Welby: Shannon Johnston Was Consulted about Baucum and Approves ... so it’s OK

Stand Firm by David Ould 

 

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Thinking Anglicans serves us well by giving the transcript of a couple of questions to Justin Welby at the current General Synod in the Church of England. (my emphases)

The Revd Canon Giles Goddard (Southwark) to ask the Chair of the House of Bishops:
Q. Has an assessment been made of any implications of the appointment of the Revd Tory Baucum as one of Canterbury Cathedral’s Six Preachers from the point of view of the relationship between the Church of England and ACNA (with which the Church of England is not currently in communion)?
The Archbishop of Canterbury to reply as Chair of the House of Bishops:
A. Careful thought and assessment has certainly been given to the appointment of Dr Tory Baucum from the point of view of the relationship between the Church of England and ACNA and also the relationship with The Episcopal Church of course with which the Church of England is in communion, and for that matter with the relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada who feel implicated in this, and also by a number of other churches around the Communion, particularly in the group known as the Global South. An invitation to be a Six Preacher is a personal appointment of the Archbishop and has no implications in itself as to ecclesial relationships. However this particular appointment is of a person who has a distinguished ministry in reconciliation, which he exercises carefully in his context. There was consultation with a number of people and the appointment has been enthusiastically welcomed by the local bishop of The Episcopal Church, bishop, Shannon Johnson, the Bishop of Virginia.

Supplementary question from Canon Goddard:
… Could you just say what steps have been taken to ensure that this appointment is not taken to mean that clergy ordained in this country by overseas bishops, without the permission of the diocesan, are nevertheless recognised in the Church of England.
A. Thank you. I’m straying slightly onto thin ice here. It is true that permission would need to be given under the 1967 Measure, which is presumably what you are thinking about, in order for Tory to preach here. But it will not be breaking new ground, because Tory having been ordained in The Episcopal Church, the permission can be given under Section 1 of the Measure. That is, on the basis that he has been ordained by a bishop of a church in communion with the Church of England. It will not therefore be based upon the recognition and acceptance of the orders conferred by the ACNA.

So just some observations:

1. This is about Welby affirming his model of “reconciliation”, just as we suggested originally when the appointment was announced.
2. Welby considers the “reconciliation” with the false teacher Johnson, including affirming his ministry in the Church of England and wider afield, as having been “exercised carefully”
3. He thought the approval of Johnson was important enough to mention, not least (one suspects) to avoid giving any sense at all that he thinks Johnson in particular and TEC in general ought to be censored in any way. We wouldn’t want to upset the liberals.
4. And just to keep the liberals happy, Welby goes out of his way to avoid affirming ACNA orders and ordinations.

I want to be generous to Welby, I really do. He claims to be an evangelical but he’s not helping me at all. I don’t know about you, but there’s got to come a point where conservatives realise that Welby’s “game” isn’t going to be discipline of heretics and false teachers. I wonder if my ACNA friends will grow increasingly frustrated at being dragged into this dangerous game by Canterbury.