A Message from Bishop David Anderson
Beloved in Christ,
It is always hard to say farewell to a friend, but it is a joy to go out into the world and make new friends. So the AAC notes that in June, Archbishop Nzimbi will step down as Primate of Kenya, since his term has been completed. We will miss his unerring advocacy for orthodox Anglican Christianity in every sphere of endeavor that he attended to. We are confident that our Lord will say to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
The Anglican Church of Kenya has just elected a new archbishop and primate, Bishop Eliud Wabukala, from the Bungoma Diocese. The election took place Friday at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi. The cathedral is a beautiful structure and very large. When I was there last, it was for the consecration of Bishop Bill Atwood and Bishop Bill Murdoch. To pardon a pun, since the two were consecrated at the same service, in the bulletin they received double "bill"ing.
Last week I was overseas meeting with leaders in the church and was unable to file a report. This week I am attending a meeting of the ACNA Executive Council and the main council.
Meanwhile, the battle waged by the top leadership of the Episcopal Church continues, as new TEC legal efforts to destroy Bishop Iker of Fort Worth, Texas and his diocese proceed by the 815 group led by the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori.
We simply note that in Presiding Bishop Schori's two and a half year reign of terror there have been more bishops and clergy deposed or involuntarily removed from the ranks of the Episcopal Church than at any other time in the Episcopal Church's 400 year history. Thank God for the provinces that have offered Christian refuge for those fleeing TEC heresy promoted from the highest levels.
In other areas of the United States we note that Bishop Gene Robinson is again on the war path, advocating the new TEC version of doctrine and discipline. Speaking to an April 19 awards dinner given by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), he said religion should withdraw from some aspects of civil life. While on one hand thinking that marriage should be for everyone - men with men, women with women, as well as the God-ordained model of heterosexual marriage - he also wants the civil aspect of marriage separated from the church's role. You would be married in a civil ceremony then come to the church for a Christian ceremony. In actuality it is part of a comprehensive plan to reshape the entire culture into a homosexual-leaning milieu. A more historic and Christian view is that we are to reshape the culture in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
On a lighter note, there are times when language gets the best of us all. When any of us has to function in a language other than our first language, we are well aware of the nuance that can creep into what is said and how easy it is to grasp or fail to grasp the nuance in what is heard. Those who share the English language as their first language often forget that the language of the UK and that of the US are often quite different, and this means that serious misunderstanding is only a paragraph away at most points.
Usually our differences are over how words are used and what they mean and what degree of punch they are expected to carry. A strong statement by the Brits often comes across the water at half punch, and statements by the Americans often seem over-the-top in contrast. Some words the Brits use, such as "scheme," carry a very negative connotation in the US where the word "plan" would be the American equivalent. Thus when the Brits have a scheme and the Americans have a plan, there is an equivalency of meaning.
Statements from Primates' Meetings and from Lambeth Palace often seem obtuse to North Americans who want strong dynamic language and don't know how to put a stable value on the Brit-speak. Then again, sometimes there actually isn't anything there, but the words are designed to cover that up and make it appear as if something worthwhile has been decided.
Recently another type of North American-UK language dilemma occurred, as reported in the Scottish Life magazine for Spring 2009. They report that a Google application released last November was designed to let iPhone users search the internet with voice commands alone. It rapidly became apparent that the American-designed software was completely hopeless at understanding Scottish accents. When a Scottish user said "iPhone", the software interpreted his word as "sex." On the next try, the software heard "sledding." The Scots took some comfort learning that things were even worse with the Welsh accents, where saying "iPhone" was rendered once "gorillas" and another time "kitchen sink."
By that standard, the Anglican Communion is apparently doing alright, though perhaps we should be careful when using iPhones.
Blessings and Peace,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson Sr.
President & CEO,
American Anglican Council
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