GAFCON Geography

Susan S., a sweet soprano of superlative sagacity asked a question in yesterday’s comments which tore at my heartstrings, for it illustrated perfectly how apostate liberals have been hiding GAFCON’s refreshing clarity from faithful children like her. She asked:

I am afraid that I do not know the differences(if any) between The Southern Cone, The Global South, and The misnamed (I'm sure) GAFCON.

The answer to this is, of course, simplicity itself, and I believe GAFCON geography to be a powerful tool for evangelism which should eventually see countless numbers won for orthodoxy, and possibly even some for Christ.

The first thing to understand is that “The Southern Cone” and “The Global South” refer to the same thing, unless one is talking about the Province of the Southern Cone, which is distinct from the Southern Cone, which is another name for the Global South, of which the Province of the Southern Cone is a part.

Of the two, only the Southern Cone Province is based in the southern hemisphere, as the Global South is based either in Nigeria or wherever Martyn Minns has plugged in his notepad. With 6 parishes in Vancouver, the Southern Cone’s influence extends further north than that of the Global South, which does, however, have a stronger presence in North America, particularly in the south. Most of the north is not in the south, although the majority of the south is still in the north. Pittsburgh is soon expected to move south, after which it will be south of Atlanta, which is firmly in the north.

The pattern throughout the rest of the world is not dissimilar. In Africa most of the North East is in the south, while South Africa is in the north. In Australia, which is south of everywhere except New Zealand (which is in the north), dioceses to the south of Sydney are in the north, while Sydney is a highly influential member of the Southern Cone, although has no intention of realigning with the Southern Cone. The diocese of Northwest Australia is in the global south, like Singapore to the north, which is also in the south. The United Kingdom is almost exclusively in the north, although groups like “Reform” claim to be in the south, and have begun accusing the northern Bishop of Durham, who was once firmly seen as in the south, as having sold out to the north.

GAFCON, on the other hand, tried to present itself as neither north nor south, although the majority of those attending travelled south from the north to do so. From the Jerusalem conference there emerged a clear sense of identification with the south, which was of no surprise to the north. As a result GAFCON decided to call itself “FOCA”, which has since been changed to “FCA” so that the north will stop making rude jokes. It is open to Christians from everywhere, although only those from the south (including those living in the north) would want to join, and leadership is limited to a few southern primates, all of whom are eager to move north while staying in the south.

See how much simpler it all is than the old system, in which diocese and provinces were constructed purely upon regional, national, and continental lines?

I’m Father Christian and I teach the Bible.