Editor’s Note: On Saturday, July 8, a paid advertisement was run in The Lexington Herald Leader by David Brannen of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Versailles, referencing actions of the 75th General Convention and subsequent remarks made by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Members of the Diocese of Lexington Deputation to the 2006 Convention who were at Convention and have firsthand knowledge of many issues raised in the ad copy are responding in order to separate truth from misrepresentation.

(To access the message published in the Herald-Leader on July 8: http://www.standrewsky.org/news/GC_Open_Letter.pdf)

There are several kernels of truth but many half-truths in the “letter” written by David Brannen of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Versailles, which appeared in the Saturday, July 8, Lexington Herald-Leader’s Faith and Values section.

As members of the Diocese of Lexington Deputation to the 2006 General Convention who were at the Convention and have firsthand knowledge of many items mentioned in the letter, we would like to separate the truth from misrepresentation.

“Arguments have to be drawn up on the common basis of Bible and historic teaching. And, to make clear something that can get very much obscured in the rhetoric about “inclusion,” this is not and should never be a question about the …dignity and value of gay and lesbian people. Instead it is a question, agonizingly difficult for many, as to what kind of behavior a Church that seeks to be loyal to the Bible can bless, and what kinds of behavior it must warn against.”

–The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, as quoted by David Brannen

Kernel of truth: The Archbishop of Canterbury wrote this statement in his thinking on the future of the Anglican Communion in “The Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today, A Reflection for the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communion,” which was sent to the Primates.

Half-truth: Mr. Brannen did not report the full quote of this statement. Following the last word “against” is “– and so it is a question about how we make decisions corporately with other Christians, looking together for the mind of Christ as we share the study of the Scriptures.”

Response: When one reads the full statement, the Archbishop speaks not only about the authority of Scripture but opens the door for broader understanding among Christians seeking the mind of Christ. It is not as narrow an understanding as the writer of the letter would like us to think.

“At General Convention last month, a resolution reaffirming that Jesus is the only way to salvation was not even permitted to be brought up for a vote.” –David Brannen

Kernel of truth: Resolution D058 (Evangelism: Salvation Through Christ Alone) was brought to the floor of the House of Deputies and was addressed.

Half-truth: Mr. Brannen again does not tell the full story nor is he aware of the policy of General Convention. The resolution was brought up for a vote but was recommended to be discharged by the Evangelism Committee because it had already been dealt with. The House of Deputies voted to discharge the resolution.

Response: It is the policy of General Convention not to deal via resolutions with matters upon which previous action has been taken. This is also true of our longstanding doctrines of faith. The resolution mentioned reaffirming that Jesus Christ is the only name by which any person may be saved. This long-standing doctrine of belief of The Episcopal Church is found in Article XVII of the 39 Articles of Religion found on page 871 of the Book of Common Prayer. We reaffirm this belief every time we recite either the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed. Thus, the Convention handled this resolution as with all other previously accepted and approved doctrines or issues.

In another disturbing event, Presiding Bishop-Elect Katharine Jefferts Schori made waves in her convention sermon when she referred to “Our mother Jesus” who “gives birth to a new creation….” She signaled that the church’s fundamental understanding of the nature of God is being tinkered with at the highest level of Episcopal leadership.” –David Brannen

Kernel of truth: Presiding Bishop-Elect Katharine Jefferts Schori did refer to “Our mother Jesus” who “gives birth to a new creation.”

Half-truth: The half-truth here lies in Mr. Brannen’s statement that the Presiding Bishop-Elect was “signaling the church’s fundamental understanding of the nature of God is being tinkered with at the highest level of Episcopal leadership.” The early Doctor of the Church, St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), wrote “Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you… In sickness you nurse us with pure milk you feed us…by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.” St. Julian of Norwich (c. 1342-c. 1416) wrote, “Our mothers bear us for pain and death; our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life. Christ carried us within him in love and travail, until the full time of his passion.” Bishop Jefferts Schori was not tinkering with that understanding—she was referring to Jesus Christ using imagery that has been used since medieval times in the wide and rich tradition of Christian theology as well as Holy Scripture.

