The Guardian considers John Betjeman’s poetry in a Face to Faith column by Terry Philpot.
So also does Charles Moore in a Telegraph column.
Christopher Howse has written about The Vatican’s war of words. For more on this, the Tablet article by Arthur Roche is here.
In The Times Ziauddin Sardar discusses Hezbollah.
Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times about Dewi Zephaniah Phillips.
26 CommentsHere is another part of the interview. See earlier part here.This interview by Melvyn Bragg of the Archbishop of Canterbury was originally screened on 19 June 2005.
The full transcript of the section dealing with women bishops can be found here. This is reproduced with ITV’s permission.
2 CommentsThe Church Times has this article: Dr Williams invites US bishops to an exchange of views by Pat Ashworth
The Church of England Newspaper has these articles:
New York summit to bridge American divide by George Conger
Not everything is negotiable ,says Archbishop by Ed Beavan
Martyn Minns consecrated a Nigerian Bishop in US
Pat Ashworth reports in today’s Church Times that Anxiety about Zimbabwe diocese grows. An excerpt:
FEARS of a crisis similar to the one in Harare are being voiced about the election of a new Bishop of Manicaland, the largest diocese in Zimbabwe. The Archbishop of Central Africa, the Most Revd Bernard Malango, has called on church members to “desist from rigging elections and doctoring documents”.
Archbishop Malango was in Mutare last weekend for the election of members to the elective assembly, the body that will choose the new bishop. The election was cancelled at the last minute in June, after allegations of vote-rigging were confirmed ( News, 14 July). Documents had been tampered with to remove two names and substitute others who had not been elected to the assembly. The election was presided over by Mr Justice Kailaile, the judge who abandoned the trial of the Bishop of Harare, the Rt Revd Nolbert Kunonga, last year.
Insiders say that four of the six members on the assembly are interested in becoming Bishop. A source said on Tuesday: “How are they going to be able to do their assignment in a just, righteous, dignified, transparent, and professional manner when they are interested parties? Another problem, like the one in Harare diocese, is likely to occur.”
The earlier report is here.
2 CommentsUpdated Friday and again Monday
The Living Church reports that a Letter from Russian Orthodox Church Suggests Overture to the Network.
The letter itself can be read in full here. A related news article from the same website is here: Moscow Patriarchate in solidarity with American Episcopalian bishops who refused to support the woman leader of their Church.
There does seem to be a bit of confusion here. The report by George Conger notes that:
While two of the dioceses that have requested APO, Fort Worth and San Joaquin, do not ordain women to the priesthood, and were motivated to seek APO in part by the election of the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop, the primary reason set out in the consolidated request for intervention by Archbishop Rowan Williams for the seven dioceses was concern with her doctrinal views, not her gender.
And as noted elsewhere, it does seem odd that the author of this letter apparently thinks that Bishops Duncan and Salmon object to the PB-elect based specifically on her gender, but does not include Bishop Jack Iker (whose objections have been equally publicised in the mass media), or Bishop Keith Ackerman (whose position is well known, but whose diocese has not yet taken similar public action).
Update Friday
Bishop Duncan has replied to this letter: see press release here, with links to full text of the reply (PDF format) in both English and Russian.
Update Monday
Some press reports of this:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Episcopal Diocese: Russians explore restoring relations
Associated Press Russian church offers to restore ties with conservative dioceses
There is a further Living Church report, Network Welcomes Russian Orthodox Dialogue Proposal.
22 CommentsLast weekend, ITV had a repeat showing of the major interview by Melvyn Bragg of the Archbishop of Canterbury that was originally screened on 19 June 2005.
The full transcript of the section of this interview dealing with homosexuality can be found here. This is reproduced with ITV’s permission.
10 CommentsUpdated Thursday
The Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold has issued via ENS a statement concerning the meeting announced by the ACO last week: Comment from the Presiding Bishop on September meeting. The main part of what he says is this:
I have become aware of a great deal of speculation regarding a meeting that will take place in New York in mid-September. I would like, therefore, to offer a few clarifying words on what has been conceived as an opportunity for those of differing perspectives to come together in a spirit of mutual respect to exchange views.
