wfn.org | ACNS Digest 12 Nov 2004

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ACNS Digest 12 Nov 2004

The following (10 items) is a compilation of the ACNS Digest articles
posted during this week. The ACNS Digest and its archive can be found
here:

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/digest/index.cfm

(217) 12-November-2004 - From the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in
Jerusalem - Middle East

Statement from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem offer their sincere
condolences to all concerned on the death of President Yasser Arafat.

President Arafat was the symbol of his people and of his perseverance in
asking and claiming for his land and his freedom. He had to face and
endure many hardships in his life, not least in the last three years,
during which he was kept prisoner in his compound in Ramallah.

We ask God to have compassion on him and to give him eternal rest. Then
we ask God to give his people consolation and strength in order to
persevere in the claiming of their freedom, their dignity, and their
land so that this Holy Land may enjoy peace with tranquillity, thus
becoming a haven of peace with security for all its inhabitants as well
as providing a sense of security and peace for this region of the world.

Jerusalem 12 November 2004

(216) 12-November-2004 - Presiding Bishop's letters to Powell and Sharon
- USA

[ENS] Presiding Bishop the Most Revd Frank Griswold of the Episcopal
Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) has written to Secretary
of State Colin Powell and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon citing
concerns about today's arrest of Mordechai Vanunu, who served 18 years
in prison for leaking details of Israel's nuclear program. According to
Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal, Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, Israeli special
police forcefully entered the grounds of St. George's Cathedral and took
Vanunu into custody. Vanunu was reportedly detained on suspicion of
disclosing more state secrets.

The full text of the Presiding Bishop's letters follow:

November 11, 2004

The Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary of State
US Department of State
Washington, DC	20515

Dear Mr Secretary:

I am writing to you out of grave concern regarding the arrest yesterday
on the grounds of the Episcopal Cathedral in Jerusalem of Mordechai
Vanunu. Attached is the letter I have just sent to Prime Minister Sharon
along with an earlier letter regarding Mr Vanunu sent in June, as well
as a statement from my fellow bishop in Jerusalem, the Right Revd Riah
Abu El-Assal http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_53840_ENG_HTM.htm.

This violation of sacred space greatly disrespects our Church's presence
and mission, and it is particularly disturbing that it occurred at this
time when restraint on all sides is so desperately needed in the wake of
Yasser Arafat's death. While I am not in a position to comment on the
reasons for the arrest, I am told that it was carried out with such a
show of force that pilgrims, tourists, and staff were terrorized.

We would greatly appreciate your asking our Embassy to raise our
concerns with the Israeli Government.

With prayers and my continuing gratitude for the care and sensitivity
with which you represent this great nation of ours, I am,

Yours sincerely,

The Most Revd Frank T Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church, USA

November 11, 2004

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
Embassy of Israel
3514 International Drive NW
Washington, DC 20008

Dear Mr Prime Minister:

I write to express my deep dismay at the actions of your government in
seizing Mordechai Vanunu, a fellow Anglican, within the precincts of St
George's Episcopal Cathedral in Jerusalem. I am told that, with guns
drawn, Israeli Special Forces invaded this sacred space, terrorizing
pilgrims, guests, and staff.

Although this is the first time in the history of the Cathedral that
such actions have occurred, we have raised concerns about Israeli
military entry into our hospitals in the past, and also about delays in
visas for missionary personnel. Our letters of concern have not been
answered.

I pray that this very sensitive time of transition following the death
of Yasser Arafat may open the way toward the peace so desperately
yearned for by Israelis and Palestinians alike.

With my prayer that the peace of God may find a home in the land which
the children of Abraham call holy, I am,

Yours sincerely,

The Most Revd Frank T Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church, USA

June 17, 2004

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
Embassy of Israel
3514 International Drive NW
Washington, DC 20008

Dear Prime Minister Sharon:

I write to you today on behalf of Mordechai Vanunu, a fellow Anglican
who has served 18 years in prison for his revelations of Israel's
nuclear weapons program. My concern is not to argue the merits of his
punishment. I am more concerned from a humanitarian view that, having
completed his sentence, he now be assured that the conditions placed
upon him by your government after his release be lifted.

The restrictions, forbidding contact with foreigners and not being
allowed to leave the state of Israel, clearly go beyond the level of his
original sentence and impose a hardship that should have ended upon his
release. He has served his full sentence, and justice requires that he
be allowed to rebuild his life and health having paid his debt under
Israeli law.

I urge you to allow Mr Vanunu his rightful freedom so that he may plan
for his future and seek a new life in the place of his choosing. I thank
you very much for your thoughtful consideration of this concern. As you
know, Mr Vanunu's life has been threatened both publicly and privately,
and I am also fearful of what reaction might be were these threats to be
carried out. At the moment, he is a guest of our Church in Jerusalem,
and I ask that you take necessary measures to assure his safety until
restrictions on his travel are lifted.

