The Standing committee of the Diocese of Sydney has overwhelmingly endorsed the Jerusalem Declaration from GAFCON, with the Bishop of North Sydney calling it a “great moment in defining Anglicanism”.
Bishop Glenn Davies spoke in favour of a three-part motion which endorsed the declaration, approved printing a copy for all participants in the upcoming Synod and forwarded a motion for the Synod which commends the declaration to all Anglicans in Australia.
The motion, moved by the acting Chancellor of the Diocese, Robert Tong, calls on Synod to endorse the Jerusalem Declaration as “exemplifying the tenets of orthodoxy which underpin our Anglican identity and invites all Anglicans in Australia to endorse the Declaration”.
Mr Tong told Standing Committee that he had been at GAFCON and “There was no talk of split or division. Mission was one of the prevailing themes.”
Bishop Davies (pictured, at GAFCON) was a member of the statement committee and has just returned from the world conference of the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion, held once every five years. 
He said the EFAC meeting in Bristol had overwhelmingly endorsed the statement, and within minutes of his speech the Standing Committee did the same.
Earlier in the month, EFAC resolved to “heartily endorse the fourteen points of the Jerusalem Declaration of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and, like those at GAFCON, are fully committed to remaining within the Anglican Communion, and to bearing joyful witness to evangelical distinctives.”
Lambeth discussion method questioned
Meantime, the Lambeth Conference, missing more than one-quarter of its bishops, is into its final days in England.
The bishops have been given a draft of a document which will summarise the discussion groups which have been taking place since the start of the conference.
A final document is expected at the weekend.
The discussion group method has been under question, especially by Episcopal bishop Keith Ackerman of Quincy, Illinois.
In comments to The Times newspaper in London, he said ” ... central truth is not a matter which can be mediated. Why do those who seek to drive change regarding the message in the Bible on sex want us to defend what is not ours to defend? This was given us by God himself. After Jesus forgave the woman of adultery he did not say ‘Go out and have a good time and form a discussion group and get back to me to share your experience with me’. “
At the same time, a survey has been published in England which says most Christians believe homosexual activity is sinful, and that active homosexuals should not be ordained.
The survey, of Protestants, found only 3 per cent believed that homosexual sex was not sinful.
The political survey group, ComRes, surveyed more than 500 protestant christians.