Shortly after the General Convention, Kenneth Kearon, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, shared with me some conversations he had had with the Archbishop of Canterbury regarding the whole notion of “alternative primatial oversight” and the difficulty in making a response. Though application for the same had been made to the Archbishop, it was clear in our conversation that the Archbishop, though symbolic head of the Anglican Communion, has no direct authority over the internal life of the Provinces that make up the Communion. Canon Kearon’s point was that such requests needed to be discussed and a resolution be sought within the Episcopal Church itself. We agreed that the most helpful next step might be to have a candid conversation to include the Presiding Bishop-elect and me together with bishops who have expressed a need for “alternative primatial oversight,” and to have Canon Kearon join with us in the conversations. Bishops Duncan and Iker were then asked to be participants. We also agreed that the group might be expanded by other bishops to be chosen by the participants themselves. Bishops Duncan and Iker invited Bishops Salmon, Stanton and Wimberly to take part. I have asked Bishops Henderson, O’Neill and Sisk. This is the genesis of the meeting now set for mid-September. Bishop Peter Lee was asked to serve as convener and he in turn thought it would be helpful were he joined by a bishop known to have views different from his own. Accordingly, Bishop John Lipscomb was also asked to serve as convener. Whether or not this is the first in a series or in fact a one-time conversation will be decided by the group itself…
Jim Naughton has commented about this at Daily Episcopalian in The Guest List.
I don’t know whether it is significant that none of the bishops who opposed the “manner of life” resolution — passed on the last day of General Convention and meant to insure our ongoing involvement in conversations regarding the future of the Anglican Communion — have been invited. But any meeting which requires a conservative counterweight to the resolutely centerist Peter Lee of Virginia (see the statement) is weighted heavily to one side.
My hunch is that the composition of this group will give momentum to an argument/fear already abroad in liberal circles: that when push comes our elected episcopal leadership may well betray the convictions of the majorities that elected them for the sake of what they perceive to be our institutional viability.
I am not suggesting that a betrayal is in the works, but this matter continues to be handled on both sides of the ocean in a way certain to demoralize the Church’s left/center majority.
I would feel a lot better about this meeting if some lay people, such as Bonnie Anderson, president of the House of Deputies, were involved.
The Living Church has reported the statement here.
Update In an email published here, Gregory Cameron has written:
…The meeting in September to which you refer has been convened precisely so that bishops who are asking for alternative primatial oversight can meet with their current primate and his successor to determine from within the Episcopal Church the best way forward. While the Archbishop of Canterbury had a role in establishing this meeting, and will be represented at it by the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, it is intended to allow the Episcopal Church to reach its own conclusions, and does not represent any independent action by the Archbishop of Canterbury at all…
G K Cameron
Deputy Secretary General
Anglican Communion Office
This was in reply to an email which is reproduced here.
George Conger has a report in the CEN New York summit to bridge American divide.
17 CommentsThe candidates were announced earlier.
The Right Reverend Dr Philip Freier has been elected by an overwhelming majority as the new Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne.
Diocesan press release, and ACNS copy of it.
Three newspaper reports in the Melbourne Age from Barney Zwartz:
Church pursues quest for leader
NT bishop favoured as Anglican leader
City’s Anglican bishop named
Updated again Thursday morning
The United States District Court has dismissed the case brought against the Diocese of Connecticut by the “Connecticut Six”. The full ruling can be read as a PDF file, which is available here.
A press release from the Diocese says:
A federal lawsuit filed against Connecticut Episcopal Bishop Andrew D. Smith was dismissed by a judge in a ruling yesterday, August 21.
The civil suit was filed last September by clergy and lay people from six Episcopal parishes (among 176) in Connecticut, against Bishop Smith and others, including the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church USA. The lawsuit accused them of depriving the six plaintiff parishes of their rights, under the First, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, and sought to have a state law that provided for corporate organization of the Episcopal Church declared unconstitutional.
