FLOOD WATERS CONTINUE TO DEVASTATE EASTERN BOLIVIA

Help is beginning to arrive in some of the affected areas; EU countries and our neighbours have sent emergency aid. The governor bought a helicopter to assist people trapped in outlying areas.

The photo shows cows perishing.

Families, left stranded by the floods, are part of communities who've found refuge in in football stadiums and schools.

Its a devastating tragedy.

I have never seen anything like this, before, in my life.

Pray for Bolivia.

SANTA CRUZ CARNAVAL 2007

Nothing To Redeem Except Opportunities To Foster Church Fellowship

BREAKING NEWS: 5 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES IN DRUNKEN REVELRY


COLLECTIVE INDULGENCE

Many Bolivians, every year without fail, indulge in two days of fun, drunken revelry, parades and promiscuous behaviour. Carnaval in Santa Cruz is a crazy affair. Children and adults throw inflated balloons filled with water at each other; paint and coloured water are now part of the mayhem. People have no qualms about defacing the walls and doors of the city centre city with paint and piss. At times drunken violence takes over as rival groups get involved in punch ups; Carnaval is a dream come true for the liquor industry.

I suppose there are spots of healthy fun during carnaval but by and large it is escapism built on collective indulgence. A growing number of Bolivians find the whole thing ridiculous and leave the city during the revelry.

Many countries in Latin America have their own version of carnaval. The most notorious being the one in Brazil with its bright lights and nude women. In terms of color, sight and culture, nothing comes close however to the carnaval in Oruro, Bolivia.

CARNAVAL & FLOOD VICTIMS

Groups called comparsas elect their own beauty queens and one them is chosen as the carnaval beauty queen. She is then, like a switched on human bulb, paraded in social events and parades constantly. Carnaval is costly affair. A lot of money is dished out in buying costumes, organizing parades, drinking booze and getting into a prestigious comparsa.

An ethical dilemma surfaced: Is it right for city dwellers to dance and wine during carnaval while the rest of Bolivia is in mourning?

The El Niño floods is a national disaster: lives were lost; damage to property and livelihood is incalcuble, especially for a third world country like Bolivia. President Evo Morales and the governors decided not to participate in carnaval this year;they were busy directing relief operations. It would not have been an anomaly to cancel carnaval and raise funds for the flood victims as a gesture of our solidarity with them.

THE RELIGIOUS ELEMENT

Lets not forget the religious element - a god named king Momo is the patron deity of carnaval. And Ash Wednesday always falls on the day after carnaval festivities. There's a stereotype of a promiscous reveller whose licentious behaviour is pegged to the assurance that the Ash Wednesday mass will fix his sins automatically. "If you've sinned during carnaval, not to worry; the host dished out during mass will sufficiently take care of any offense against the almighty". This is not a blanket judgement on all Roman Catholics, many of whom take Lent seriously.

Christian churches don't approve of carnaval; they normally take their people away in outlaying areas, away from the city, and put together an edifying programme which includes games, Bible teaching, fellowship and fun. Is there anything that can be redeemed from carnval? probably nothing except for the opportunity to get together and affirm our bonds as church family.

WELCOME TO THE FIRST DAY OF LENT

ASH WEDNESDAY COLLECT

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

breath slowly...read this collect thoughtfully...don't rush the words in your mind...let the Holy Spirit work...

PRIMATES WIELD THE SWORD BUT DON'T USE IT...NOT YET ANYWAY.

PRIMATES GIVE THE AMERICAN EPISCOPAL CHURCH UP TO SEPTEMBER 2007 TO RENOUNCE SERVICES OF SAME SEX UNIONS AND CONSECRATION OF GAYS IN EPISCOPAL ORDERS (Abp Rowan Williams seen here participating in special service at Zanzibar, Tanzania)


CONFUSION IN SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA 2003

I still remember the shock, embarrasment, anger and confusion written over people's faces when news of Gene Robinson's election as bishop in the US hit Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He was a practising homosexual who had left his wife to live with a male partner; his consecration service was transmitted, live, into the homes of everyone in Santa Cruz, including our church members, courtesy of CNN.