With my prayer that the peace of God may reconcile Israelis and
Palestinians and bring healing and a new and hopeful future to all, I am

Yours sincerely,

The Most Revd Frank T Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church, USA

(215) 12-November-2004 - Dean Named for Washington National Cathedral -
USA

Bishop John Bryson Chane of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington has
nominated the Revd Samuel T Lloyd III, an Episcopal priest now serving
as rector of Trinity Church, Copley Square, in Boston, Massachusetts, to
become the Dean of Washington National Cathedral.

The bishop announced his choice at a meeting of the Cathedral Chapter
yesterday. Friday Lloyd's name will be presented to the Board of
Trustees of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation for approval.
If confirmed as expected, Lloyd will assume a position of considerable
national prominence. He will oversee an operating budget in excess of
$16 million, a staff of nearly 200, more than 1,100 volunteers and the
National Cathedral Association with 14,000 members from around the
country.
Washington National Cathedral is viewed by many as a national religious
institution, which attracts prominent visitors and is the site of many
nationally significant events and religious services, and is host to
many well-attended forums on vital public issues.

In his statement to the Chapter yesterday, Bishop Chane said his trust
in the reputation of Lloyd was one reason for his choice. "Sam Lloyd is
a man who is at home as a leader and scholar, a preacher and a pastor,"
noted Bishop Chane. " I have known of Sam's work and ministry for years
and look forward to working with him as a colleague."

Mr Lloyd has served since 1993 as rector of historic Trinity Church,
Copley Square in Boston. Earlier in his career he was chaplain of the
University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and rector of the Church
of St Paul and the Redeemer in Chicago, Illinois. While an assistant
professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville in the early 1980s, Lloyd also served as assistant to
the rector and chaplain at St Paul's Memorial Church in Charlottesville.

In addition to a divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary, Mr
Lloyd holds a PhD in English literature from the University of Virginia.
He also holds literature degrees from Georgetown University and the
University of Mississippi. He has also taught in seminaries, and
currently serves as a regent of the University of the South, a trustee
of the Episcopal Media Center, and a member of the Board of Ministry at
Harvard University.

"My years at Trinity Church have focused on developing a community of
generous-spirited, intellectually alive, faithful Christians at the
center of a major city," Mr Lloyd said. "It is an exciting challenge to
engage similar work, only this time for a Cathedral committed to
articulating and embodying the Christian faith in ways that can serve
the city of Washington, the nation, the Episcopal Church, and the
Anglican Communion. I am humbled and honored to be called to this post
in these critical times."

Once approved by the Board of Trustees, Mr Lloyd is expected to begin
his Cathedral ministry in early 2005. Date for his official installation
ceremony has not yet been set.

For additional biographical data on the Revd Samuel Thames Lloyd III,
see www.nationalcathedral.org

(214) 11-November-2004 - Statement from the Advisory Council to the
Anglican Observer at the UN - ACO

Statement from the Advisory Council to the Anglican Observer at the UN

This morning during the annual meeting of the Advisory Council to the
Anglican Observer at the United Nations (ACAOUN) we received the
shocking news from Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal in Jerusalem about the
aggressive entry into Saint Georges Cathedral, Jerusalem, by Israeli
Special Polices Forces.

We join Bishop Riah in his grief and sadness that Mordecai Vanunu was
taken into custody in violation of the sanctity of Saint Georges
Cathedral.  We are especially appalled that these forces would enter the
Cathedral compound while fully armed, reportedly terrorizing many
tourists, pilgrims and staff members.

As members of the ACAOUN we are concerned that this is the second
serious violation of the Anglican Church by Israeli Forces, the first
being the guided missile attack on Saint Philips Episcopal Church at
the Ali Arab Hospital in Gaza City in January of 2003.

We join Bishop Riah in his call for the Israeli Government to stop these
sacrilegious actions. We call for the respect of the sacred space in the
land of the Holy One.

11 November 2004

(213) 11-November-2004 - Presiding Bishop's statement on the death of
Yasser Arafat - USA
[ENS] My thoughts and prayers today are with Palestinians who mourn the
loss of Yasser Arafat, their elected leader who has long embodied their
yearning for sovereignty and respect.

It is my hope that both the government of Israel and the Palestinian
Authority will make every effort to move through this period with
restraint, order and a shared commitment to peace-making.

May this transition be seen as an opportunity to break the seemingly
endless cycles of violence such that Palestinians and Israelis can live
side by side in a just peace and with security. I urge our government to
be a strong partner in the process with both sides to find the way
forward.