The plaintiff parishes included lay members from St. Paul’s, Darien; Bishop Seabury, Groton; Christ Church, Watertown; Trinity, Bristol; Christ & the Epiphany, East Haven; and St. John’s, Bristol, and clergy from five of those parishes. All six had been in dispute with the Bishop and Diocese over Episcopal authority and jurisdiction. The conflict started in late 2003 with theological differences. As an accommodation to those differences, Bishop Smith offered Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO) in early 2004 but it was not accepted by any of the six parishes. The suit was filed after the actions of the bishop in July 2005, when he intervened at St. John’s in Bristol, inhibiting the priest and installing a priest-in-charge and an administrator.
In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Janet B. Arterton concluded that the bishop acted under canon law, and that the claims by the plaintiffs lacked an essential element justifying a federal suit. Several other claims filed under Connecticut tort law were also dismissed by the federal judge.
Bishop Andrew D. Smith, who is currently out of the state, was reached late yesterday and notified of the court’s decision. In a statement of response he said:
“I am gratified by the decision of Judge Arterton that it is inappropriate to seek federal intervention in a matter of church life and governance. Non-interference by civil authorities in religious matters is a constitutional foundation of our nation and I trust that those members of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut who appealed to the courts will recognize the significance of this ruling and will seek to live in communion with their Bishop and this Church.”
Update
There is also an ENS release: Federal judge dismisses Connecticut lawsuit. This contains a lot more detail and adds the information that:
The six congregations also appealed to the Panel of Reference established by the Archbishop of Canterbury in response to a request of the Primates at Dromantine, Northern Ireland, in February 2005. The Archbishop of Canterbury withdrew the reference to the Panel in May 2006 until the civil case was resolved, citing the decision of the Panel not to consider references where civil cases are in process.
Update Wednesday
The American Anglican Council has issued a “Connecticut Six press release”: Connecticut Six Clarify Status of Civil Litigation. Now also on the CT Six site.
There are also two local newspaper reports: Lawsuit Against Bishop Dismissed and Federal judge dismisses lawsuit over gay Episcopal priest battle.
Update Thursday
The Church of England Newspaper has this report by George Conger Connecticut court case against Bishop thrown out.
Stand Firm has an interview with the Bishop of Fort Worth, Jack Iker
Read it all here.
Rowan Williams gave an interview to the Dutch newspaper Nederlands Dagblad.
Here is the English translation which is titled The Church is not inclusive.
There is also a news article ‘Church is split by gay movement’s impatience’.
The Telegraph has a short news item by Jonathan Petre headlined Archbishop fears gay divide.
53 CommentsAlthough TA reported promptly on the election of Martyn Minns as a Nigerian bishop, on 28 June, we failed to link to the Truro Church press statement, timestamped 1.00 pm the same day, and Vestry letter (PDF) dated the same day, and subsequently made available on the Truro website. The Vestry letter says in part:
14 CommentsWe are writing to you, late at night, as we’ve just completed a special meeting of Truro’s vestry to hear about this development. At the close of this meeting the vestry unanimously agreed to give Martyn their vote of endorsement for him to accept this call.
But Martyn’s not going anywhere. The vestry also decided to give Martyn their unanimous endorsement to continue as rector of Truro until we have our next rector in place. As it so happens, CANA is a small enough organization that the requirements on Martyn will initially be relatively light. He will basically be functioning as a pastor to the CANA pastors. Our signatures below indicated that we completely support Martyn in all of these actions. Furthermore, all of this information, including our desire for Martyn to remain as rector until his successor is in place, has been communicated to Bishop Lee.
Updated twice Monday
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has a report, with pictures, of the episcopal consecrations which took place there today: Consecration: ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP CHARGES CHRISTIANS TO DEFEND THE FAITH.
Click on the pictures there, for larger versions.
Update Here is a Nigerian Sun newspaper report, dated Monday though apparently written prior to the service.
