surrender and no desertion. 

And why is that? Because we have never been told that we are so significant and important that we have a right to change any of the faith. We simply do not have that authority. 

We will cooperate with Christians. And for those of you who heard me speak last night to the Fellowship of Concerned Churchmen -- would all of you stand up who are with the FCC. Some of them had to leave. Are any FCC members still here? Good, thank you very much.

If they [FCC] hadn't put up with so much in the 1970's we [FiF-NA] wouldn't have the privilege of being here today. When people didn't understand them, then it moved towards them not understanding us.

As you stood up, I also want to say, that I think that, while I could acknowledge everyone of you, I want to acknowledge Fr. Todd and Cherie Wetzel as being two of the most valued people through Anglicans United and being able to keep us informed of a number of things that are going on but in a theological context. Thank you.

And I want thank Kevin Kallsen, because Kevin you have a ministry that is all too often, possibly under appreciated. But I want you to know you are in a place where you are not only valued and honored, but you are appreciated.

Forward in Faith's future is going to include using people, utilizing their gifts and talents so that we may be able to get out the information about what the faith is all about. That's why we're here. 

As eye said to you last night with the FCC, it's amazing that Christians spend as much time battling [as] they do with Islam growing as rapidly as it is. There may ultimately be some people who are very, very pure, but they will also be very, very lonely. While they may very well be able to sing the hymn "How Great I Art" they will not be doing so very well with a chorus of Muslims. 

So our future, you see, must be as an organism that is based on education, which will include videos, streaming, and everything else I cannot comprehend. And it must involve Catholic Presence. Yes. 

Do you remember this story? think about it. People complain about a hostile takeover of the Church. You go back 30-plus years, folks, and some of us weren't willing to run the lowest office in the diocese -- revisionists were. And we said nothing. Then 30 years later, we wouldn't have been elected dog catchers. 

I'm not sure how much of it was a hostile takeover as much as it was many of us who just plain became apathetic and didn't care. And just assumed it would all be taken care of. 

Seize the moment. HE is the God of the living, not of the dead. Don't look back. Put your hand on the plow and move forward with people who are willing to walk with us. Yes ... some differences. But walk with Christians, people who claim Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Be open to go to conferences and synods and other places because that is what Forward in Faith is going to have to do. We are going to introduce a whole new teaching series. We're going to answer the questions people are asking and seem as if there may not be an answer.

The door is now open for us to share Biblical, historical faith. And sad as I am about all that has taken place since 1967 or 1907 or when ever your golden moment was when things all went awry, because I miss some of the sojourners. You can't look back.

For those of your who have been here before, spend your time working with the people who will take this mission ahead. And don't look back.

Ignore the initials at the end of people's names with affiliations and look at WHO they represent, namely Jesus Christ, and move forward. Don't look back.

This new vision, this operation of Forward in Faith as an organism, is going to req uire an increase in educational travel funds to accomplish it. And the last two months I have been from Nevada in the West to South Carolina --- umm, I better be careful because I did get in trouble -- but that's the South, yeah, not the East.

And so as one makes the global trots-around to see all that's happening, I can assure you as your President, I've been there. You've sent me off to do these things because that's what I'm supposed to do. Even a year-and-a-half ago when many of you knew that I was not well, you kept on embracing me and praying for me and holding me up. Not the least of which was my beloved diocese (of Quincy).

And no matter where our song may be, no matter where our sons shall go, we must provide an English Catholic "Ecclesia Anglicana" patrimony that will not disappear nor be absorbed into one of sons' expressions without giving value to the others. 

At this time we have a virtual office. We have one full time employee, we have a part-time executive director, we have one hourly employee who does a number of things. The rest of this operation is on the basis of you doing the things you need to do. And for you being willing to go where you are sent. 

This is Apostolic ministry -- being sent. This is the ministry of the disciple -- saying yes. This is a transitional time. This is a pivotal time. This is a critical time. Not just to respond to (Catholic) Cardinal (Walter) Kasper when he called for a New Oxford Movement Because we agree. We need a New Oxford Movement. Yes, (Orthodox) Metropolitan Jonah, we agree there must be a New Oxford Movement. Yes, ACNA, we were assembled. We got on to an island after being thrown off the boat and now on the island we look for a New Oxford Movement. 

And so as your President I issue that challenge to us this night on the Commemoration of Blessed Joseph Butler, this is the day, this is the way, and this is the time forward. Your job now is to go out and to disciple. You job is to mentor. And you, my Beloved, are the keepers of the coals.

You have been willing to hold on to the coals of the faith that been handed to you. And with wisdom you had known that if you didn't blow on them enough they would go out. And you also learned that if you blew on them too hard you would extinguish them with your breath. You have been wise, and now it is time for the coals to be passed on so that the "nephesh", so that the "ruhah', so that the Breath of God will ignite the embers of the New Oxford Movement. 

But I must conclude with warning. That's because whenever we begin anything in convert, old grievances, old behaviors, and old fears often times come up. Perfect love casts out fear. 

You show me a person who's upset and I will show you a person who has fear. But if you show them the Love of Jesus Christ -- HE will cast out the fear. 

Inevitably, it is patterns of behavior we must watch. it means learning to embrace people in a new way as the Desert Fathers told us. It means for Anglo-Catholics to be as conscience as they always have been, I hope, of the link between the Altar and the streets. 

It's not possible to stand at the Altar and celebrate the Mass in isolation from those who are dying in the streets. It's not possible to stand at the Altar and intercede on behalf of a small group of names on a list without recognizing that on this day you passed a beggar, you passed a broken person, you passed the town eccentric The task of the Anglo-Catholic is offer those people a foretaste of heaven by bringing them into the Altar of God. By taking Jesus Christ out among the people in their brokenness. By binding up the brokenhearted and bringing them to the Altar and offering them as a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving unto God, Himself. 

But in order to do so, Beloved, we are going to have to drop all of our guards that we have constructed that have in the past told us: "Don't trust anybody who is a ___________."

It will require a whole new pattern of behavior. It will require a rooting out of the heart with the Love of Jesus Christ. 

Here is what St. John Chrysostom tells us: "Don't tell me I would be a slanderer only if I lied. I'm committing no slander if I tell the truth. This is a grievous error. Speaking evil of others even if the evil would be true is always a crime. Surely the Publican was certainly a publican and a sinner, but he left the Temple cleansed of all his defilements because he was scorned by the Pharisee. You want to correct your brother? Weep, pray to God. Warn him by speaking to his heart, advise and exhort him. That is how St. Paul acted. But back-biting and slander is so sweet you say? Yes, but not back-biting is sweeter still. The slanderer is creating deadly anxiety for himself, he is constantly besieged by suspicion and fear. He repents but too late. He bites his tongue but in vain. He trembles, for as his words spread they may cause him great danger. Expose those who repeat them to enmities which easily could have been avoided."

And you, Beloved, you don't serve a god of the dead. You serve God of the living. 

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.