Williams asked to dissociate Episcopal Church if gay bishop's consecration proceeds The Layman Online Thursday, October 30, 2003 Editor's Note: The Association for Church Renewal has written a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury asking that, if the Episcopal Church USA proceeds with the consecration of a gay bishop, "you exercise appropriate fraternal discipline by declaring that the Episcopal Church USA has alienated itself from the worldwide Anglican Communion." The Association for Church Renewal is an association of executives and leaders of more than 30 church renewal organizations and ministries that are related to mainline denominations in the United States and Canada. It describes itself as: "An association to encourage and support renewal and reform leaders from the `mainline' denominations, assisting them in developing their ministries' witness to orthodox Christianity in both church and society." Here is the text of the letter: The Most Reverend Rowan D. Williams Lambeth Palace London, SE1 7JU October 29, 2003 Your Grace: As a fellowship of renewing and confessing movement leaders within mainline Protestant denominations in the United States and Canada, the Association for Church Renewal notes with sadness the decision of the Episcopal Church USA to confirm the election of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, an unrepentant practicing homosexual, as bishop and to recognize liturgies celebrating and blessing "same-sex unions." By these radical actions, the Episcopal Church USA has severed its ties with Scripture, with two millennia of Christian moral teaching, with the great majority of Anglicanism's 77-million members worldwide, and with the larger Christian community around the world. We do not believe and cannot accept that this is Christ's will for His Church. Our Association for Church Renewal is an ecumenical fellowship that represents millions of Christians who continue to live in faithfulness to God's Word. With Scripture and the historic teachings of the Church, we understand marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman, the only appropriate context for sexual intimacy. We are weary of divisive and destructive actions being taken by those seeking approval and even sacred blessing of homosexual behavior. Their relentless pursuit of this agenda has deeply damaged the Body of Christ. Already, we observe the results within your own communion, including massive membership losses, financial redirection, the departure of clergy, and threats of disassociation being made by Global South provinces. It has been said that the acceptance of homosexual behavior by the Church is a necessary accommodation to Western culture. We reject this claim. As Christians who live in the United States and Canada, we know, first-hand, the fragmentation of the family, plague of sexually transmitted diseases, and loss of human dignity that have resulted from our culture's sexual mores. We repent of these practices, and we ask forgiveness of every non-Western culture to which we have exported our culture's licentiousness. We believe Christians are called not to accommodation, but to the transformation of culture. We respectfully request that the Archbishop of Canterbury and the 37 primates of the worldwide Anglican Communion, heed the pleas from Biblically faithful Christian churches in North America and around the world. In the event that the Episcopal Church USA proceeds to "consecrate" Rev. Robinson's election as bishop, we ask that you declare publicly your refusal to recognize this act, and that you exercise appropriate fraternal discipline by declaring that the Episcopal Church USA has alienated itself from the worldwide Anglican Communion. Such faithful leadership would bear powerful witness to Christian churches everywhere – and to a watching world – that the Body of Christ continues in fidelity to the Biblical foundation of the one holy, catholic and apostolic Church as the only norm for faith and life. In Christ, Rev. James V. Heidinger II, ACR Chairman President and Publisher Good News United Methodist Mrs. Diane Knippers, ACR Co-Chair President Institute on Religion and Democracy Rev. Parker Williamson, ACR Co-Chair Chief Executive Officer and Editor In Chief The Presbyterian Lay Committee Presbyterian Church (USA) The following is a partial listing of ACR members: Ms. Sara L. Anderson Vice President Bristol House, Ltd. United Methodist Rev. Karen Booth Executive Director Transforming Congregations United Methodist Church Rev. Mark Chavez Executive Director WordAlone Network Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Rev. Susan Cyre Executive Director and Editor Theology Matters Presbyterian Church (USA) Rev. Ira Gallaway Associate Director The Confessing Movement United Methodist Church Dr. Christopher Hershman Evangelical Lutheran Confessing Fellowship Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Ms. Linda Huntington Administrative Coordinator American Anglican Council Episcopal Church USA Mr. Jim Kushiner Executive Editor Touchstone Journal Mr. Bruce Mason Media Officer American Anglican Council Episcopal Church USA Pastor Gerald Miller Member, WordAlone Network Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Sen. Patricia Miller Executive Director The Confessing Movement United Methodist Church Rev. Bill Nicoson National Coordinator American Baptist Evangelicals American Baptist Church Dr. Tom Oden Chairman Institute on Religion and Democracy Dr. Oden is United Methodist, the IRD is ecumenical Rev. David Runnion-Bareford Executive Director Biblical Witness Fellowship United Church of Christ Mrs. Terry Schlossberg Presbyterians Pro-Life Presbyterian Church (USA) Mrs. L. Faye Short President RENEW Network for Women United Methodist Church Mr. David M. Stanley and Mrs. Jean L. Stanley Chairman and Board Member United Methodist Action United Methodist Church Rev. Vernon Stoop, Jr. Executive Director Focus Renewal Ministries United Church of Christ Mr. Mark Tooley Executive Director United Methodist Action United Methodist Church Rev. Todd H. Wetzel Executive Director Anglicans United (Formerly Episcopalians United) Episcopal Church USA Mr. Geoff Wilkins National Chairman National Alliance of Covenanting Congregations United Church of Canada

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