Gay bishop controversy: Church of Nigeria moves to save Nigerians in the US:
…According to Akinola: “The Anglican Church in America has been torn apart by the controversial ordination of an open gay Priest, Gene Robinson as a bishop of new Hampshire in 2003. The years following that unfortunate incident have been traumatic for the entire Anglican Communion. The recent decisions of TEC’s general convention held in June, has put US Anglican Churches on a seeming disintegration and a major re-alignment.
“Already seven dioceses in TEC depressed by the dangerous voyage of the Episcopal church, have requested for an immediate alternative primatial oversight and pastoral care. They include the dioceses of Central florida, Fort Worht (Texas) Pittsburgh, Springfield. (Illinois), san Joaquin (California) South California and Diocese of Dallas. Indications are that many more are itching to leave the Episcopal Church” the primate added.
Akinola who leads about 20 million of the 77 million Anglicans worldwide pointed out that “with the establishment of CANA in April 2005, and the sending of a missionary Bishop to Congo in October 2005, and the commencement of a non – geographic nomadic mission in August 2006, the power of God is working his purpose out.
“CANA was first announced after full consultation with the Nigerian congregations in America, with the enthusiastic endorsement of the Episcopal Synod and standing committee of the Church of Nigeria. The intention is not to challenge or intervene in the Churches of Ecusa and in Anglican Church of Canada, but rather to provide a safe harbour for those who can no longer find their spiritual home in those churches” he maintained.
Akinola stated that the church of Nigeria had deliberately held back from this action (sending a bishop for CANA) until now, because as according to him, “It hoped that the Episcopal church of USA would heed the cry of the Anglican Communion as expressed in the essential elements of the Windsor report and the dromantine communique, which recommended that the US Church halt the further election of openly gay Bishops. “But the actions of their (ECUSA) last convention held in June 2006 showed that they were far from turning back. Infact, they are even more committed to pursuing their unbiblical revisionist agenda. That is why a Bishop to America has become inevitable you cannot serve God and Mammon,” he asserted…
The NACDAP/ACN has a press release:Network Welcomes Consecration of Bishop Minns.
The American Anglican Council now also has a press release with pictures from Abuja of yesterday’s event: Nigeria Consecrations in Abuja Include Bishop Martyn Minns of U.S. The wording is the same as here, but the pictures are different.
This report from Voice of America Anglican Church of Nigeria Installs Bishop From America
10 CommentsIn June, I linked here to the article for the Church Times that I wrote about the latest DTI consultation Getting Equal on outlawing discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation throughout the UK in the provision of goods and services.
Since then, the Roman Catholic Bishops of England and Wales also published their response to the DTI consultation. You can read it here (PDF ) and also the covering letter (another PDF). It is far more restrained in its language than the response from Anglican Mainstream or the even more extreme response of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship.
One specific RC concern is to do with child adoption services. This week, The Tablet has an interesting article which discusses how this issue has been handled by Roman Catholics in the USA: Dilemma of gay adoption by Terry Philpot. (Access to this PDF article is free, but requires registration.)
There is a related news report (only available on the web by subscription) concerning opposition to the anticipated regulations from the Scottish RC bishops on this score. But there is no mention there of the English RC objections which are contained in the document linked above. A Scottish RC press release is here.
The DTI response to the consultation is expected 12 weeks after the closure date of 5 June. That could be next week. This response will then be followed by the publication of draft regulations for parliamentary approval in October.
1 CommentThe XVI International Aids Conference has just concluded in Toronto.
The Anglican Journal has extensive coverage of this including:
In the age of AIDS, can theology kill?
Faith communities call for action on AIDS
The Diocese of Toronto also has coverage that includes:
Faith communities can eradicate HIV/AIDS stigma
Religious leaders who are HIV-positive share stories
Here in the UK, Ekklesia had Zimbabwean HIV+ woman helps young people Choose Life and there is more at Tearfund.
1 CommentThe NACDAP/Anglican Communion Network has been very active in promoting an alliance with other North American groups, which has been named Common Cause. See the original June 2004 announcement. The partners so far have been eight in number and are listed here.
