A Statement Concerning the Consecration of Rev Dr SarahMacneil in the Anglican Diocese of Grafton

On 1 March 2014 the Anglican diocese of Grafton will consecrate its new Bishop. Theconsecration will be hailed as ‘historic’ as she will be the first female diocesan Bishop in theAnglican Church of Australia.

The fact that the diocesan Bishop will be a woman is of concern, especially considering therehas been no publicly available provision by the Grafton diocese for those who cannot in goodconscience accept her episcopal ministry . The matters raised in this document however are of1

more grave concern.

Dr Macneil has made recent public statements regarding human sexuality and the Atonementthat are unbecoming a Bishop in the Anglican Communion. At best they are unclear, requiringclarification. At worst they are a serious departure from Anglican historic formularies and theScriptures.

The consecration of someone who holds these views is further evidence that parts of theAnglican Church of Australia are departing from the Apostolic faith.

We wish to state our full support of the Diocese of Grafton in its recent moves to deal openly,honestly and fully with claims of child abuse within the Diocese. We offer our support to anyleader of the Diocese who will continue this approach. Our criticism of the appointment of DrMacneil ought not in any way to be seen to impact on our view on this serious matter.

Dr Macneil's Public TeachingDuring a series of lenten sermons in 2013, whilst preaching on the parable of the Prodigal (Luke15), Dr Macneil stated the following :2

1 The Australian Anglican Bishop’s Protocol, ‘Women in the Episcopate’, No 12, 2008encourages dioceses to, ‘... make provision for reasonable and appropriate episcopal ministry,addressing matters including the following:a. arrangements for episcopal visitation, confirmation and ordination;b. provisions for matters of discipline and pastoral succession;c. procedures through which a community of faith may request the provision of this ministry; andd. provision about the manner in which the costs of providing this ministry are to be borne.’2 10 March 2013.http://www1.holycovenant.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/sermons/2013/Sermon_2013­03­10.pdf accessed 1December 2013. Currently archived athttp://davidould.net/media/covenant/sites/default/files/docs/sermons/2013/Sermon_2013­03­10.pdf

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Although we tend to hear [the parable of the Prodigal] as a parable highlighting God’swelcome to all sinners, especially those who have had lurid pasts, like the younger son,its placement in the Gospel of Luke aims it straight at the religious authorities – the goodytwo shoes upholders of the faith. Will they join the party? Or will they stick to their rigidadherence to the Torah, tithing even the herbs in their cupboards, but neglecting mercyand compassion?

We can ask where it is that we are working within rules that neglect mercy andcompassion.

Is it the Anglican Church of Australia’s reluctance to allow the ordination of gay people insame sex relationships?

While this is a rhetorical question, the intended meaning is transparent. Macneil is advocating forthe ordination of people in same sex relationships as something that is a good and godly “mercyand compassion”.

In a sermon at St Luke’s Enmore, Sydney, in October 2010 , Dr Macneil gave a clear description3

of Penal Substitution and then labels it as ‘mechanistic and grim’,

It is clear from the gospel [Luke 10:1­9] and from Acts that Luke is not thinking ofsalvation and atonement in terms of what we now call penal substitution. This view usesthe logic of retributive justice and argues that it was Jesus’ death on the cross that savedus from our sins and brought us into right relationship with God. A debt had to be paid forhuman sin and disobedience in order to satisfy God’s demands of justice. This is whatmade Christ’s death upon the cross necessary. In his great love for us, Christ istherefore said to have taken the punishment deserved by all humanity upon himself.

This rather mechanistic and grim understanding of atonement, prevalent not so very farfrom here, was not part of early Christian thought and clearly not part of Luke’s thoughtworld. Nor does Luke regard Jesus’ death as a sacrifice or as an expiation for sin. Hisfocus is more on Jesus’ life and on the wholeness that is brought to humanity throughcontact with the suffering Messiah.

There is no doubt in the gospel that Jesus is the Messiah, no doubt that he will suffer anddie, but the wholeness that comes to people because of him, comes from theirencounter with him.

Jesus’ presence is what brings life, peace, forgiveness of sins and right relation to God.

3 http://stlukesenmore.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/st­lukes­day­2010­by­very­rev­sarah.html

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This same redefining of the atoning death of Jesus, is expressed in her Sermon for Christmas2012 :4

Of course, some would argue that all this is irrelevant – that Jesus’ sole purpose was toprovide our passport to salvation, a mission he fulfilled very effectively, if somewhatmysteriously, by dying. He was, in short, a man born to die. If we believe that he is God,then everything will be OK. In this way of seeing things, the focus really belongs on hisdeath and resurrection. The events of the 33 years or so between birth and death werepretty irrelevant really and just show us that he really was the long expected chosen oneof God.

But I want to argue a very different kind of line. For I believe that the birth of Jesus as ahuman child, as one of us, has a much richer significance than that and is indeedinfinitely more challenging. The incarnation is not some kind of crazy rescue plan; it is asystematic and timeless revelation to humanity about what it is to be human and aboutour relationship with God. Jesus’ life is not so much to show us who he is but rather toshow us who we are, and who we are in relationship with God.

While Dr Macneil responds here to a false dichotomy (that those who teach the atoning death ofJesus insist that His life “is irrelevant”), the same movement away from Jesus' atoning death toan exemplar life, as she attempted to do at St Luke’s in 2010, is clear.

How Dr Macneil's teaching conflicts with Anglican formularies and theScripturesThe forms and standards of the Anglican Church of Australia are articulated in the ConstitutionCanon and Rules of the Anglican Church of Australia , the book of Common Prayer and the5

Thirty­nine Articles.