The congregation was distracted because of all the publicity given to the consecration; they did not understand how an entire province could have gone astray. And how was it possible for a gay person to be ordained deacon and priest in the first place? Those were challenging times for us in Santa Cruz. I had to sit with leaders, work through the Biblical issues and dig into church history to show how apostasy was not uncommon in the highest councils of of the ecclesiastical hierachy; the diocese of Bolivia took out advertisements in the local newspapers to disassociate ourselves from the American church. This helped to clarify the situation amongst the local populace and improved our relationships with folk from other Christian churches.

Time flies. Its hard to believe that this took place 4 years ago. Since then various attempts have been made to convince the American church to renounce same sex blessings and the consecration of gay bishops. Their responses to the worldwide communion were slow, feeble and ambiguous. A clear deadline however is now in place; the sword of discipline hangs over the american church.

PRIMATES WIELD THE SWORD IN TANZANIA

The Primates met in Tanzania at the end of last week under this dark cloud. After several days of meetngs the communique was released. The key statement was for the American church to renounce both same sex blessings and the consecration of gay bishops before the end of September 2007. The consequence of not doing so, would indicate a decision on the part of the American church to walk away from the worldwide anglican communion.

An interesting plan has also been put forward to try and help bible believing parishes and dioceses to work under the covering of a council headed by a separate primate called a primatial vicar; this council of 5 bishops will function within the present episcopal structure in the States. Will this really work? Probably not but it might be worth a try. The Archbishop of Canterbury called it an experiment. It will only work if liberal bishops have a change of heart; its difficult to envisage such a scenario.

I was expecting a stronger response from Tanzania but maybe this patient approach by the Primates will yield more fruit.

WALKIN' THE DOG

APPRECIATING SIMPLE MOMENTS

Elijah and I are taking our dogs, spot and brownie, for a walk; Nothing like the company of a loved one. The photo is a bit dated.

My son Elijah just returned from a school camp; it lasted for about a week. Michelle, my wife, with many others, are busy organising the church family camp.

People around us are God's gifts;

Pets, like us, are blessed creatures

Treasure them.

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN!

ANGLICAN PRIMATES MEET THIS WEEK IN TANZANIA TO RESOLVE MAJOR CRISIS IN THE AMERICAN CHURCH


This is the "mother" of all meetings where the anglican communion will be reshaped.

AMERICAN CHURCH IN CRISIS

The Global South Primates are pushing for a new Anglican jurisdiction in the US to represent anglicans who've left the existing episcopal church. They will also insist that the episcopal church in the US be disciplined. The reason for this furore? A practising gay man, Gene Robinson, was consecrated bishop in the American Church 4 years ago. Providing services of blessing for same sex partners living together was the other straw which broke the camel's back.

An important resolution, highlighting the incompatibility between homosexual behaviour and the Bible, was passed at a meeting of all the anglican bishops in 1998; it was totally ignored by the american church toward the build up of Gene Robinson's consecration in 2003. Subsequent warnings and the suspension of the episcopal church's delegates within the major bodies of the Anglican Church were not taken seriously. The exodus of orthodox anglicans and parishes did not seem to perturb the episcopal church hierachy. Their inability to meet the requirements of a previous meeting of the primates at Dromantine, Ireland 2 years ago was predictable; most of their bishops are hard core liberals. Electing a liberal primate, fully supportive of the gay agenda only provoked the majority of the primates even further.

ONE POSSIBLE SCENARIO IN TANZANIA

The newly elected primate of the american church, Jennifer Schori, was invited to explain the actions of the american church before the primates in Tanzania. Many primates will only receive her as someone under discipline. They will not share the Eucharist with her; most of their provinces have declared a state of impaired communion between themselves and the american church (the Global South Primates did not share the Eucharist with the previous american primate either).

My predictions: The Episcopal church will be disciplined; their membership will be suspended in the worldwide anglican communion. The scale of the suspension will depend on Schori's representations and the reaction of the global south primates to the ideas and leadership of Rowan Williams. Bishops who do not accept the resolution outlining the anglican communion's understanding of homosexuality and the Windsor Report (a report put together by a special committee which asked for the suspension of gay bishops and services of blessing for gay couples) will NOT be invited to the Lambeth Conference.

