One of the oldest Protestant denominations in the world is experiencing a crisis that may affect its future. The issue is a constant battle between modern culture and traditional Christianity.
The shape of the Church worldwide is changing, literally.
“Leadership in the global Church, no doubt, moved in the global South. Africans come to the leaders. And that’s a cause for celebration. It’s not white people. It is a religion Middle East religion Africa, religion of Asia. Me all this is very encouraging”, says Reverend Joseph DeSouza, Church of the Good shepherd, India.
During a recent meeting of Anglicans in Jerusalem, it became clear that one of the world’s biggest Protestant denominations is focusing its efforts on the preaching of God’s Word to the Nations.
“I am encouraged by the fact that there are many people from Africa and Asia. These countries have accepted the gospel just 150 or 200 years ago. They believed the Word of God and be faithful to him. And now the Lord sends them to us, especially to the West, to remind us that we should go back to gospel,” says David Pileggi, rector, pastor of Christ Church, Jerusalem.
Of U.S. residents believe the Episcopal Church part of the Anglican community. The purpose of the meeting GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference — “global Anglican future conference”) in Jerusalem was to develop a roadmap for the development of this Church. She appeared in 2008 in maintaining traditional teachings and highlighting the importance of the Bible.
Vice-Chairman of GAFCON, Archbishop Stanley Ntagali from Uganda believes that this group exists in order to maintain the purity of the gospel.
“It’s all about Jesus, missionary work, evangelism, the preaching of the biblical gospel. We should not depart from biblical truth, but should focus on the Bible: the authority of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ,” he says.
The participants of this conference are against the liberal teachings of some Western Anglican churches that accept same-sex marriage and homosexuality. These teachings made Archbishop Nicholas Oko from Nigeria to urge the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Anglican Church, to repentance.
“We would like to let him know that most of the people he leads do not agree with where it leads them. We would like to change the trajectory, that is, clearly stated his remorse” — says the Chairman of GAFCON, Archbishop Nicholas Oko.
Representatives of the churches said about these differences with other leaders and churches in the letter, calling them schismatics, who departed from the teachings of the Bible and the historic doctrines of the Church.
“We must be loyal to Jesus in spite of the fact that tells us the culture,” — said David Pileggi, rector, pastor of Christ Church, Jerusalem.