The national denomination also sets out its position on various doctrinal matters, consistent withthese principles, in the form of motions of General Synod, statements by its bishops and otherpublications as required.

Dr Macneil's public statements in the areas of human sexuality and the doctrine of theAtonement stand in contradiction to the position of the Anglican Church of Australia as set outbelow.

4 http://www1.holycovenant.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/sermons/2012/Sermon_Christmas_2012.pdfcurrently archived athttp://davidould.net/media/covenant/sites/default/files/docs/sermons/2012/Sermon_Christmas_2012.pdf

5 Part I, s.4. The Constitution Canon and Rules of the Anglican Church of Australia, 2010.http://www.anglican.org.au/docs/Constitution%20Canons%20BOOK%20FINALrevclient_indexed.pdf

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Firstly, the Anglican Church of Australia’s position on sexual ethics is abundantly clear.Faithfulness in Service, our national code for personal behaviour and the practice of pastoralministry by clergy and church workers, states in unison with the Scriptures that,

7.1 The sexual conduct of clergy and church workers has a significant impact on theChurch and the community.7.2 Sexuality is a gift from God and is integral to human nature. It is appropriate for clergyand church workers to value this gift, taking responsibility for their sexual conduct bymaintaining chastity in singleness and faithfulness in marriage.

The Church has held a consistent position on this matter, most recently affirming it as part of theBishops’ Protocol 015 “Ministerial Appointments" released in 2012 and subsequently reaffirmedin 2013 where it is stated,

“We undertake to uphold the position of the Church in regard to human sexuality as weordain, license, authorise or appoint to ministries within our dioceses”.

This protocol is consistent with the Scriptures’ teaching on human sexuality which celebrateshealthy, active sexual relationships within marriage between a man and woman.

The position that Dr Macneil taught in 2013, less than one year before her consecration, standsopposed to this Protocol and to those other statements with which the Protocol concurs. As abishop she would be expected to uphold the Protocol. Her ability to do so is severelycompromised by her public statements on this issue.

Secondly, the Anglican Church's constitutionally approved doctrine and worship uphold thedoctrine of Penal Substitution. It is a view of the Atonement that takes centre­stage in many ofthe key texts of our liturgy and other documents:

Article XXXI. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross.The Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, andsatisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is noneother satisfaction for sin, but that alone.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only SonJesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption; who made there (by hisone oblation of himself once offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, andsatisfaction, for the sins of the whole world…

(Prayer of Consecration, The Order of the Administration of the Lord’s Supper, BCP)

When Dr Macneil rejects the Penal Substitutionary Atonement of Jesus she rejects anunderstanding of Jesus' death that is writ large across our formularies and the Scriptures upon

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which they are based.

The role and responsibilities of a Bishop in the Church of God are clearly set out in the NewTestament in passages such as 1Timothy 3:1­7 & Titus 1:7­9.

The requirements for a Bishop set out in "The Form of Ordaining or Consecrating of anArchbishop or Bishop" within the Book of Common Prayer are derived directly from theseScriptures.

Accordingly, in the APBA consecration service the candidate will promise to “guard [theChurch’s] faith, unity and discipline…” and to “teach and encourage with sound doctrine”.

It is entirely reasonable to expect any person making these promises, especially given the publicnature of the office they are accepting, to do so with full integrity and conviction. Dr Macneil’sstatements are at odds with the promises she is making.

The Impact Upon the Anglican Church of AustraliaDr Macneil has made no secret of her position in these matters or sought to publicly clarify oramend them.

We are greatly concerned that there will be Bishops and other supporters involved in theconsecration who are aware of her position and yet find no impediment to consecrate. Further itshould be a matter of concern for all Australian Anglicans that they know the stance of their ownlocal Bishop (and Metropolitan) with regard to their consistency with the Scriptures andFormularies on matters of the atonement and human sexuality.

For these reasons, we call on evangelicals and Anglican organisations to not support theconsecration of Dr Macneil as Bishop within the Anglican Church of Australia in any way. Herelevation to this position signals a marked deterioration in the willingness of some churchleaders to submit themselves to the authority of Scripture and the discipline of our foundationalforms and standards. Therefore we find it necessary to call upon all Australian Bishops to beclear and consistent with the Scriptures on teaching about the Atonement and human sexualityand where there is any doubt to seek clarity so that there is no confusion in these matters.

The installing of yet another Bishop who potentially seeks the ordination of practicinghomosexuals and departure from the church’s long held position on human sexuality, all thewhile denying the Penal Substitution of Christ does not bode well for the future unity of theAnglican Church of Australia.

A Call for Prayer and AlignmentWe call upon faithful Anglicans to pray for our denomination and to be deliberate in seekingfellowship with those who are gospel­minded.

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Our Prayer Books call us to intercede regularly for our ecclesial leaders.

In addition to praying for our Church we also encourage those who seek to defend the historicfaith once delivered to the saints to actively pursue informal and formal partnerships both withintheir dioceses and throughout the country.

We also call upon our leaders to speak plainly and clearly on this matter.

These departures cannot be considered as peripheral and further threaten unity within theAnglican Church of Australia. This slow deterioration compromises the gospel witness. Ourconcern is for the centrality of the cross and a church leadership that upholds Biblical authority.

The revealed truth of God is a precious treasure and must be proclaimed and guarded by all whobelieve. As unity within the denomination is threatened we take great delight in finding commonground among those who uphold gospel truths and dare to make them known.

Rev Gavin Poole

Anglican Church League President

28 February 2014

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