November 11, 2004

The Most Revd Frank T. Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church, USA

(212) 11-November-2004 - San Diego diocese to elect new bishop - USA

[ENS] The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego will hold a special convention
November 13 at St Paul's Cathedral, San Diego, to elect its fourth
bishop to succeed Bishop Gethin Hughes. November 20 is set aside should
an additional day be needed for balloting.

The five initial candidates announced by the nominating committee are:
Bishop Anthony Burton of the Diocese of Saskatchewan in Canada; the Revd
Jonathan B Coffey Jr, rector of St Anthony on the Desert in Scottsdale,
Arizona; the Revd Kent S McNair, rector of Faith Episcopal Church in
Cameron Park, near Sacramento, California; the Revd James R Mathes,
canon to the ordinary in the Diocese of Chicago; and the Revd David A
Stenner, rector of All Saints' in Reisterstown, Maryland, near
Baltimore.

A further three petition candidates were later added to the slate: the
Revd John Conrad, rector of St Alban's Episcopal Church in El Cajon,
California; the Venerable Dr William Dopp, archdeacon and communications
officer of the Diocese of San Diego; and the Rt Revd George Packard,
bishop suffragan for chaplaincies in the Episcopal Church, a national
ministry.

Full information about nominees and petition candidates is posted online
at www.edsd.org

(211) 11-November-2004 - Church of England warns on human genetics -
England

The Church of England has warned that human genetics should be developed
for the purpose of therapy only, and not for the enhancement of the
foetus, in a submission by the Church's Mission and Public Affairs
Council to the consultation Choosing the Future, run by the Human
Genetics Commission.

The Rt Revd Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark and Vice-Chair for Public
Affairs said "We are concerned with the possible excessive burden of
choice that early genetic screening may give people". He warned that
"PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) could medicalise normal and
harmless genetic differences so that people feel themselves to be
abnormal and seek treatment to become normal, ie genetically 'perfect'".

The Bishop also warned against the 'commodification' of children. "We
remain concerned that the acceptability of 'saviour siblings' tips us on
to a slippery slope, where individuals are increasingly seen only as a
means to an end and not as an end in themselves".

On the question of abortions following prenatal diagnosis of genetic
disorders, the Bishop pointed out that "The person is valuable and
should be distinguished from the disabling condition that he or she may
have. Only those genetic abnormalities which are very seriously
disabling can justify late abortion".

Note to Editors

The Human Genetics Commission is responsible for advising the Government
in human genetics, and is seeking views on prenatal screening, genetic
services (where IVF embryos are screened for genetic disorders before
implantation) and also developments in genetics.

The full submission can be found here:

http://cofe.anglican.org/news/

(210) 11-November-2004 - Bishop in Jerusalem on the death of President
Arafat - Middle East

A facsimile of a letter from the Rt Revd Riah Abu El-Assal, the Bishop
in Jerusalem, on the death of President Arafat can be found by clicking
here:

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/39/00/DIGESTArafat-Letter
.jpg

(209) 11-November-2004 - Archbishop of Wales pays tribute to Yasser
Arafat - Wales

The Most Revd Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales, today paid tribute
to Palestinian Authority President, Yasser Arafat following his death
earlier this morning. Commenting today, the Archbishop said:

"Yasser Arafat has given his life to the cause of the Palestinian people
and will be remembered for his perseverance and resolve in the face of
so many challenges and set-backs.

"When I heard the news of his death this morning, my initial reaction
was to pray that in death Yasser Arafat will find that peace which only
God can give and which was denied him in life.

"I pray also that his death will not lead to bloodshed and conflict
within the Palestinian community, or confrontation with the forces of
the Israeli state. I call on the Israeli state to do all it can to avoid
inflaming an already tense situation and condemn its deliberately
provocative act today in sending armed police officers into St George's
Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem to arrest Mordechai Vanunu who has
enjoyed sanctuary there since his release from prison in April of this
year following 18 years of incarceration."

http://www.churchinwales.org.uk

(208) 11-November-2004 - Statement from Lambeth on the death of
President Arafat - Lambeth

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Rowan Williams has learned
with regret of the death of the Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat.

Dr Williams remembers gratefully his own conversations with Mr Arafat
whilst in the Holy Land and the abiding strength of the commitment they
revealed to the Palestinian people, who now mourn him.

The Archbishop is remembering Mr Arafat's family in his thoughts and
prayers, as well as all those he led as President of the Palestinian
Authority.  Along with so many millions in the region and across the
globe, he continues to pray for a just and peaceful future for all in
the Holy Land.

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