The Traditional Anglican Communion College of Bishops

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 1, 2012

THE TRADITIONAL ANGLICAN COMMUNION COLLEGE OF BISHOPS

The members of the Traditional Anglican Communion (hereafter referred to as TAC) College of Bishops met at St. George Conference Center outside Johannesburg, South Africa between February 28 – March 1, 2012 for the purpose of transacting the business of the Church and of discerning a new direction for the Communion. The business was conducted strictly in accordance with the TAC Concordat.

The College of Bishops, the highest legislative body within the Communion, affirmed by resolution its faithfulness to the TAC. The TAC will remain fully Anglican. While it receives, with thanks, the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus from the Holy See, the TAC College of Bishops has voted as a Communion to decline the invitation.

This meeting of the College of Bishops was long overdue. Over the past two years, several members of the College of Bishops had requested of the Primate an urgent meeting of the College. Anglicanorum Coetibus or the Apostolic Constitution, for example, had never been discussed or debated within the College of Bishops. Meetings of the College of Bishops had, in fact, been scheduled at least twice over the past two years. Most recently, a meeting was called by the TAC Primate for mid 2011. This meeting was canceled abruptly by the Primate. Accordingly, the meeting in Johannesburg was voted to be the overdue meeting of the College of Bishops.

Members of the College met in a spirit of prayer and with a desire to discern God’s will for the TAC. A majority of active Bishops and Vicars General who hold voice and vote attended the meeting and made several decisions of immediate import to the TAC.

The College of Bishops voted unanimously to accept the resignation of John Hepworth as TAC Primate by resolution that states: “it is resolved that he cease to hold the office of Primate immediately.” Archbishop John Hepworth vacates the Office he has held since 2003, along with the individual appointments which are the prerogatives of that Office. Such offices and positions are now vacant and subject to reappointment.

Archbishop Samuel Prakash, as the senior active Metropolitan, was elected Acting Primate by acclamation. In so doing, the entire assembly expressed complete confidence in Archbishop Prakash, who was consecrated Bishop in 1984 and currently serves as Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of India. Archbishop Prakash was one of the original founding Bishops of the TAC.

Bishop Michael Gill was appointed Secretary of the College of Bishops.

During its three day meeting, the College of Bishops passed several resolutions relating to the International Anglican Fellowship, Episcopal Oversight and Ecumenical relations between Continuing jurisdictions. Several appointments were made by the Acting Primate.

There was a strong feeling among the members of the College of Bishops that a new direction had been taken by the TAC.

The level of attendance at this College of Bishops meeting was exceptional. Every Bishop and Vicar General in the Traditional Anglican Communion was invited to attend this meeting. Of the twenty active bishops, twelve voted in session. Nine of the twelve churches were represented.

Finally, and most importantly, the College of Bishops resolved to commit itself to Mission and Evangelism, recognizing that the central purpose of God’s people is to bring others to Christ. Several moving statements were made by members about the need to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world deeply in need of hearing it. A program of equipping the saints for the work of Evangelism was supported by the College of Bishops with enthusiasm.