Thinking Anglicans

The Divine Commonwealth Conference

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) organised this event. See the press release, DIVCCON: CELEBRATING OUR DIVINE COMMONWEALTH.

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) takes another stride with the introduction of Divine Commonwealth Conference (DIVCCON). At a time when the revisionist agenda is ravaging some parts of the global Global Anglican Communion, and we are confronted at home with compromises and shallowness in many aspects, we see this as the time to return to our roots by defending the ancient landmark (Proverbs 22:28) which was built on the ministries of the apostles and focused on Christ as the Biblical story and the cornerstone of our faith…

The conference which has this website, has the full text of many of the talks here.

It has also issued this proclamation:

CONFERENCE STATEMENT
From the first Divine Commonwealth Conference
Held at the National Christian Center, Abuja, Nigeria
7th – 11th, November 2011

In the name of God: the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

The first Divine Commonwealth Conference was held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, from Monday 7th to Friday 11th November 2011. It was an international, non-denominational spiritual conference initiated by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) under the leadership of the Most Reverend Nicholas D. Okoh, Primate.

We, the participants, numbering over 5,000 Bishops, Clergy and Laity, deeply appreciated words of encouragement and goodwill from notable leaders from Nigeria, other parts of Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, including the retired Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Primates of West Africa and Kenya, the Methodist Archbishop of Abuja and the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God…

For the full text download this PDF file. It is also available on various other websites including here.

It includes the following:

10) We are convinced that no community without the living God at its centre is a true Commonwealth. Neither is a “Commonwealth of Nations” a true commonwealth if it does not stand for righteousness. In this regard, we were shocked by the recent statement from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Right Honourable David Cameron, to the effect that his Government would aid only those countries that adhere to “proper human rights”. It is clear that his true agenda is to force the normalization of homosexuality and gay marriage as a human right”. While acknowledging the sacred worth of every human being we reject this erroneous notion as contrary to God’s intention for humankind and harmful to those he claims to protect. Another implication of this is that the “Commonwealth of Nations” is still being treated as a body of unequal partners, where, because of economic status, some nations are still vulnerable to manipulation. We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to resist any such intimidation on this matter.

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LeonardoRicardo
12 years ago

Sadly, very sadly, this ¨Divine¨ Protestant/fundamentalist driven ¨Commonwealth Meeting¨ gathering coincides exactly with the ¨Great Evil¨ being confronted with deadly anti-LGBT Legislation currently promoted by the government of NIGERIA: http://leonardoricardosanto.blogspot.com/2011/11/great-evil-anti-lgbt-hate-promoted-in.html According to Anglican Archbishop Okoh and ¨Gods intention for mankind¨: ¨The Primate, Church of Nigeria, the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh, has described the practice of homosexuality, lesbianism and gay marriage as great evils that must neither be condoned nor allowed to further exist in our society.¨ REGARDING THE ¨PROPER HUMAN RIGHTS OF ¨HOMOSEXUAL¨ NIGERIAN CITIZENS: ¨While acknowledging the sacred worth of every human being we reject this… Read more »

Susannah
Susannah
12 years ago

Following the link to the document on Human Sexuality, you can see just the kind of language which would make the Covenant a dangerous instrument. “On some issues Anglicanism stands firm and that those who disagree have to get out.” This is exactly the direction that these morally conservative churches would like to see the Covenant take. “It is becoming increasingly evident that connection to Canterbury may no longer be necessary in defining who is an Anglican but rather obedience to the Scriptures.” This second statement implies that in the end, these churches may be journeying towards a distance from… Read more »

Randal Oulton
Randal Oulton
12 years ago

>> We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to resist any such intimidation on this matter.

Well, it’s pretty easy to resist. Get back to basics on morality by stop acting like a beggarman in front of the world, asking for handouts.

Father Ron Smith
12 years ago

Having picked up this report earlier today, from the ‘Titus on line’ web-site (via Kendall Harmon), I was amazed at the chutzpah of GAFCON and the Archbishop of Nigeria, Nicholas Okoh, for their presumption in announcing themselves as Convenors of ‘The First Divine Commonwealth Conference’. The tone of the inaugural statement, by Archbishop Okoh, is clearly related to the agenda of GAFCON’s seditious ‘Jerusalem Statement’, which deemed to bring into being a new kind of would-be ‘Anglican’ polity – based on a deficient understanding of what it means to be part of the ‘Scripture, Tradition and Reason’ polity of institutional… Read more »