A POSSIBLE FUTURE FOR BIBLE BELIEVING ANGLICANS IN THE STATES

Work on a parallel structure will also hopefully begin in earnest; this is going to be a gargantuan task because bible believing parishes and congregations that left the american episcopal church don't want a monolithic structure similar to the one they left. Many of these congregations and parishes are spread out through a variety of networks, regions and groups; they enjoy the oversight of overseas bishops and primates; getting them under one roof will be like herding cats!

Lord Have Mercy On Us All

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD
VICTIMS 5

Children were everywhere; they took part in the singing and loved the sketches

Gregorio (grey shirt) and Dionosio (light blue shirt) were the coordinating Pastors from local communities ravaged by the floods.

Families were stranded and found refuge in churches and schools. Some of them brought their own little tents.

These indigenous young men are guarani; they speak the local dialect.

Some of the flood victims bought their dogs with them at the school. The dogs fought amongst themselves constantly over territorial rights.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 4

The flood waters destroyed crops, homes, barns etc.

It was painful to see many houses under the flood waters. If it was painful for us, imagine what it must be like for the owners!





Its the school holidays so the children swim in the flood waters.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 3

People with bad backs were were taken care off by Chiropractors

We gave wheat, eggs and sulphur soap to a stranded community bottom left. Cooking oil was distributed to families seeking refuge in a government school bottom right.






And of course intercessions were offered wherever we went. Pastor Oscar from one of the churches prays in public for this community.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 2

Vitamin pills were handed out top left.

The doctor takes a look at a little girl top right.

A skit on health care brought home the message of personal hygiene bottom left. Tooth paste and tootbrushes were handed to the community bottom right.




The dentist was on hand to do extractions.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 1

3 churches - An Assembly of God Congregation, An Independant Evangelical and Christ Light Of The World, Anglican - put together a team with the purpose of bringing aid to flood victims in the major provinces of Santa Cruz. We were supervised by a doctor, nurses, a dentists, nutritionists and chiropractors from a Christian Clinic.

We went in 3 buses packed with people and supplies of all sorts - medicines, food, cooking oil, mattresses, clothes, blankets, pillows, pills. On the right are the buses that took us to flood victim who had lost just about everything.

Here are some photos of the team members: The young people on the left are anglicans; The ones on the right are the nurses from the Christian clinic. Pastor Ron Firestone, below right, preaching is a chiropractor and runs the Clinic. I'm on the left, standing outside a hut.

ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS INHERENTLY GOOD?

LEADERS, LIKE THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE, ARE IMPERFECT, LIMITED AND SINCERE.

Blogpastor asked me this question recently: Is President Evo Morales good for Bolivia?

Is a nation's well being tied to the inherent goodness of those in elected office? Politicians, like the people they serve are a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. There is truth to the maxim: leaders reflect the nation they lead. And lets not forget the other one: people get the leaders they deserve

On a more positive note, the vast majority of elected leaders don't spend their time thinking up of ways to make life difficult for their people. The general populace have on many levels benefitted from sincere and able politicians. In general terms, all elected officials have a mixed record and its up to the public to decide if they deserve a second chance during elections.

THE ISSUES ARE BEYOND GOOD MEN OR WOMEN

Evaluating elected officials in terms of their policies over a long period is a sobering experience. Policies are subject to historical changes. An emergency aid policy, highly beneficial to one generation becomes a source of unhealthy dependancy in the next. A just war in one generation only leaves a confused geopolitical escenario in the next. Creating sovereign states by arbitrarily imposing borders appears to be a rational solution until inter-ethnic rivalries deepen claims made by communal leaders; borders then become nothing but lines drawn on maps. The nations of the earth, as a consequence, crash under the weight of their own alliances and vanities. The issues are beyond the efforts of "good" men and women.

But lets not go overboard. There is a place for using the adjective "good" in political discourse; Elected officials have put into place policies which have contributed to the common good. Finding solutions, albeit temporary, in the midst of a worsening economic crisis provides relief for desperate families.

THE TEMPTATION OF POWER

The problem is the human tendency to accumulate/seize power to promote oneself and their coterie. Politicians are not exempt from these innate impulses. How easy it is to deceive ourselves into sacrificing the interests of the defenceless for the larger good, especially when the larger good are our friends. Followers are also at fault. We get a narcotic fix in projecting our secular leaders as great men or women of great moral virtue. Politicians are elected to do a job; they are not mythic figures nor are they paragons of moral virtue.

