The following report appeared in a Canadian newspaper, the National Post. The article was titled Breakaway Anglicans to form own body.
Dissident Anglican churches in Canada and the United States say they will form a new conservative jurisdiction in the next year, adding that the Archbishop of Canterbury has lost the moral authority to have any real say in blocking the radical move.
Parishes that have left their national churches over the issue of same-sex marriage and a general trend toward liberalism want to create a single “province” that would report to a conservative North American bishop who shares their values.
“I believe the next year will be critical,” said Rev. Peter Frank, a spokesman for the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, which voted last month to leave the U.S. Episcopal Church. “The first proposals will be formed in the very near term, in a matter of weeks, frankly.”
Mr. Frank said that any opposition from Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, will be moot because the spiritual head of Anglicanism has lost his moral authority.
“Frankly, [he] is not in a position to do anything. At this point, the leaders of a majority of the world’s Anglicans are going to recognize us when we [separate].”
But he added it would make it more difficult if Mr. Williams did not give his blessing.
I would have thought official recognition of a new Province should come from the ACC-and surely it would require General Synod approval for the Church of England as a body to enter into full communion with this province since it would have legal implications if clergy from it wished to function within the C of E.I think these people have a curious view of the powers of the Abp of C.
“But he added it would make it more difficult if Mr. Williams did not give his blessing.”
Like, maybe, impossible? The definition of the Anglican Communion is those churches in communion with the See of Canterbury. If this new “province” is not in communion with AoC, how can it be Anglican?
Isn’t it funny how people lose “moral authority” whenever they disagree with us or fail to champion our own pet causes? What a coincidence that it should be so.
ABC has certainly not lost his authority, but he would surely lose it if he recognized a break-away group, regardless of what Akinola or Venables do.
“Dissident Anglican churches in Canada and the United States say they will form a new conservative jurisdiction in the next year, adding that the Archbishop of Canterbury has lost the moral authority to have any real say in blocking the radical move” – Pittsburg Dissidents Perhaps it is as well that the authors of this statement have used the lower case “c” for the self-proclaimed ‘dissident churches’ they have described here as looking to form a conservative jurisdiction next year in the USA and Canada. Their dismissive reference to the Archibshop of Canterbury, as having lost any moral authority to… Read more »
“Just do not let them claim the title of ‘Anglican’ – which carries with it a claim to a more broad theology and spirituality, in line with the call of Jesus and the Gospel.” Too late. See the list of self-proclaimed “Anglican” churches on Anglicans On Line’s web site. If I wanted to declare my kitten, Peaches, and me The Newly Reformed and Ultra-Orthodox Anglican Church of the Holy Catnip, nobody could stop me. A while ago I assisted at the burial office for a priest of High Church leanings, and Peaches was just enthralled by the odor of incense… Read more »
“So said church would have to have smells and bells.” Cynthia Gilliatt
Better than happy-clappy and sappy.
Kurt in Brooklyn, NY
The real waiting questions all involve whether not having to rub shoulders – with queer folks, progressive believers, and all the hot button modern remainder (real people, all) – will finally in the end make Realigned Anglican Pburghers as happy as them seem to preach? And yes, the whole purpose of realignment is to shift the typical Anglican brand, from meaning big tent and broad church and distinctively balanced dispersed church life authority, to meaning small tent and conformed church and hierarchical policing plus punishing. An end that justifies many means, including theft. And false witness. My predict? Even after… Read more »
As for the comment about the “conservative” view of the powers of the ABofC … it rather seems to me they have little faith in him. Perhaps they plan on relying on their “friends” who sit on the ACC for some future recognition.
Do changes via the ACC require a simple majority vote? This is not, however, to suggest that the ultra-conservatives have the connections to attract a simple majority on a power-play of this magnitude.
If Canterbury is so irrelevant than why is Duncan always traveling to England and having meetings with the ABC? Why are these people still around if the CofE is no longer the leader of Anglicanism? These former Pittsburgh Episcopalians are really a strange lot.