One of the youngest delegates at GAFCON has called for more involvement by young people in the movement, saying they need to be aware of the struggles of brothers and sisters around the world.

Sydney medical student, 21-year-old Sylvia Tong, has spoken about her GAFCON experience in an engaging talk to the Anglican Church League, along with clergy delegates Zac Veron and John Mason, writer Tony Payne and Sydney laywoman Claire Smith.

The speeches are available on video (see links above).

Sylvia told of the stories she had heard, from fellow delegates, of their ministry in various parts of the world.

“For us in Sydney, the regular pewsitters need to be very aware of, and stand by, our struggling brothers and sisters around the world. We can’t do this from the depths of our hearts unless we have firsthand knowledge through meeting them and having fellowship with them as well.”

She described being moved not only by the conference plenaries and the participants, but by the workshop sessions.

“I was so incredibly humbled when the first session was devoted to telling us to be leaders “from the knees up” and that the thing we should be doing most as Christians, let alone Christian leaders, is praying. This was one of the biggest lessons I was reminded of during the week .. “

As for the next GAFCON gathering “Perhaps next time there could be a few more younger people ... to ensure that our Bible-based traditions are maintained by the up-and-coming generations” she said.

Earlier, Claire Smith spoke of the diversity of participants, yet the conference produced such a strong resolution.

“It (the Jerusalem declaration) is a positive statement, not a negative statement and they’re statements that those at the conference, all of them, with all their diversity, agreed with and were prepared to stand for.”

The meeting, entitled ‘Reflections on Gafcon’ also heard from the Rev John Mason, formerly of St Clement’s, Mosman and now the rector of Christ Church, New York City.

He spoke of the difficulty of episcopal ministry in the US because of opposition by revisionist leaders.

Tony Payne, of The Briefing magazine and ‘The Sola Panel’ blog spoke about what he thought would happen in the future.

“I think this group will basically just get on with it. The media is obsessed with whether there will be a split ....I think the GAFCON confessing Anglicans will simply get on with it.”

Primates Council responds to Archbishop

The GAFCON Primates Council has meantime issued a response to comments by the Archbishop of Canterbury, saying it is grateful to him for engaging with the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration.

The archbishops say they warmly welcome the Archbishop’s affirmation of the Jerusalem Statement as positive and encouraging and in particular that it would be shared by the vast majority of Anglicans.

The statement goes on: “We are however concerned that he should think we assume that all those outside GAFCON are proclaiming another gospel. In no way do we believe that we are the only ones to hold a correct interpretation of Scripture according to its plain meaning. We believe we are holding true to the faith once delivered to the saints as it has been received in the Anglican tradition. Many are contending for and proclaiming the orthodox faith throughout the Anglican Communion. Their efforts are, however, undermined by those who are clearly pursuing a false gospel. We long for all orthodox Anglicans to join in resisting this development.”

On the uniqueness of Christ, the group quoted the Archbishop’s words - “We are equally concerned to hear that ‘the conviction of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as Lord and God is ‘not in dispute’ in the Anglican Communion.  Leading bishops in The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada, and even the Church of England have denied the need to evangelise among people of other faiths, promoted and attended syncretistic events and, in some cases, refused to call Jesus Lord and Saviour.”

As to questions of its own legitimacy, the Primates Council emphasised that it came from GAFCON, a gathering of lay leaders, clergy and bishops from over 25 countries on the basis of their confession of the common historic Christian faith.

The statement said: “GAFCON, where the governing structures of many provinces were present, affirmed such a Council of the GAFCON movement as its body to authenticate and recognise confessing Anglican jurisdictions, clergy and congregations and to encourage all Anglicans to promote the gospel and defend the faith. In their primates and other bishops, the assembly saw a visible connection to the catholic and apostolic Church and the evangelical and catholic faith which many have received from the Church of England and the historic see of Canterbury. It is this faith which we seek to affirm.”

Concerning the authority of the Primates to act, the council said: “Authority is not concentrated in a single centre, but rather across a number of persons and bodies. This council is a first step towards bringing greater order to the Communion…”

The reply to the Archbishop of Canterbury ends with an assurance that the Primates Council respects him as the occupier of an historic see which has been used by God to the benefit of his church and continue to pray for him to be given wisdom and discernment.