Theologian J.I. Packer and eight other clergy respond to Canadian Bishop Ingham's threat to defrock them for changing Anglican jurisdictions

BB NOTE: You know things are getting bizarre when a revisionist bishop, who was the focus of the Windsor Report's admonition against the blessings of same sex unions, sets out to defrock one of this century's most distinguished theologians, whom Time Magazine recognized as one of the twenty-five most influential evangelicals. And with reason: J.I. Packer, amongst his many accomplishments, is the general editor of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Many have read Knowing God. You can read more about Dr. Packer, as well as see a list of some of his publications here. It just boggles the mind that Bishop Ingham would think that publicly defrocking Dr. Packer and his eight colleagues would help his cause. Thing are getting mighty feisty north of the border these days.

By the way, here's an excellent talk by Dr. Packer called "The Glory of God and the Reviving of Religion":



And so here is statement released today by Dr. Packer and eight of his fellow clergy who belong to the Anglican Network in Canada and have transferred their orders to the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, under the care of the Anglican Primate, Archbishop Gregory Venables and under the local care of Bishop Donald Harvey.

Statement by nine Anglican Network in Canada clergy to Bishop Michael Ingham

Delivered April 21, 2008

We, the undersigned clergy, are writing in response to the Notice of Presumption of Abandonment of Ministry that you have sent to each of us. We would like to point out that the Notice is not in compliance with the Canons in that it does not set out the required facts but simply repeats the language of the Canon. The canonical process has therefore not been engaged.

We have not abandoned the "ministry to which we were ordained". Each of us was ordained into Anglican ministry; indeed, we were ordained into ministry in the "Church of God" as per our ordination vows. We have been privileged to serve in the Anglican ministry for many years and it is our intention and prayer that we may continue in the Anglican ministry.

Further, it is our intention to remain members of the Anglican Church. We are not leaving the Anglican Church to become members of another church or to minister in another church, which is the concern of Canon XIX.

However, with deep reluctance and regret we have concluded that we cannot continue the Anglican ministry to which we were ordained under your jurisdiction. The Diocese, under your leadership, has departed from historic, orthodox Anglican teaching and practice. It has departed from what the Primates have unanimously recognized as the standard of teaching of the Anglican Communion. The Diocese is in a state of broken or impaired communion with the majority of Anglicans worldwide. Sadly, it appears the Anglican Church of Canada has now similarly departed from Anglican teaching and practice.

We have therefore determined that in order to uphold our ordination vows, we must leave your jurisdiction, and by this letter, we hereby relinquish the licences we hold from the Bishop of New Westminster. Each of us will receive a licence to continue our present parish ministries from Bishop Donald Harvey, who, as you know, is under the jurisdiction of the Primate of the Southern Cone. In this way, we will be able to continue our Anglican ministry within the Anglican Church, under the jurisdiction of and in communion with those who remain faithful to historic, orthodox Anglicanism and as part of the Anglican Communion worldwide.

Signed by:

Rev. Dr. James I. Packer
Rev. Dr. Trevor Walters
Rev. David Short
Rev. Simon Chin
Rev. Stephen Leung
Rev. Dr. Archie Pell
Rev. James Wagner
Rev. Dan Gifford
Rev. Mike Stewart