To the Primates and Bishops of the Holy Catholic Church in the Global Anglican Future Conference:
Every Trinity Sunday, we confess that “Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith.” This faith has been passed down to us from our Fathers. It is the faith by which we are strengthened and nourished. This is the faith which we are called in our Baptisms to defend and establish to the shedding of our blood. We know no other.
Primates and Bishops of GAFCON, we come before you in humility as our Reverend Fathers in God. You have the fullness of the ministry. You are the successors of the Apostles placed over us. It is in the Spirit of Apostolic charity that we come before you and beg of you to “guard the deposit committed unto thee.” (2 Tim. 1:14) You have sworn in your consecrations “with all faithful diligence, to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrine contrary to God’s word and both privately and openly to call upon, and encourage others to the same.” (1662 Ordinal)
A strange and erroneous doctrine has arisen within our Conference. It is a recent innovation devoidof the marks of antiquity. Within our Conference, a third female has been consecrated to the episcopacy. This is not in line with the Catholic faith handed down to us, which we have been called to guard and defend to the shedding of our blood. In all lowliness and humility, we, the undersigned clergy and laity of GAFCON and all other Orthodox Anglicans of the world, ask you to stand up and “banish and drive away” this “erroneous and strange” practice.
Quicumque vult salvus esse, ante omnia opus est, ut teneat catholicam fidem.
A list of current signatories can be viewed here.