And now, CANA is to become number 9 in this list. This is noted in the latest report on Roundtable Drafts Articles for a Common Cause Federation:
The Common Cause Roundtable which represents nine orthodox Anglican jurisdictions and organizations in North America met in Pittsburgh August 16–18, 2006 to continue its unifying work. The Common Cause Roundtable Partners accomplished three major tasks:
- affirmed their Covenant Declaration;
- amended and approved the Theological Statement of the Common Cause Partnership; and,
- recommended the formation of the Common Cause Federation (CCF).
…One of the actions of the Common Cause Partners’ meeting was to include the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) as the ninth roundtable partner.
The partners also affirmed this COVENANT DECLARATION OF THE COMMON CAUSE PARTNERS:
We intend by God’s grace:
- to partner together in a renewed missionary effort in North America and beyond, driven by our passion for Jesus and His Gospel.
- to ensure an orthodox Anglican Province in North America that remains connected to a faithful global Communion.
- to create a unity in the essentials of our Anglican faith that respects our varied styles and expressions.
- to build trusting relationships marked by effective coordination, collaboration, and communication.
Mark Harris discusses all of this here. He notes that:
The careful reader will note the singular “an orthodox Anglican Province” and “a faithful global Communion.”
The ends are clear – one province (not by the way The Episcopal Church or the Anglican Church of Canada) for all of North America, and related to an unspecified “global Comunion” (not by the way necessarily connected to communion with the see of Canterbury.)
Somewhat curiously for Americans, given ECUSA’s history on these points, the Theological Statement now contains:
6. We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and, with the Books which preceded it, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship.
7. We receive the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1562, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, as expressing the Anglican response to certain doctrinal issues controverted at that time, and as expressing the fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief.
Mark Harris explains how these wordings differ from the earlier draft.
11 CommentsGuardian Glynn Cardy writes that Church liturgy needs to use more metaphors in order to help people communicate with God in new ways, in Face to Faith.
And Evolution forgot the democratic process by Barbara Toner which is a follow-up to this earlier article by Harriet Swain: How did we get here?
Telegraph Christopher Howse on Compo’s gimcrack Gothic chapel.
The Times Roderick Strange writes that A discriminating discrimination is one of the seven pillars of wisdom. Also, Darren Oldridge says that It takes two to beat words into ploughshares.
1 CommentUpdated Saturday
The Anglican Communion Office has issued this statement:
Following consultation with the Presiding Bishop the Archbishop of Canterbury has asked Bishop Peter Lee of Virginia and Bishop John Lipscomb of Southwest Florida to convene a small group of bishops from the Episcopal Church (USA) to meet together to discuss some of the difficult issues facing the Church and to explore possible resolutions. Along with Bishop Griswold, those invited include Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop Bob Duncan, and Bishop Jack Iker . The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion will also attend. The first meeting will be taking place in New York in the first half of September.
Update
This statement from Bishop Jack Iker indicates that others will be attending: including Bishops Salmon (South Carolina, retired but now acting bishop until the new election occurs) and Stanton (Dallas):
…In accordance with the Archbishop’s instructions, we are each to bring along another Bishop to share in these deliberations, and we have asked Bishop Ed Salmon of South Carolina and Bishop James Stanton of Dallas to join us. All four of us are member Bishops in the Anglican Communion Network and our dioceses have requested alternative primatial oversight from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
We are grateful to the Archbishop of Canterbury for his efforts to broker a cease fire in our current conflicts and to assist us in finding a way to work through the impasse we have reached. If things go well at this initial meeting, additional dates have been set aside to continue our deliberations in the future. Your prayers are asked for the participants as we seek a way forward for a church in crisis.
Update
Episcopal News Service has issued this news report by Mary Frances Schjonberg Communion representative to confer with some Episcopal Church bishops:
…The meeting has been in the works since the Episcopal Church’s 75th General Convention in June, according to Canon James M Rosenthal, director of communications in the Anglican Communion Office.