ELECTED LEADERS ARE FALLEN

The Bible, describes our relationship with government leaders. We are called to pray for them (1Timothy 2: 1-4) because civil authorities under God's sovereign rule possess a mandate to do good and punish the evil doer (Romans 13:1-6). Our submission to them is based on these biblical mandates. The Old Testament provides rich examples of godly men who worked under the authority of non christian kings. Joseph was succesful in Pharoah's cabinet; Daniel served Babylonian kings; Nehemiah was an able administrator in the Persian court; Esther intervened in a crisis, influenced the Persian king and avoided a massacre. These men and women of of God were positive influences over goverment officials and kings; their involvement in the affairs of state were however not based on the intrinsic goodness of the kings. Christian support for elected officials has as its reference point, the Biblical revelation concerning the place of the nations in God's redemptive plan.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans: 3:23). All includes national leaders. Politicians placate their base constantly and at times they do it at the expense of the nation. Also, politics can be a tough business. Winning votes can sometimes mean bringing out the knives and the knuckledusters. Read Solomon's succession of David in the first 2 chapters of 1 kings; it reads like a Brian de Palma movie. Politics is about managing power for noble ends; it is not for the fainthearted. Absolute power does corrupt; hence the need for checks and balances in a democracy. C. S Lewis supports democratic freedoms because of the inclination to abuse power even amongst the noble. Democratic freedoms spread power in and through the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the state. And of course elections give the people the right to change elected officials.

ELECTED LEADERS WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD

It is easy to let politicans off the hook and leave the governing process to realists who constantly choose the lesser evil. No, there is a moral dimension to government policies. And intelligent politicians of all stripes know this. There is a line, if crossed, will not only cost them votes but also their own reputation with the populace. They can't be slaves to immediate political gains. Sometimes the larger good has to prevail at the expense of the elected official's own political base or favorite lobby group. For instance, President Morales of Bolivia last year had to choose between supporting the actions of his supporters or sticking to a policy which benefitted the entire populace. He chose the latter. His opponents did not give him much credit; some of his supporters griped. Not supporting elements within his base will probably cost him some votes; not many but some.

The prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, in the heat of an election campaign made remarks which did nothing for his image as a politician open to differing views; he apologised and scored some points; his party won handsomely. Singapore pundits were once again left to comment on the differences between a landslide victory and an overwhelming victory. A new generation of Singaporeans have emerged; they want a political climate open to differing views; the new PM reflects their values and his apology signals a positive change.

FORGET THE PROPAGANDA, ELECTED LEADERS ARE NOT GREAT MORAL FIGURES.

So can elected officials be a source for good? If doing good means the promotion of decent living standards and a degree of social stability than the answer is, yes; that's a no brainer. Exaggerating a leader's persona or projecting him or her as a great national moral change agent however is another matter. David was the greatest king of Israel. His devotion to God and his success as a warrior-king were unmatched. His biographer, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in the the 2 books of Samuel does not provide a reverential look at this David's life. No stone is left unturned. Some of the stuff is embarrassing and offensive. It is not a pretty picture.

History has left us with the ruins of those who tried to lead their nations under the cover of fixed ideologies, dizzying calls to freedom and false promises. Communism ran its course and died because its idea of history was a deception. The American media after deifying their elected leaders tend to find fault with them, sometimes endlessly. And maybe the problem is not the fault finding but the juvenile attempts by handlers or lobbying groups to project their political clients as men and women of destiny. Political leaders are limited and flawed; they are not heralds of moral or social transformation. So please...spare us all the jingoism.

WE ARE NOT CALLED TO PUT OUR LEADERS ON A PEDESTAL BUT TO RESPECT AND PRAY FOR THEM.

Christ, the Good Shepherd, is the only moral crusader worthy of consideration. Only He can lead us into the promised land.

THE FLOODS: A WORSENING SITUATION!

The man (dark jacket) on the right is wading through rising waters; he's carrying a domestic gas tank and a laptop.

