My friend and author of The Pursuit of Pleasure and Feasting on the Father, Revd William Smith, emailed me today in response to my last post’s reference to Gavin Ashenden leading a group of ‘rebel Anglicans’. I have Bill’s kind permission to publish his reaction:

Dear Richard,

REBELS?

Grace, mercy and peace to you both in our Beloved Saviour and King.

Following on from yesterdays “Watch” with the Gavin Ashenden article, I believe we have the wrong emphasis on this. (ie. in Christian Today article).

Gavin, GAFCON, and the open letter to York, are in no way rebellious. These precious faithful ones are simply that, faithful ones.

The rebels are all those who have abandoned biblical teaching in favour of contemporary ideas and unrighteous ways. It is Lambeth Palace, the Synod (in general), the supporters of “Pride” etc, who have left the truth and are in rebellion against God and His revealed ways for human behaviour.

I have said this elsewhere and feel very strongly that we should be declaring this unashamedly and unapologetically.

The rebels are those who have turned from God, not those who are walking faithfully with Him.

There is a pressing need for Anglicanism, and much of the rest of ‘the church’ to be made aware of this. To recognise the truth of what I have here written and for there to be a turning in support of these faithful ones in rejection of the others. It is being portrayed wrongly making the “rebels” (the faithful) to be those destroying the so called unity of the church, while all the time they are upholding its faithful following of The Lord Jesus. (Rant over)

I do believe we urgently need to redress the prevailing attitude and see Truth restored, the bible honoured, celebrated and followed, rather than being shamed as divisive.

For your thoughts.

Much blessing and encouragement as this battle intensifies as biblical truth is so under threat from within.

In Victorious King Jesus, I bless you both.

Bill, 31st July 2017

POSTSCRIPT

It’s worth noting today’s newspaper item on the Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury, Rt Revd Mark Davies that Christians could be treated as extremists in being targeted by the Government’s new counter-extremism measures. He’s not the first to have expressed deep reservations over these plans. (Digital version not available)