FiF North America
FiF NA Affirms Catholic Essentials
Jun 21, 2009

by Rev’d Keith Acker, FiFNA
June 19, 2009  

Forward in Faith North America (FiFNA) took action today to not only reaffirm the “essentials” incorporated into the proposed constitution of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) to be ratified the following week at the first Assembly of the new province, but to state that the Catholic life of the Church calls us to a fuller expression of the Christian faith and order. This “fuller expression” touched on seven areas of Catholic life, practice and order (the resolution is listed below).

These are not some new doctrine, new revelation, or new truth. “We too often forget that Catholic faith is the norm not the exception for most Christians throughout the world” paraphrasing Bishop George Langberg of the Anglican Church in America of the Traditional Anglican Communion. Anglicanism is not about “bare minimums”—the need to state bare minimums points out the dysfunction and the torn nature of Anglican hierarchy today.

Working groups of the Assembly met earlier recognizing that the teaching role, a vital mission component of FiFNA, among the Anglicans of the new province would not be among those hostile to orthodox Christian teaching, but among our friends, sisters and brother who believe Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” As family we share what we have freely, as an offering; in the same manner we are receiving a great gift of evangelical zeal, a heart for planting churches, and bringing others to know Jesus as Savior. “It is not a matter of being Evangelical or Catholic; we must be Evangelical and Catholic—they aren’t mutually exclusive” said Dr. Michael Howell, the Executive Director of FiFNA.

The bishop-nominee for the new Missionary Diocese for FiFNA in the ACNA, Bill Ilgenfritz, said, “Let there be no doubt. FiFNA has not abandoned it goal and hope for a province expressing our Catholic faith and order. We now have a place. This gives us ground upon which to build and grow. It isn’t about compromise, it is about being incarnational. God has called us to step forward in this time and place. This is a work in progress. You know Bishop Duncan (the Archbishop-nominee of ACNA) is always saying ‘We’re building the plane as we fly.’ Yes, it can be scary. It certainly requires trusting God. But I think God has done a miraculous thing to bring us together as Anglicans.”

To implement the reality of teaching the Catholic faith and order both within the new province, wider Anglicanism, and amidst those who are choosing a different faith, FiFNA amended its constitution and elected new leadership to meet the needs of its members. “We will not forget we have many members of FiFNA who are willing to continue to make a faithful witness in the increasingly less tolerant TEC (The Episcopal Church). We will minister to them and support them in their witness to the Gospel as we are best able. This calls for ‘holy boldness!” said Bishop Ackerman who is taking up the “Episcopal Desk” as first Vice President of FiFNA. Bishop William Wantland preaching at the Missa Cantata on the feast of Bernard Miszeki called on every member of FiFNA to be willing martyrs, ‘martus’ from the Greek, witnesses, of Jesus Christ. God so loved the world and has sent us so the world might know the depth of that love.

Resolution passed by Assembly 2009:
Forward in Faith North America affirms the Anglican Church of North America’s Article 1: Fundamental Declarations of the Province, and
As Christians embracing the fullness of the Catholic Faith, we also affirm the following:

1. The Catholic doctrine concerning the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ as contained in Holy Scripture and expressed in the Creeds and in the decisions of the seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church.
2. The unique witness of the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation. The Scriptures in their entirety, interpreted within the Tradition of the Christian Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are the reliable, trustworthy, and canonical witness of God’s full self-revelation in Jesus Christ, and are our rule and decisive authority in matters of faith and morals.
3. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist as the principal act of worship on the Lord’s Day and other Holy Days of the Church; the furtherance of frequent celebration of the Holy Eucharist; and the teaching that in the Holy Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ is represented; and that He is really and objectively present, and therefore to be worshipped, in the Blessed Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
4. The Apostolic Orders of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon as received from the undivided Church, according to the intention and example of Christ in choosing twelve Apostles, and following the universal practice of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; and consensus that only males may be validly ordained to the priesthood and episcopate, for the assurance of apostolic authority for sacramental acts.
5. The Sacrament of Marriage to be a life long union between husband and wife, one male and one female, as established by God in creation; and because it is essential to the health of both the soul and society, sexual morality has been unambiguously set forth in the Scriptures and the teaching of the Church: inside marriage, fidelity; outside of marriage, chastity.
6. The moral commandments and instruction of the Old and New Testaments to be the express, revealed will of God for all people. Their purpose is the protection of life by fostering virtue; and because it is essential to align our will with God’s purpose in upholding the sanctity of life from conception until death as belonging to God our Creator.
7. The purpose of God’s self revelation in the Law, the Prophets, and finally in Jesus Christ, is the salvation of the world from sin; and all are called upon to respond in faith, hope, good works, and holiness of life. However, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3.23), so it is incumbent upon all to confess their sin and accept divine forgiveness.