Slowly but surely the flood waters are beginning to encroach the city; neighbourhoods on the fringes of the city have been badly affected. The city's sewage system is old and has given way in some places. On TV today a lady was crying her heart out as she waded through stinking filthy water in her living room. She complained about the awful stench inbetween sobs. Diseases have also broken out.

We've had heavy rain but not the sort of torrential showers that would normally cause flooding of this magnitude. I'm perplexed and very grieved by the loss suffered by the poor. One newspaper report says that thousands of families have been badly affected by floodwaters.

A group of us together with folks from another church are planning to bring blankets, clothes, medicine, temporary shelters to the folks who've lost everything this Saturday. Apparently there is a way to reach these isolated communities. People have told us however that its difficult to distribute emergency supplies because there does not appear to be fixed areas where aid is stored and distributed. I do not know if this is true. We'll find out when arrive.

Hope to post a report on the situation next week.

Pray for us!

PRESIDENT EVO MORALES: ONE YEAR LATER

Evo Morales, the first indigenous president of Bolivia and South America was elected last year.

He still refuses to wear a tie. Gone are the cheap looking social activist jackets he used to wear. Fashion designers put together formal open necked shirts with indigenous motifs. Yup..no doubt about it, Evo looks presidential these days with his fancy new shirts and jackets.

Evo celebrated his first year in office and delivered the State Of The Union message to the nation in Congress. He is a controversial figure whose rhetoric never fails to provoke his hearers. Some of his opponents walked out during his speech because negative remarks were directed toward them.

A PRAGMATIC STREAK

Looking beyond the man's rhetoric one surprisingly detects a certain pragmatic streak. Here are some examples. The education minister last year made some controversial remarks and decisions about the place of religion in government and church based schools. There was an outcry. Evo stepped in, dialogued with Cardinal Terrazas and the matter was settled. Religion will still be taught in Bolivian schools

Recently campesinos organized a blockade which laid seige to city of Cochabamba over problems related to their dislike of the Governor; the citizenry reacted; riots broke out; many were injured and a couple protesters died. Evo was attending the inauguration of the President elect in Nicaruaga when problems erupted in Cochabamba. On his return, Evo managed to convince the campesinos to lift the blockade. He also refused to recognise the emergence of a parrallel governor and an administration put together by some of the more anarchic elements. A few days many were pleasantly surprised when President Evo replaced two controversial members of his cabinet: the ministers of internal affairs and education.

The country's economy has not exactly grown by leaps and bounds. But neither has it tanked. Last year he announced the nationalisation of oil and gas reserves. Many were spooked thinking that the major petroleum companies would simply pack their bags and leave. They did not; the matter was resolved when the announced "nationalisation" was not in fact a confiscation of foreign assets in the country but a re-negotiation of contracts which would increase Bolivia's share from the sale of oil. Everyone rejoiced when the the oil companies signed the new contracts. Its important to give the President his due.

NOT A ROSY PICTURE

Not everything is rosy in Bolivia. Evo's red meat rhetoric against imagined villians in the country appears to be an attempt to keep his base happy. The press and the middle class find his speeches divisive and inflammatory. Many are still spooked by his socialist outlook; tensions between the central government and leaders from Eastern Bolivia continue to intensify over questions of land reform and regional autonomy; these issues have yet to be resolved. Its almost as if there are two Bolivias : one in the east; the other in the west.

And more importantly the constitutional assembly has not been able to make headway in coming up with articles for the proposed new constitution. This new consitution needs to be approved at a national referendum this June. Various commissions have been formed to work through the components which constitute the new magna carta. To date, not one single article has surfaced. The root of the problem is the inability of the delegates to arrive at a consensus over the size of the majority needed to approve the articles that would make up the new constitution. Evo's people are hoping that a new constitution will establish social justice and ensure a fairer distribution of the nation's wealth.

2007 promises to be a year of surprises, change and anxiety. Pray for the nation of Bolivia!

WORKSHOP ON EVANGELISM, FOLLOW UP AND PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP

Yesterday we gathered the leadership together at a special Sunday workshop where I presented a small group evangelistic strategy which incorporates elements of follow up, personal discipleship and commitment to confirmation and church membership.

