Letter to the Anglicans

What we might say


An Open Letter to the Anglican Communion (all primates, bishops, orthodox clergy)

As we, the Episcopal Church work together with Christ, to follow what we believe is our calling for inclusion of all of Christ’s baptized, and to maintain the highest degree of communion with our Christian brothers and sisters,

We urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.
For he says,

"At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you."

See, we believe that now is the acceptable time; see, we believe that now is the day of salvation!

We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. There are those who look on what we have brought out of our convention with great hurt and pain, for it pleases no one. But it is the best we could do in all honesty. We took these actions, greatly wounding our own communion to remain in communion with you, So that we might have a degree of acceptability in your sight. You may not view it as such because we could not with clear conscious reconcile what you asked of us with what we believe God is calling us to do in our time, in this place where we have been assigned to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.

But as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, we bear the afflictions, hardships, and calamities in our diocese that you have asked us to bear, we have accepted the beatings, and imprisonments, that you have placed upon us these past years. We toil, enduring the riots that have been planted in our province, continuing the labors, sleepless nights, and hunger required to attempt to reconcile your will with who we believe the Spirit is calling us to be; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute, we have produced what we have produced.

We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor in spirit, yet making many rich in the love of Christ; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

We have spoken frankly to you Anglican Communion; our heart is wide open to you.

There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours.

In return-- I speak as to the body-- open wide your hearts also.




What Paul said:

2 Corinthians 6:1-10
As we work together with Christ, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
"At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you."
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return-- I speak as to children-- open wide your hearts also.