wfn.org | Episcopalians: News Briefs

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September 4, 2002

2002-201

Episcopalians: News Briefs

Anglican Creation Summit precedes Earth Summit

(ENS/ACNS) Over 80 delegates joined together August 19-22 at the 
Good Shepherd Retreat Center, a few miles north of Johannesburg, 
for the Anglican Congress on the Stewardship of Creation, in 
which representatives from around the Anglican Communion debated 
the issue of sustainable development in the context of faith.

The congress was organized by the Communion's UN observer, 
Archdeacon Taimalelagi Fagamalama Tuatagaloa-Matalavea, who 
presented a statement prepared at the Congress by delegates for 
world leaders at the Earth Summit, held August 26-September 4.

The meeting began with an heart-stirring explanation of some of 
Africa's own environmental concerns. Anthony Turton, head of the 
African Water Issues Research Unit at the University of 
Pretoria, intrigued many delegates by explaining that in South 
Africa the government can be sued if people are damaged by the 
environment, and the ecosystem has its own legal rights. In many 
countries of Africa, environmental issues are complex, involving 
lifestyles and social issues. On more than one occasion 
delegates were told how increased wealth throughout the world 
was putting even greater demands on water supplies, and the 
expense of supplying water to golf courses being developed in 
desert areas were contrasted to the needs of many poor families 
around the world.

Denise Ackermann, visiting theology professor at the University 
of Stellenbosch, introduced a wide range of issues concerning 
the AIDS epidemic, currently responsible for cutting a deadly 
swath through Africa's 20 to 40 year olds. Ackermann explained 
that the married woman is at greatest risk, and that for her 
often the 'virus of denial' is the greatest enemy, for "who 
wants to add stigma to an already appalling situation?"  

The Rev. Eric Beresford of the Anglican Church of Canada, 
co-ordinator of the Anglican Environmental Network, raised the 
issues of patenting and genetically modified (GM) crops, 
questioning how putting food production in the hands of a few 
transnational biotechnology companies could improve 
distribution--possibly the greatest problem in feeding the 
world.  

Canberra bishop George Browning apologized for Australians who 
produce the highest amounts of carbon dioxide in the world--37 
tons per person per year--despite warnings that their country 
could be 40-60 percent drier as a result of climate change and 
has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. Browning 
emphasized, both in his talk and later in a sermon, that 
environmental work was "core Kingdom business," every bit as 
much as evangelizing.  

Bishop John Oliver of Hereford said his aim was to convert the 
congress to support the idea of "contraction and convergence," 
an interim policy framework for implementing emission reduction 
through emissions trading. He emphasized the need for action 
now, as insurers calculate that by 2065 the cost of 
environmental damage will exceed the world's GDP.

Rosina Wiltshire of the UN Development Program pointed out that 
80 percent of all food production in Africa is undertaken by 
women, but development agencies tend to assume that men will do 
the work. She challenged the Anglican Communion to bring a new 
understanding to people's vision of wealth. "I have seen a lot 
of progress, but I have not seen it happen fast enough," she 
said. "Still millions of children are dying; there is still a 
deepening gap between rich and poor. Let us come back to ethics 
and spirituality."

Bishop Geoff Davies of South Africa explained how well his 
country knows that when people exercise 'dominion' for their own 
benefit without caring for others, the consequences are 
disastrous and justice is forsaken. "Our mandate for 'dominion' 
is not just to care for fellow human beings but for all 
creation," he said. "Unrestricted capitalism panders to our base 
instincts of selfish acquisitiveness and greed--and that is why 
it is an issue that involves us as people of faith."

African Anglicans commit to 'generation without AIDS'

(ENS/ACNS) Recommitting themselves to the vision "of a 
generation without AIDS," the AIDS Board of the Council of 
Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA) met August 19-22 to follow 
up on last year's first All Africa Anglican Conference on 
HIV/AIDS in Boksburg, South Africa.

"Our Church is a community of compassion and love," the board 
said in a statement issued a the conclusion of the meeting. "At 
a time when the African continent is being devastated by the 
HIV/AIDS Pandemic, where some 30 million have already been 
infected, our Anglican Communion has stated: 'AIDS is not a 
punishment from God.'" 

Board members called upon the developed world to "free us from 
the life-threatening burden of international debt," which in 
sub-Saharan Africa alone could release more than $10 billion 
toward alleviating the pain and suffering of HIV/AIDS. They 
asked the governments of Africa to collaborate in making the 
eradication of HIV/AIDS a top priority.

They also affirmed a "six-fold call to responsibility" for all 
African Anglican churches, including leadership, care, 
prevention, counseling, pastoral care, and death and dying. The 
board also committed to teaching children and their parents 
"life-preserving skills to inhibit the virus that causes AIDS," 
beginning well before the onset of sexual activity.  The skills 
include abstinence before marriage, fidelity and faithfulness 
within marriage, delaying sexual activity, and the correct use 
of condoms. "The morality of condoms is about preserving life. 
To sentence a person to death because of an error of judgment 
about sexual activity is not the way to save lives," tey said in 
a statement.

Former Bethlehem staff member found guilty

(ENS) A seven-member Ecclesiastical Trial Court of the Diocese 
of Bethlehem announced August 22 that the Rev. Dane C. Bragg, 
who served on diocesan staff as missioner for youth and social 
ministries from January 1999 to October 2001, was guilty of four 
charges of immorality and 21 charges of conduct unbecoming a 
member of the clergy.

Charges of alleged inappropriate conversations, emotional 
attachment, and actions (not including sexual contact) on the 
part of Bragg with young people in his pastoral care were listed 
in a presentment returned in late February 2002 by unanimous 
vote of the diocesan standing committee.