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, attended the convention. At the time he commended the Episcopal Church for the “very careful way they have taken seriously the requests of the Windsor Report, and you see this seriousness in the way that business is being conducted on this particular issue at Convention.”
Rosenthal said that Kearon will be “facilitating” the meeting in September.
He added that the Anglican Communion Office is a “very proper and appropriate place to begin” a conversation of this importance.
“The Anglican Communion Office has been responsible for many of the meetings and committees that have been given the portfolio for concerns of church unity in the midst of our diversity,” Rosenthal said. “This meeting could well be an important step in that continuing work…”
Update
Rachel Zoll of Associated Press managed to speak to Bishop Lee:
…Virginia Bishop Peter Lee, who is among the six U.S. invitees, said the participants “have agreed not to talk at length with the press” about the gathering.
“The archbishop of Canterbury is encouraging American bishops to try to work on these questions,” Lee said in a phone interview. “We’re trying to hold together people who have differing views and to respect those differing views.”
Update Saturday
The Living Church has a report: Bishop Iker: Bishops’ Summit May Provide Clarity:
“Obviously I have my reservations about how productive a meeting like this can be,” Bishop Iker told The Living Church. “I think it is significant that I have heard nothing from either the Presiding Bishop or Katharine Jefferts Schori since General Convention. To me this indicates that he [Archbishop Williams] is trying to respond to a pastoral situation and they are trying as hard as they can to ignore it.”
Bishop Iker said he was first contacted by Lambeth Palace more than two weeks ago and asked if he would be willing to participate in a meeting designed to “facilitate a solution” to the current controversy and division within The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. In addition to bishops Iker, Lee and Lipscomb, invitations to the mid-September meeting in New York have been extended to Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, Dallas Bishop James Stanton, the Rt. Rev. Edward L. Salmon, Jr., acting Bishop of South Carolina, and the Rt. Rev. Don E. Wimberly, Bishop of Texas.
Bishop Wimberly previously called for a consultation in Texas of all bishops who are willing to stand firmly with the recommendations of the Windsor Report. The consultation is scheduled to begin after the meeting in New York City.
“Four of the seven bishops who asked for APO will be there,” Bishop Iker said. “I believe everyone should see the consolidated APO request before the meeting and I would hope we could come away with a clear statement of what APO should look like as well as an assurance that it will be provided.”
The Diocese of Southwest Florida has two related reports:Bishop: Ties to American church, Canterbury to remain and High-level meeting called to discuss resolutions to ‘difficult issues’
31 CommentsThere are no new reports relating to the Minns consecration in today’s Church Times but Paul Handley’s interview with Bishop Peter Lee that I mentioned last week, is now on the web: ‘Lawsuits would be unbiblical’ says Bishop Lee.
The Church of England Newspaper also has no further news about the consecration on its website but it does have an interesting story about the Nigerian church by George Conger: Nigeria’s Hezbollah fears. See the original press release here.
But the most interesting report is on the Nigerian provincial website itself: Coming Over to America to Help:
36 CommentsComing Over to America to Help
A Background to the Nigerian Mission to America.
CONN/0530806
Thousands of Anglicans in North America have long watched with dismay as their much loved Churches slid from the known teachings of the Bible to that which seems to conform more to the ideas of civil society groups.
Questionable doctrines include teachings that;
- Imply the Creator God is unable to decide whether he wanted to make a person male or female.
- Portray Jesus the Christ as only ‘a way’ out of ‘many paths’ to God instead of THE WAY. John 14:6
- Love of a person means acceptance and love of the person’s sins.
- The Holy Spirit stopped convincing of sin (John 19: 8 ) and became a dispensable adviser.
- The Holy Scriptures lost relevance as the ‘developed industrialized world’ could respond to many human problems.
- Different people could propound any new teaching as long as it makes the listeners feel good. 2Tim 3:3-4
- Heaven and hell are figurative languages used in the bible as it is wrong to frighten people with such old ideas in the modern world.
