The Most Revd Foley Beach, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in America (ACNA) and Chairman of GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference) addressed the fourth public gathering of GAFCON Ireland. The event took place at St Anne’s Cathedral. Archbishop Ben Kwashi of the Diocese of Jos, Nigeria and General Secretary of GAFCON,also addressed the gathering.
The audience, composed mostly of laity, numbered about 150. Of that number around twenty were serving parish clergy. Three of the current members of the House of Bishops were in attendance. Bishop George Davison of the Diocese of Connor, Bishop David McClay of the Diocese of Down & Dromore, and Bishop Ferran Glenfield of the Diocese Kilmore, Elphin, & Ardagh attended. Ken Clarke, the retired Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin, and Ardagh was the only former diocesan bishop amongst the audience.
The Revd Timothy Anderson, Rector of St Elizabeth’s Church, Dundonald and Chairman of GAFCON Ireland greeted and began the event.
The attendees also heard from The Revd Dr Nick Tucker from St Bartholomew’s, Edgbaston in Birmingham. Tucker played a prominent role as a speaker in the second world-wide GAFCON gathering in Nairobi, Kenya.
Leaders of GAFCON Ireland also spoke at the day-long event. The Revd Trevor Johnston, Rector of All Saints, Belfast interviewed Beach and Bishop David McClay interviewed Archbishop Ben Kwashi.
The conference had been scheduled for last year but was postponed by the pandemic and resulting lockdowns. Archbishop Kwashi underwent cancer treatment during that time frame. He is now recovered.
Beach’s address spelled out a litany of problems facing the Anglican Communion. He called those in attendance to be vigilant in opposing revisionist theology. He said that people were trying to introduce “Neo-paganism” to replace “historical Anglicanism.”
His main address was taken from the Epistle of Jude.
The entire day-long meeting can be viewed on YouTube but Beach’s address starts at two hours into the gathering.