The court has still to hand down a sentence.

"Attorneys of considerable experience and reputation 
determined that the complaints did not come under any criminal 
statute," said the Rev. Bill Lewellis, diocesan communication 
minister. "Additionally, the complainants were referred to 
separate psychotherapists to be sure they did not need to be 
subjected to the legal system. The psychotherapists, mandated 
reporters, did not believe any of the events were reportable 
offenses."

Advised that the complaints did not amount to a criminal 
offense, Bishop Paul Marshall determined that they would, if 
true, constitute grounds for charges according to church canons. 
After consulting with the diocesan chancellor, the archdeacon 
and the president of the standing committee, Marshall terminated 
Bragg as a member of diocesan staff on the basis of his 
admissions in the presence of a witness. Bragg was given a 
termination package that included salary until the end of 2001 
as well as health insurance and help with his mortgage to June 
2002. Marshall also suspended Bragg from exercising priestly 
ministry and representing himself as a priest. 

Ancient chapel launches e-prayer service

(SEC.com) One of Scotland's oldest churches jumped into the 21st 
century by launching an online prayer service. Rosslyn Chapel, 
based just outside Edinburgh, has become Scotland's first church 
to take e-prayer requests over the internet. Scores of people 
from as far afield as the US and the West Indies have already 
logged on to leave messages on the virtual prayer board during 
its trial run. The service is available through the Scottish 
Episcopal Church's website at www.scottishepiscopal.com or at 
www.scotland.anglican.org.

At noon every weekday, the prayer requests are printed and 
offered to God in the chapel by a member of the congregation. 
The online service is a virtual extension of a physical prayer 
book kept at the back of the historic church. Hundreds of people 
visit Rosslyn Chapel every week and write their prayer requests 
into the book.

"These e-prayers are allowing us to build a long-distance 
worshipping community," said the Rev. Michael Fass, 
priest-in-charge of Rosslyn Chapel. "They are connecting people 
to the church that wouldn't be connected in any other way. We 
live increasingly disconnected lives. If this is a way that we 
can connect people to a church, then that must be a good idea. 
Whether people are in the church or thousands of miles away down 
the other end of a phone line, our ministry is to offer up their 
prayers to God." Fass that people were particularly attracted by 
the anonymity of the service.

Prayer has always been central to Rosslyn Chapel since it was 
founded in around 1446 as the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew. 
Its founder, Sir William St. Clair, set up a team of priests to 
pray for himself, his family and his comrades in arms. Rosslyn 
Chapel has also often been associated with mystery. The chapel 
has become the focus of countless myths, legends, and conspiracy 
theories, involving everyone from the Knights Templar to the 
Freemasons. 

Keynoter wants 'baptismal charter' for Episcopal singles

(ENS) The keynote speaker at the 12th annual Solo Flight 
Conference at Kanuga Conference Center in North Carolina--the 
only national gathering for single adults in the Episcopal 
Church--called for a Baptismal Charter for Single Adults.

Speaking on the theme of "Flying Solo and Soaring to Wider 
Perspectives," Professor Joe Burnett of St. Luke's School of 
Theology at University of the South in Sewanee called the church 
to recognize the changing patterns of family life that are now a 
norm in American culture. He pointed to studies by sociologist 
Stephanie Coontz on "The Way We Never Were" and "The Way We 
Really Are."

Among the points included in his proposed charter, Burnett 
included asserted that single adults are baptized children of 
God who are "entitled to be members of single households with 
full and equal voice in the church" and also entitled to 
"worship of integrity in language, practice and focus" and able 
to "bear appropriate witness" to their experiences.

In his closing session, Burnett called the community to 
recognize that they were not without power, experience, 
knowledge, identity, purpose and direction--and he reminded 
participants that they were "indelibly graced by baptism" which 
confers dignity and worth. "You are teachers--and a teacher 
effects eternity," he said, challenging them to return home to 
be teachers who express the wider perspective of their lives.

Participants celebrated a Liturgy of Healing and Wholeness 
and Blessing of Singularity as the central liturgical 
affirmation of the weekend. They also discussed resolution A037 
from the 2000 General Convention that sought funding to 
implement national leadership training for ministry with single 
adults. The resolution, originating in the Standing Commission 
on Domestic Mission and Evangelism, recognized the singles 
population as the fastest-growing and most unchurched element in 
the population of the nation.

Trinity sponsors new spiritual formation conferences

(ENS) Following a highly successful pilot conference, a 
Spiritual Formation Summit held at Kanuga Conference Center in 
North Carolina last spring, Trinity Parish of New York has 
announced that it will sponsored two further conferences. The 
program, a new mission outreach of Trinity, aims to introduce 
lay and ordained church leaders to the latest and most effective 
methods for empowering the spiritual development of individuals 
and congregations.

Keynoters at next April's conference at Camp Allen in Texas 
will include several who participated in the pilot 
conference--Phyllis Tickle, contributing editor in religion for 
Publishers Weekly; Dean Alan Jones of Grace Cathedral in San 
Francisco; the Rev. Thomas Keating, a Trappist monk and leader 
of the Centering Prayer Movement; and Joan Borysenko, a former 
Harvard medical scientist and psychologist who describes herself 
as "minister to the church of the dropout."

Among the keynoters at May's conference at Kanuga will be 
author Sam Keen. Others have not yet been announced.

The week-long conferences are structured around daily 
addresses and a wide variety of workshops designed to enable 
participants to design their own unique curriculum to support 
their specific ministry interests.

For further information check Trinity's website at 
www.trinitywallstreet.org/spiritualformation.

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