I enjoy teaching and running workshops; people got into the act and participated with lots of gusto. Some were quiet as they tried to understand the content of my teaching and the various questions that were raised by the more articulate ones in the workshop. It was great to hear stories of our people sharing the gospel with the lost. One couple had to leave early because they had to strengthen their friendship with a non christian couple. Our present approach is ad hoc, informal and not effective. We need to get our act together. There will be 2 other workshops.

At the heart of this new strategy will be home made evangelistic materials centered on Christ's encounter with individuals in the gospel. The challenge will be to work through the significance of His birth, death, resurrection and 2nd coming in the lives of the participants of these evangelistic small group encounters. In my own evangelistic work I have found that talking about Jesus is a great way of confronting people with the gospel. People by and large are fascinated with Jesus. He is the message!

FLEEING THE FLOODS

The Return Of El Niño

We've had non stop rain in Santa Cruz for the past week. The result has been floods in the provinces and towns near the city centre. Many families have lost their homes and their livelihood; quite a large number have had to be evacuated. The photo on your right shows children being evacuated to a safer area. Experts warned of these torrential downpours last month, saying that they were part of the El Niño phenomenon. They say that the rains will continue until March. The president went to Europe a few months ago in an attempt to raise funds and and seek aid in anticipation of this natural disaster.

People are also fearful because they've yet to face the full impact of El Nino in the city of Santa Cruz. We live in a flood prone district. About 25 years ago flood waters reached the roof of the homes in our neighbourhood! As a result the United Nations helped to construct a strong anti flooding defense system against the main river which runs through the city. We've not had a major destructive flood experience since then. Questions are however being raised about the system's ability to confront the threat of El Niño. We shall find out soon!

Pray for us!

QUEEN ELIZABETH AND THE REFORMATION

FitzSimons Allison (Bishop) and Willliam McKeachie (dean), make the argument below, against their opponents, that the Anglican church's commitment to the beliefs of the Reformation in the 39 articles underscores the church's theological belief system. They give credit not to Henry VIII but to his daughter Queen Elizabeth 1 for "having laid claim to Protestant freedom while at the same time maintaining Catholic order"

I lifted the piece below from TitusOneNine.

They have forgotten, for instance, that the Reformation of the Church of England dates not from King Henry VIII but from Queen Elizabeth I a quarter century later. Her predecessor, Queen Mary, had tried to restore England to a medieval and papal form of Catholicism from 1553 to 1558. It was only under Queen Elizabeth that the Church of England laid claim to Protestant freedom while at the same time maintaining Catholic order.

Today’s re-appraisers (in academic circles they would be called revisionists of history) as quoted by Adam Parker have willfully forgotten that the ecclesiastical formularies of the Elizabethan Settlement - the traditional Book of Common Prayer, the confessional Thirty Nine Articles of Religion, and the series of sermons known as the Homilies - are the very bedrock of Anglican identity, unity and well-being. They cannot be ignored or replaced by sentimental “bonds of affection” devoid of theological doctrine.

Such willful amnesia leads these revisionists to misappropriate Henry VIII as the “founder” (an old canard repeated twice in “A House Divided”) while ignoring the biblical Reformation that did not begin until the reign of Henry’s son Edward VI and was not secured until Elizabeth’s reign.
Henry VIII may, for his own sinful ends, have separated the Church of England from the Papacy, but late-medieval Roman Catholicism required longer, indeed required the blood of the Protestant martyrs, to be reformed.

When biblical doctrine is forgotten as being essential to true unity, the alleged diversity celebrated by today’s revisionists quickly exposes itself as tyranny against biblical Christians. Richard John Neuhaus has identified this sleight of hand in his dictum: “When orthodoxy becomes optional, it soon becomes proscribed.”

Dozens of Episcopal Church dioceses today, in which biblically faithful Christians are marginalized, manifest this tragic irony. Dozens of Episcopal bishops in such dioceses have willfully forgotten that the original Episcopal consecration vows administered until the late 20th century included explicit assent to the following questions:

- Will you then faithfully exercise yourself in the Holy Scriptures, and call upon God by prayer for the true understanding of the same: so that you may be able by them to teach and exhort with wholesome Doctrine, and to withstand and convince the gainsayers?