- Mission and ministry assumed new meanings.
Many Nigerians in the US found it increasingly difficult to identify with the Anglican communities, and thus found themselves worshiping in other denominations.
When a Canadian diocese approved church ceremonies to allow homosexuals exchange marital vows and The Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA) followed by consecrating a practicing homosexual as a bishop, the spiritual life of many got threatened, and the Church of Nigeria became concerned.
“For us it is crucial and most urgent that we find ways of providing alternative avenues for the thousands of Nigerian Anglicans who live and work beyond our shores,” said Archbishop Peter Akinola, at the Standing Committee meeting of the Church in Ilesa, March 2004.
What started as an outreach to provide a safe harbour for Nigerians soon became overwhelmed with requests for participation and the Convocation for Anglicans in North America (CANA) was born. Announcing the formation of the Convocation in April 2005, Archbishop Akinola wrote:
“Our intention is not to challenge or intervene in the churches of ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada but rather to provide safe harbour for those who can no longer find their spiritual home in those churches”
In September 2005 at the 8th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria, the necessary constitutional changes were made to permit the formal establishment of the Convocation in the USA and by November the necessary legal framework to establish CANA as a recognized Anglican Church structure in the USA was completed. Abraham N. Yisa, Esq., Registrar of the Church of Nigeria was appointed chairman of the board of trustees, Chief Gboyega Delano of Chicago, the secretary and Mrs. Patience Oruh of Maryland, the treasurer for CANA. The Rev. Canon Nathan Kanu was appointed the interim communicator, and some Nigerian bishops were delegated to give Episcopal oversight.
In November, the Church of Nigeria entered into a covenant agreement with the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America. These are two Churches spread over the US that had also separated from ECUSA on doctrinal issues. Though their bishops and some other faithful bishops in the US continued to be very supportive of the Nigerian initiative, the need to have a US- based Bishop for the growing convocation became more apparent over time, as the ECUSA remained unwilling to change course.
In June 2006, the House of Bishops of the Church of Nigeria met to among other things, elect bishops to fill vacant Sees after which the names of four new bishops-elect including that of the first CANA bishop was announced. Also a committee led by the Rt. Rev Benjamin Kwashi, Bishop of Jos and including the Rt. Rev Segun Okubadejo, bishop of Ibadan North and the Rt. Rev Ikechi Nwosu, bishop of Umuahia, was appointed to supervise the CANA mission.
The consecration service for the Rev. Canon Martyn Minns as Bishop in the Church of God for the CANA is on Sunday, 20th August 2006.
(Church of Nigeria News)
Episcopal News Service has published a report about CANA in today’s Diocesan Digest. Scroll down that page to find it. The item is titled VIRGINIA: Bishop, US rector elected as Nigerian bishop ‘in conversation’.
The letter from Bishop Peter Lee is now published on the Virginia diocesan website.
An earlier report from ENS makes interesting reading now. This was published in October 2004, shortly before the publication of the Windsor Report: Canterbury says Akinola’s convocation plan not approved by Williams (emphasis added):
… Akinola said he had spoken with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams about the convocation and that Williams had told him, “I wish that you would do this with the Network” of Anglican Dioceses and Parishes, or NACDAP. So, he said, the convocation will be conducted in what Truro’s rector Martyn Minns described as a “partnership” with NACDAP.
Reached on Wednesday, Archbishop Williams’ press secretary, the Rev. Jonathan Jennings, released a brief statement: “The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, and Archbishop Akinola have discussed difficulties for some Nigerian congregations in the USA arising from the General Convention decision and the consecration of Gene Robinson. Whilst the issue and its presenting difficulties were discussed, and the role of the ‘network’ raised as providing a possible solution within the structures of ECUSA, the possibility of a Nigerian convocation in the United States and of the Nigerian House of Bishops commending, recommending or choosing a bishop was not raised and formed no part of these discussions…
The only newspaper account I can find of the press conference on 5 October 2004 is this: Nigerian bishop forms U.S. denomination.
5 Comments