Martin Reynolds
12 years ago

Although this conference may be seen as just more of what has gone before, the extraordinary decision of the British Government to use the treatment of gay people as one of its criteria when it gives foreign aid is hugely significant. As an erstwhile “gay lobbyist” who spent time with the former Foreign Secretary urging this approach early last year – I can only say that this protocol then seemed decades away. I believe it is one of a raft of pro-gay policies that have arrived in government with the new incumbents themselves and NOT as a response to the… Read more »

Perry Butler
Perry Butler
12 years ago

What do people make of the talks? I wonder just how many people in the C of E see their anglican faith reflected there, even relatively conservative and evangelical anglicans here. Does Bishop Kings share the eschatological vision of Professor Noll I wonder…. I look forward to a H of B statement on the End Times!!

Simon Morden
Simon Morden
12 years ago

Martin – there are better photos of the individual participants here: http://www.divccon.org/gallery/day1/gallery.php

David and Joy Holloway are there, but I only vaguely recognise some of the others.

Laurence C.
Laurence C.
12 years ago

“I only vaguely recognise some of the others.” Simon Morden.

Frequent-flyer Chris Sugden is there (Pics 8 and 9).

Martin Reynolds
12 years ago

It’s also worth putting this event in the context of the statement that came from the meeting of the Primnates at the Dromantine back in Feb 2005. They declared: “We also wish to make it quite clear that in our discussion and assessment of the moral appropriateness of specific human behaviours, we continue unreservedly to be committed to the pastoral support and care of homosexual people. The victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us. We assure homosexual people that they are children of God, loved… Read more »

Father Ron Smith
12 years ago

From Simon’s pictures, there does seem to be plenty of empty seats at some of the events. I didn’t recognise Mr.Sugden, or Vinay Samuel amongst them.
Were they not invited, I wonder?

Richard Ashby
Richard Ashby
12 years ago

The sign on the door behind the ‘white’participants says ‘counselling’! Indeed.

JeremyP
JeremyP
12 years ago

Ron – Chris Sugden is there – and clearly visible in the photos (Photo 7 far left for example). So too David Holloway, of Holy Trinity, Jesmond, and Paul Perkin of St Mark’s, Battersea Rise. No sign of Vinay Samuel, or Michael Nazir-Ali. Is one of the others William Taylor of St Helen’s, Bishopsgate?

Father Ron Smith
12 years ago

I wonder if their host parishes in the U.K. have any idea that Messrs: Sugden, Holloway and Perkin were present at this evangelical hate-fest? One does wonder if their fares were paid by the oxymoronically-named ‘Mainstream’

Another question, which has been asked before but I’ll ask it again; How long will the Church of England put up with Doctor Chris Sugden as a member of its General Synod – especially with his active links to A.M.i.E. operating in England in opposition to the C.of E.?

Laurence C.
Laurence C.
12 years ago

“I wonder if their host parishes in the U.K. have any idea that Messrs: Sugden…” Fr. Ron Smith.

Chris Sugden has never had a parish. I understand that – other than a single curacy decades ago – he has never worked in any context within the Church of England.

Father Ron Smith
12 years ago

Thanks, Laurence, for that important information on Chris Sugden. However, I understand that he still has a seat on C.of E.’s General Synod. How come?

Peter Owen
12 years ago

Canon Sugden is a member of General Synod because he has a licence to officiate from the Bishop of Oxford (which entitles him to stand for election to General Synod), and sufficient of the electors (the Oxford clergy) voted for him.

Martin Reynolds
12 years ago

I’m surprised that only half of the faces have been recognised – and sad that those recognised so far are all from England!

As to Sugden, only the Church of England ……!!

Father Ron Smith
12 years ago

re Peter Owen’s information that ‘Canon Sugden is a member of General Synod because he has a licence to officiate from the Bishop of Oxford’ (unquote). And this is the very same diocese (Oxford) that proposed the election of Dean John of Saint Albans to become Bishop of Reading. How things have changed since the time of Bishop Richard Harries! If Sugden has never been in sole charge of a parish, what on earth is he doing as a clerical member of the C. of E. General Synod? – And what is he doing there as an up-front supporter of… Read more »

Leonardo RIcardo
12 years ago

Isn´t ¨Canon¨ Sugden a ¨Canon¨ in the Church of Nigeria? I believe he is Canon of Jos, Nigeria which, as most know, is a repeatedly bloody location at the very center of Nigeria´s Christian / Muslim Conflict…I believe, deeply, that Canon Sugden ought better serve religious communities in Nigeria and beyond by offering healing with love…love and understanding of one another by making peace and not war.

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