- Are you ready, with all faithful diligence, to banish and drive away from the Church all erroneous and strange doctrine contrary to God’s Word; and both privately and openly to call upon and encourage others to the same?

The forgetfulness, indeed total disappearance, of such commitment since the new Episcopal Prayer Book was adopted in 1979 has caused many Episcopalians to seek the cover of overseas Anglican bishops in order to remain faithfully rooted in the Catholic order and Protestant freedom of the Anglican Reformation.

Kevin Wilson’s claim that under Queen Elizabeth “no one agreed on theology” is nothing but another example of forgetfulness and denial. The disagreements in that era were minuscule compared with those of Episcopal bishops today who have turned their backs on the theological content of the very vows they swore at their consecration.

For her part, Barbara Mann has forgotten, in her claim that we are not a confessional church, the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion as integral to the well-being of Prayer Book Anglicanism and “established” by the bishops, clergy, and laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America in 1801. Her false claim allows her and others like her to accommodate the church to the world, rather than the world to Christ, against which St. Paul strongly warned in his Epistle to the Romans.

Such amnesia leads Barbara Mann to reduce matters of theological substance to a “power struggle.” As George Marsden has observed: “Without theism … the only effective arbiter of contested moral claims is power.” Thus these revisionists ironically expose their own motivation: they have taken power and have proscribed orthodoxy!

But nothing more clearly exposes forgetfulness of the biblical substance of the Christian Faith than Steve Skardon’s “willingness to reconcile scripture with contemporary society” or Barbara Mann’s assertion that the Holy Spirit and its influence change as people change. This willful amnesia about the Christian faith divorces such revisionists from the biblical assurance that the Word of God, Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
To forget, or rather suppress, the indisputable fact that the Episcopal Church has lost a third of its membership in little more than 30 years (the period of its lemming-like dash to accommodate itself to a post-Christian world), while attacking the leadership of one of the very few dioceses in the Episcopal Church to have grown dramatically in the same period, is bad enough.

But what is not merely forgetful but simply false - and implicitly but also falsely attributed in “A House Divided” to the Rev. Jan Nunley, who has denied it - is the assertion that “African primates were instrumental in getting a resolution passed at the 1988 Lambeth Conference condoning polygamy.” Though polygamy is a fact on the ground among some tribes in Africa, its active practice by converts to Christianity has never been condoned.

Thus the condescending dismissal of some of the most faithful, thoughtful, and evangelically successful bishops in the Anglican Communion, as though they are intellectually and culturally primitive simply because they happen to live in Africa and Asia, is based not on forgetfulness but falsehood. So much by way of dismissal also, no doubt, of Jesus’ own original disciples.
The Diocese of South Carolina, as represented by our retired bishops and our bishop-elect, has not and will not forget or compromise our heritage and well-being - Episcopalian, Anglican and biblically Christian.

The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison is the 12th Bishop of South Carolina (retired). The Very Rev. William N. McKeachie is dean of the Diocese of South Carolina and rector of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paula

BOLIVIAN HERO: CARDINAL JULIO TERRAZAS

A 21st CENTURY PEACEMAKER

He's not an evangelical bible believing christian but Cardinal Terrazas is a bona fide Bolivian hero.

Cardinal Terrazas is the Roman Archbishop of Santa Cruz; he is also the revered head of the Roman heirachy in Bolivia. He was appointed a Cardinal by the previous Pope, John Paul2. A soft spoken and gentle man, he is not one for long speeches nor is he a publicity hound. Bolivians look to him as a calming influence. I can testify to his friendliness and genuine warmth after having met up with him in several ecumenical meetings.

Cardinal Terrazas has, on many occasions, intervened and reconciled warring factions in Bolivia. Almost everyone listens to him. When the previous president, Carlos Mesa resigned, it was Cardinal Terrazas who stepped in and brokered a deal which resolved the explosive question as to who would suceed Mesa.

The current crisis between the governor of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes Villa and the central government has worsened. Terrazas has stepped in again to try and broker a deal between the 2 parties. Its a difficult task. Manfred is holed up in Santa Cruz and will only negotiate with the government under the guidance of Cardenal Terrazas. The government however wants to hold the meeting in Cochabamba. Its all very murky but the people know that the nation's hero is at the helm of this very difficult situation.

