December 2002

Pusey House (1)

The retirement of Fr Philip Ursell as Principal of Pusey House, Oxford was marked on Advent Sunday. After the High Mass, at which Fr Ursell preached, he was presented with a portrait commissioned by the Friends of Pusey House from Louise Riley-Smith and with a collection of essays edited by his colleagues, Fr William Davage, the Custodian of Dr Pusey’s Library, and Fr Barry Orford, the Archivist. The book is entitled Piety and Learning: The Principals of Pusey House 1884–2002: Essays presented to the Revd Philip Ursell. In addition to the editors, the contributors are: Canon Alan Wilkinson, Canon Donald Allchin, David Williams, Bishop Eric Kemp, the Revd Kenneth McNab, the Revd Dr Kenneth Noakes, Professor Wayne Hankey and Canon Frank Hawkins. A limited edition of three hundred copies is available for sale. Copies may be obtained, price £10 (includes postage & packing – cheque with order, please) from the Revd William Davage, Pusey House, Oxford OX1 3LZ

Pusey House (2)

Forward in Faith members will wish to congratulate, and hold in their prayers, fellow member Fr Jonathan Baker, Vicar of the FiF Parish of Holy Trinity, Reading, on his appointment as Principal of Pusey House, in succession to Fr Ursell. He is to be installed on 1st February next year.

Resolutions passed by the 2002 National Assembly:

2002/01

That the Forward in Faith Constitution be amended by the insertion of a new clause numbered d) in Paragraph 5 b) i) as follows:

One member, either clerical or lay, to be elected annually from amongst their number by those members of Religious Communities who are members of the annual Conference of Religious of the Orthodox Tradition.

Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith

2002/02

This Assembly thanks the Committee of Cost of Conscience for its continuing contribution to the work of Forward in Faith and, in particular, for its commissioning and publication of the substantial Christian Research Survey Report The Mind of Anglicans.

Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith

2002/03

This Assembly assures the Archbishop of Wales of its prayers for him, as he prepares for his translation to the See of Canterbury, and looks forward to a continuation of the excellent relationship which it has had with his predecessor. It instructs the Council to seek an early meeting with Dr Williams, in order to apprise him of Forward in Faith’s position with regard to the ordination of women as bishops or any dilution in the provisions made by the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod, 1993 and in order to explain to him such contingency plans as the Council has made, and is making, with regard to these two eventualities.

Proposed by the Reverend Dr Geoffrey Kirk

Seconded by the Reverend Ronald Crane

2002/04 – not put. Conflated with Resolution 2002/15 to produce Composite Resolution 2002/19

2002/05

This Assembly congratulates Canon Len Black SSC on the transformation over the past eight months of the Forward in Faith International Website and thanks him, on behalf of Forward in Faith members worldwide, for all his work since his appointment as Webmaster.

Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith

2002/06

(i) This Assembly welcomes the nomination by Forward in Faith North America of the Reverend Bill Ilgenfritz SSC and the Reverend Dr David Moyer SSC as possible candidates to be flying bishops to Forward in Faith and other traditionalist Parishes in the United States of America.

(ii) The Assembly therefore urges the Presiding Bishop of ECUSA to recall Resolution III.2 of the Lambeth Conference, 1998 (The unity of the Anglican Communion) and, in the light of that Resolution, to effect the ordination to the episcopate of one, or both, of these Godly men at the earliest opportunity.

(iii) The Assembly also calls upon the Primates of the Anglican Communion to monitor the response of the Presiding Bishop of ECUSA to this request and, in the event that he fails to act, to take the necessary action themselves.

Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith

2002/07

This Assembly deplores the recent purported deposition of the Reverend Dr David Moyer SSC as Rector of the Parish of Good Shepherd, Rosemont by the Bishop of Pennsylvania and assures Fr Moyer and the People of God of Good Shepherd that it stands ready to oppose the Bishop’s action by every means available to it, until such time as justice shall prevail.

Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith

2002/08

This Assembly calls upon Bishops of goodwill throughout the Anglican Communion to follow the example of the Archbishop of Canterbury and state publicly that they are prepared to grant a Licence or Permission to Officiate within their jurisdiction to the Reverend Dr David Moyer SSC, recently unjustly deposed by the Bishop of Pennsylvania.

Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith

2002/09

This Assembly warmly applauds the recent courageous action taken by the Bishop of Pittsburgh, the Right Reverend Robert Duncan, in support of the Reverend Dr David Moyer, SSC, the Reverend Garrin Dickinson and the Parish of Good Shepherd, Rosemont, in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. This Assembly pledges that Forward in Faith in the United Kingdom will stand ready to do all in its power in the coming months to assist and support this godly bishop in these matters.

Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith

2002/10

This Assembly notes the recent improvement in relations between Forward in Faith Scotland and the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church and places on record its gratitude to all responsible for this important change. Nevertheless, this Assembly recognizes that the consecration of women as bishops would make the position of our members in Scotland untenable. It therefore urges the Scottish Committee and the National Council to secure a way forward.

Proposed by the Reverend Canon Beaumont Brandie

Seconded by the Reverend Allan Buik

As amended by the Reverend Trevor Stevens

Amendment seconded by the Right Reverend John Broadhurst

2002/11

This Assembly calls upon the Council of Forward in Faith:

(i) to make contingency plans, in the event that the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod 1993 is rescinded (and that no acceptable replacement for that Act is provided); and:

(ii) to take such steps as are necessary to consult with, and inform, the membership during that process.

Proposed by the Reverend Paul Plumpton

Seconded by the Reverend Alan Cooke

2002/12

This Assembly calls upon the Council of Forward in Faith:

(i) to make contingency plans, in the event that the General Synod of the Church of England approves a Measure to permit the ordination of women as bishops and that no acceptable provision (based on that set out in The Case for a Free Province of the Church of England), is made available by way of Measure of the General Synod to those unable to accept such an innovation

(ii) to take such steps as are necessary to consult with, and inform, the membership during that process.

Proposed by the Reverend Paul Plumpton

Seconded by the Reverend Alan Cooke

2002/13

This Assembly requests the Council through its Executive to compile and maintain a list of those clergy of our integrity who are suitable persons for the office of bishop.

Proposed by the Reverend Prebendary Sam Philpott

Seconded by Mrs Anne Williams

2002/14

This Assembly calls upon the Council of Forward in Faith to consider whether the time is right to set up a mechanism whereby a parish, rather than paying its diocesan share direct to the diocese concerned, might remit such payments to Forward in Faith, in order that Forward in Faith could make the payment on the parish’s behalf.

Proposed by the Reverend Robbie Low

Seconded by the Reverend Francis Gardom

2002/15 – not put. Conflated with Resolution 2002/04 to produce Composite Resolution 2002/19

2002/16

This Assembly encourages the members of Forward in Faith to keep the 10th anniversary of Forward in Faith, on Monday 11 November, prayerfully, joyfully and with open house.

Proposed by the Reverend Robin Ellis

Seconded by Mrs Margaret Eveleigh

2002/17

In order to ensure that hospital in-patients of our integrity receive appropriate sacramental ministry from a male priest, this Assembly urges the Council of Forward in Faith to adopt a distinct and recognizable classification under the category of ‘Religion’ and to communicate this to hospital chaplains and NHS Trusts. In addition that the Council enter into discussions with the Hospital Chaplaincies Council, that where additional Anglican sessions become available a Forward in Faith chaplain be appointed. Alternatively, to make provision for a priest of the original integrity to be registered as a volunteer to provide for the pastoral, spiritual and sacramental needs of patients of this integrity.

Proposed by the St Edmundsbury & Ipswich Area Assembly

As amended by the Reverend Richard Watson

Amendment seconded by the Reverend Raymonde Robinson

2002/18

Recognising the need of Forward in Faith to reach out and make itself attractive to Evangelical churches, this Assembly requests the Council to prepare teaching and preaching resources for use by Evangelicals to promote the aims and membership of Forward in Faith.

Proposed by Mr Hugh Pratt

Seconded by Mr Chris Verity

2002/19 (Composite)

This Assembly views with regret the failure of some diocesan bishops to inform lay constituents, via parish clergy, of sacramental and pastoral privileges implied in the ‘Bonds of Peace’ statement, the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod and in the foresight of Archbishop John Habgood in 1993.

Recognizing that such shortcoming leaves many faithful out of effective care by clergy of their own integrity, we press upon each diocese and deanery again the responsibility of making explicit to both clerical and lay orders the prerogative of traditionalist clergy to minister to those no longer within access of their parishes, be they on electoral rolls or not.

Proposed by the Reverend Alan Cole

Seconded by Mrs Wynn King