TWO CONSECRATING BISHOPS FROM SINGAPORE SPEAK OUT

C. FitzSimons Allison
Alex D. Dickson
February 14, 2000

At the invitation of the Anglican Archbishops of Southeast Asia and Rwanda and in fulfillment of our own consecration vows to guard the Faith of the church, we participated in the consecration of two Anglican Bishops in Singapore on January 29th. We have been led to do this because of the crisis in the Episcopal Church in the United States.

This crisis is twofold: Faith and Leadership

(1) Faith - the explicit denials of the Apostolic Faith as expressed in Scripture, Creeds, Councils and Anglican formularies and carefully documented in the Petition sent to all 800 Bishops of the Anglican Communion

(2) Leadership - the failure of the House of Bishops to maintain the limits and boundaries of "the Faith which was once delivered to the saints" that is essential to our authentic unity.

Because of this crisis, innumerable clergy and laity have already left the Episcopal Church. Many more are on the verge of doing so unless they can see a way to remain in the church and be faithful. Our hope and prayer is that these consecrations will provide a place of pastoral support, and encouragement for them.

It is also hoped that these consecrations will help the Archbishops when they gather in Lisbon in March to address and deal appropriately with these unrebuked denials of Christianity and provide relief for those who are oppressed because of their faithful witness.

Our expectation is that the ministry of these two Bishops and the people who join them will be so blessed by God that they will become an effective instrument of evangelism and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison
The Rt. Rev. Alex D. Dickson