BOB JEPSEN

A DIFFERENT SORT OF A HEALING EVANGELIST

Bob Jepsen, an american anglican healing evangelist, came to Santa Cruz last week; he worked with us and the local Vineyard chuch. This was his first visit to Santa Cruz. He ran similar meetings and seminars in the other Bolivian cities where pastors reported some dramatic healings. One boy's enlarged heart shrunk. The doctors claimed a miracle and did not go ahead with the surgery. Another lady was healed of liver cancer. He also went to share the gospel in the local prison where many went to the altar for prayer and ministry.

In Santa Cruz, Bob did a seminar on healing, held night services, met pastors from other churches and preached at our sunday services. His visit was a preparatory step toward a larger series of evangelistic meetings this June. This was a low key exploratory visit focused on leaders and Pastors. Hence the night meetings were not characterized by large crowds. The anointing however was present and many were blessed!

Bob's ministry is quiet and self effacing. He is not loud nor does he have a showy "Pentecostal" edge. A camera-man does not follow him as he ministers; he does'nt raise his voice nor does he tell stories in a way which makes you weep and fall of your chair. Bob is no salesman! He facilitates a corporate anointing which draws others to pray for the sick. His ministry is slow, inclusive and dependant on the worship. His style, on some level, is reminiscent of the way John Wimber used to run his meetings. Lay leaders and pastors don't view Bob as the great visiting evangelist but as a shy dude just like us. Ol' Bob cultivates the "If-he-can-do-it-so-can-I" mentality. And that is perhaps the strength of his minstry. Praise the Lord!!

COCHABAMBA
ERUPTS!

It turned ugly yesterday in Cochabamba, a major Bolivian city. Groups loyal to President Evo Morales clashed with angry Cochabambinos committed to their elected governor Manfred Reyes Villa. Over a 100 people were injured and 2 deaths were recorded. Rioting campesinos, 2 days earlier, stormed the regional governor's offices and set it on fire. This act of vandalism stunned the nation because it enjoyed the tacit approval of elements within the central government. A cabinet minister relieved the Police commander in Cochabamba who tried to break up the actions of the campesinos. She was roundly condemned and had to rescind her decision.

REGIONAL AUTONOMY VS SOCIALISM

At issue is Manfred wanting regional autonomy through a state wide referendum. Santa Cruz successfully pushed through a similar process 3 years ago. The central government headed by Evo Morales view regional autonomy as an erosion of not only their authority but also the loss of funds to finance various government based socialist programmes. Regional autonomy and a strong socialist orientated central government, 2 irreconcilable forces, clash intermittently within the Bolivian socio-political landscape. The movements behind the government headed by Evo Morales view any call for regional autonomy as a veiled attempt to derail the socialist dream of equal opportunities and a just distribution of wealth.

RURAL VS URBAN

The centre of President Evo's support is amongst the campesinos of rural Cochabamaba; they also form the militant wing of Evo's political party and were behind most of the blockades that brought down the previous government. And so when Manfred, the governor of Cochabamba, began using the language of regional autonomy, the campesinos reacted. They blocked off all the routes leading to and from the city of Cochabamba and demanded the resignation of Manfred. Commerce came to a standstill. People could not move freely. It was only a matter of time before the city's food supply would be affected. After nearly 4 tense days of living under such conditions, the city dwellers of Cochabamba took matters into their own hands. They streamed into the streets and fought the campesinos with sticks, chains, shields and knives. Never before has the nation seen civic groups taking on the campesinos. It was a bloody affair!

GOVERNORS vs CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

Sensing a major disaster, the Vice President, Garcia Linera, quickly sent troops to bring order to Cochabamba. Although he sounded conciliatory and was critical of the campesinos, Linera blamed Manfred for the violence. A Senator from the ruling party pointed the finger at radical elements in Santa Cruz for inciting the violence and the clashes. There is some fear the turmoil might spill over into the other major regions of Bolivia. The other governors, together with Manfred, roundly condemned the government and are meeting in the capital city, La Paz, to plan a response. The main civic organization in Santa Cruz is calling for a state wide strike next Tuesday.

The President is due to address the nation today.