Thinking Anglicans

General Synod: Questions about ACNA

The Revd Canon Giles Goddard (Southwark) to ask the Chair of the House of Bishops:

Q. Has an assessment been made of any implications of the appointment of the Revd Tory Baucum as one of Canterbury Cathedral’s Six Preachers from the point of view of the relationship between the Church of England and ACNA (with which the Church of England is not currently in communion)?

The Archbishop of Canterbury to reply as Chair of the House of Bishops:

A. Careful thought and assessment has certainly been given to the appointment of Dr Tory Baucum from the point of view of the relationship between the Church of England and ACNA and also the relationship with The Episcopal Church of course with which the Church of England is in communion, and for that matter with the relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada who feel implicated in this, and also by a number of other churches around the Communion, particularly in the group known as the Global South. An invitation to be a Six Preacher is a personal appointment of the Archbishop and has no implications in itself as to ecclesial relationships. However this particular appointment is of a person who has a distinguished ministry in reconciliation, which he exercises carefully in his context. There was consultation with a number of people and the appointment has been enthusiastically welcomed by the local bishop of The Episcopal Church, bishop, Shannon Johnston, the Bishop of Virginia.

Supplementary question from Canon Goddard:

… Could you just say what steps have been taken to ensure that this appointment is not taken to mean that clergy ordained in this country by overseas bishops, without the permission of the diocesan, are nevertheless recognised in the Church of England.

A. Thank you. I’m straying slightly onto thin ice here. It is true that permission would need to be given under the 1967 Measure, which is presumably what you are thinking about, in order for Tory to preach here. But it will not be breaking new ground, because Tory having been ordained in The Episcopal Church, the permission can be given under Section 1 of the Measure. That is, on the basis that he has been ordained by a bishop of a church in communion with the Church of England. It will not therefore be based upon the recognition and acceptance of the orders conferred by the ACNA.

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James Byron
James Byron
10 years ago

Interesting.

I’m not sure this matters much. If the Anglican Communion continues its move towards conservatism, I can see the ACNA replacing TEC before too long anyway.

In the meantime, why not recognize their orders? Metaphysics aside, orders are just a legal and social construct. Recognizing orders doesn’t imply agreement.

Father Ron Smith
10 years ago

“Tory having been ordained in The Episcopal Church, the permission can be given under Section 1 of the Measure. That is, on the basis that he has been ordained by a bishop of a church in communion with the Church of England. It will not therefore be based upon the recognition and acceptance of the orders conferred by the ACNA.” With all due respect, the first 2 sentences of this reply seem to stray into the area of legerdemain. Tony Baucum’s ordination into TEC has been, surely, side-stepped – by his repudiation of his ministry with that Church? How, then,… Read more »

Bro David
Bro David
10 years ago

Was Mr Baucum deposed by TEC when he left and affiliated with CANA and then ACNA? If so, that would seem to me to supersede any TEC ordination. No?

Lionel Deimel
10 years ago

Last month, Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP) wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury to complain about the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Baucum—see letter at http://progressiveepiscopalians.org/html/2014-01-23_abc-letter.pdf . That letter said, in part, “We urge you to rescind the appointment of Dr. Baucum as one of the Six Preachers of Canterbury Cathedral or, barring that, to clarify that the appointment is of a personal nature unrelated to the church (or churches) in which the honoree is a priest.” Whereas PEP probably cannot take credit for the reported statement from Dr. Welby regarding the nature of the appointment, we are nonetheless gratified… Read more »

JNWALL
JNWALL
10 years ago

The camel’s nose is under the tent. Granted that ACNA has a large number of supporters in the CofE, the Church of England has consistently sided with good order, discipline, and stability, and not given the benefit of recognition to dissenters from The Episcopal Church. If the CofE changes this policy and recognizes dissidents like the ACNA as part of the Anglican Communion, then chaos has come again. We can expect there to be alternative “Churches of England” springing up in the UK over any number of issues. One knows what is on offer — the property disputes should make… Read more »

Paul T.
Paul T.
10 years ago

The Bishop of Virginia is the Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston. With a “T.” If you’re to invoke his name, at least get it right!

Editor: CORRECTED thank you.

Graham Ward
Graham Ward
10 years ago

This does appear to be a wonderfully chewy piece of Anglican Fudge, allowing someone to be simultaneously in communion and out of communion.

Sara MacVane
Sara MacVane
10 years ago

Why doesn’t the ABC appoint someone from the ‘Traditional Anglican Church of Britain’ as one of the 6 preachers at Canterbury Cathedral? How would ya’ll like that?

James Byron
James Byron
10 years ago

Personally, Sara MacVane, I wouldn’t care much either way. Others who place more stock in orders will of course differ.

Cynthia
Cynthia
10 years ago

It’s an offensive appointment. Not that anyone in TEC expects much out of any ABC.

Paul Powers
Paul Powers
10 years ago

According to Mary Ailes, who blogs under the name “Baby Blue,” +Baucum is canonically resident in the Diocese of London and has been licensed by Bishop Guernsey to serve in the ACNA Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. As far as I know, the Diocese of London is still in communion with the See of Canterbury.

http://babybluecafe.blogspot.com/2013/03/truro-anglican-church-vestry-releases.html

Concerned Anglican
Concerned Anglican
10 years ago

I understand from my sources that Archbishop Welby may not have consulted quite as thoroughly as he implies on this one. I have also heard in person from TEC bishops that they were taken aback and shocked by what Justin Welby did in making the appointment. It does seem to have been an exercise in well meant but naive thinking that supposed that this is how ‘reconciliation’ is achieved when the opposite is true. Let’s imagine that a large conservative Evangelical parish in say the Diocese of London splits away over something or other and that its incumbent is then… Read more »

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