Different tone, same secrecy

Archbishop Peter Akinola and the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria have released a pastoral letter that is notable for two reasons: it is less belligerent than usual, and it makes clear that the Church is still unwilling to disclose who is funding the realignment of the Anglican Communion.

We are told that the Lord raised up "those who have felt sufficiently committed to the need to preserve the sanctity of our historic faith that they have committed huge resources to cover all the cost of the conference." But we aren't told who these people are, and what their interests might be.

Posted by Jim Naughton on April 3, 2008 7:50 AM | |
Comments (5)

Forget Nigeria for a minute; who funds SFiF, T19 and the other U.S. organs out to destroy TEC? Their visible income from ads and pledge drives seems far less than their expenses.

Posted by Josh Thomas [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 3, 2008 10:05 AM

SFiF and T19 are joined at the hip technologically (even though they play bad cop, good cop to a degree). Thus, for example, if you get banned as commenter on one of them you are banned on the other.

To go by the public comments at SFiF they are supported by financial donations of individual readers, and gifts of time by webdesigners and contributors. You may have noticed the recent redesign at SFiF from what already was fairly slick website. Perhaps sometimes gifts of time can be quality gifts of time.

Posted by John B. Chilton [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 3, 2008 10:24 AM

I have no issue with the funding of SFif or T19. I think they probably operate much as we do with lots and lots of volunteer hours and perhaps small amounts of support from visitors and interested parties. I don't think that money has pushed the concerns they express to the top of their personal agendas. I do think money, much of it from people who are not Anglicans, has pushed the issue of homosexuality to the top of the agenda in the Anglican Communion. I tink it is importnat ot draw the distinction.

Posted by Jim Naughton [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 3, 2008 10:44 AM

What I found significantly more interesting than the issue of funding was the apparent effort at "removing the beam in their own eye," by speaking of polygamy. Well and good, I suppose, although they didn't actually suggest just who might have to leave because of it. However, there is notable understatement, something the Church of Nigeria - Anglican isn't known for so much, in addressing polygamy without going on the say, "and now that we are addressing our sin, what about yours?" It will be interesting if similar statements come out from Uganda or Kenya, especially in this time before GAFCON and Lambeth.

Marshall Scott

Posted by mscottsail [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 3, 2008 12:37 PM

Thinking Anglicans has more:

http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archives/002999.html

pointing to a Communique of the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria issued at the same time which says in part,

The Primate [Akinola] reported that in the last few days God has shown his favor on these plans by sovereignly providing the funds necessary for all of the Bishops, their wives, the clergy and lay delegates of the Church of Nigeria to attend.

Posted by John B. Chilton [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 3, 2008 6:03 PM

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