Response: We, as humans in our limited ability to understand God, use different metaphors to refer to the different ways that God (in all forms of the Holy Trinity) embraces us. The feminine reference to “our mother Jesus” has its roots not only in theologians such as Anselm of Canterbury, Bernard of Clairvaux, Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, and Clement of Alexandria, but also in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus said, “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” (Matthew 23:37)

“Those who wish these problems would just go away need to recognize that ECUSA is hemorrhaging. …An estimated 200 churches have disassociated from ECUSA since 2000.” –David Brannen

Kernel of truth: We agree that approximately 200 congregations have been formed separate from ECUSA since 2000.

Half-truth: We might say, the “rest of the story”––Most of the 200 congregations represent groups that have left congregations remaining in The Episcopal Church rather than entire congregations disassociating from The Episcopal Church. It appears from the American Anglican Council Web site that approximately 30 congregations have actually disassociated to affiliate with foreign dioceses.

Response: Two hundred (200) congregations out of 7,500 congregations in The Episcopal Church is only approximately 2.6%, and in truth portions of those 200 congregations(often sizeable portions, as in the case of St. John’s, Versailles) remain in The Episcopal Church. That is not an overwhelming exodus from The Episcopal Church and it is certainly not accurate to say “ECUSA is hemorrhaging.”

“In the Diocese of Lexington alone, the Herald-Leader recently reported, attendance has dropped nearly 16% since 2002.” –David Brannen

Kernel of truth: By our own parochial reports those numbers are correct.

Half-truth: Other mainline denominations show that they are experiencing pronounced decline in church attendance and membership for all denominations.

Response: Addressing the reasons for loss of members from The Episcopal Church since 2002 is complex. The decline mirrors declines in all mainline churches. Dr. Kirk Hadaway, Director of Research, Episcopal Church Center, says “a third [of the decline] could be attributed to the actions of General Convention.” At most, he said “The Episcopal Church has the lowest birth rate and highest mean age of any mainline denomination.” He continues that “there is an extremely strong correlation between the (decline) trend and the birth rate, such that a decline in the birth rate can account, in statistical terms, for 88% of the year-to-year variation in mainline membership.” A recent article in the Herald-Leader on church membership and decline also attributed the loss of church membership to the decline in birth rates in mainline churches.

“To date, six entire dioceses have appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a way out.” –David Brannen

Kernel of truth: Actually, seven dioceses now have asked for or indicated that they intend to ask the Archbishop of Canterbury for a “direct alternative primatial oversight.”

Half-truth: Asking for “primatial oversight” is not asking the Archbishop of Canterbury for a way out of The Episcopal Church. Mr. Brannen’s letter would lead one to think that these dioceses are asking for a way to leave The Episcopal Church. At this time, this is not what they are asking.

Response: This is a very complex request, as the Archbishop of Canterbury recently stated, and one that will require time in which to respond. There is a process set up for congregations to ask for alternative oversight if they are in conflict with their bishops, but not one at the present time for whole dioceses. These dioceses are asking the Archbishop to appoint or himself serve as their primate instead of our Presiding Bishop- Elect Katharine Jefferts Schori. As some of their diocesan bishops have said, they are not asking to leave The Episcopal Church.

“The most comprehensive Web site is http://www.titusonenine.classicalanglican.net. ”–David Brannen

Kernel of truth: This Web site is maintained by the Rev. Kendall Harmon of the Diocese of South Carolina. It does offer a comprehensive overview of Anglican Communion news from many sources.

Half-truth: However, it also offers much biased reporting that lacks objectivity.

Response: We feel this Web site can be informative but disagree that it is the “most comprehensive Web site.”

The Salvation of Jesus is to be known by one and only one thing, which is the love we show to each other.

We do our best to love everyone. With God’s help, we in The Episcopal Church will continue to take stands against prejudice, discrimination, bigotry and fear, because these are the things that stand in the way of the all-encompassing love Jesus teaches us.

We do these things as signs that we mean what we say, for in loving you, we are promised, we love Jesus. And loving Jesus is all we are trying to do.

We hope this response will help our members and friends better understand what really happened at General Convention and how the Diocese of Lexington, a part of The Episcopal Church, is spreading forth the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Yours in Christ,

The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington Deputation to General Convention 2006