Updated Thursday lunchtime
For earlier reports go here.
The New York Times article by Laurie Goodstein previously linked has been written-through and is now headlined Episcopal Split as Conservatives Form New Group (h/t KH).
Also, there is a link here to a podcast in which this journalist is interviewed.
Reuters Michael Conlon Episcopal Church dissidents move toward division
Chicago Tribune Manya Brachear Conservatives unveil plan to break from Episcopal Church
Cleveland Plain Dealer Former Episcopal breakaway parishes join new North American Anglican Church
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Fort Worth Episcopal diocese joins new Anglican Church in North America
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Proposed constitution to reunite conservative Episcopalian groups
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Duncan to head new Anglican church
Canada National Post Conservative Anglicans take step in forming new church
Washington Post Conservative Episcopalians Vote to Create Alternative Branch by Michelle Boorstein
Washington Times Anglican conservatives propose constitution by Julia Duin
And,in the British press:
Telegraph Anglican row spills into US as Episcopal church splits over homosexual priests by Tom Leonard
And, there was this earlier report on Episcopal News Service that I missed yesterday, Conservative Anglicans due to announce new province.
Thursday lunchtime update
Religious Intelligence has this report by George Conger Legal framework set for new Third Province in North America
“Duncan to head new Anglican church” — we trust that little Bobby is happy now. He has finally found a church that will have him as its archbishop. Funny that he had to make it up, himself. And it doesn’t need the recognition of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Minns says. My my. Whatever it is, its not Anglican. No trace of decency and good order. I expect this group will go the way of other splinter groups — when they get down to issues like the Prayer Book and the ordination of women, not to mention deciding what the 39… Read more »
I bekieve Iker has already said that he is in ‘impaired communion’ with ordained women and will not allow them to function in his ‘diocese,’ as he styles his breakaways. That Minns does not need the ABC should come as no surprise to those of us in the Diocese of Virginia. I am told there is no honor among thieves, so will watch further developments amongst the ex-Episcopalians with interest.
Still, always with the fake numbers representing ALL those aledged unhappy Episcopalians who ACTUALLY represent less than 2% of TEC Churchgoers (and have mostly avoided the African hookups). I´m thrilled to pieces that Bob Duncan, Jack Leo and the various other Anglicanlike leaders in mitres have huddled together but they will still have to face the REALITY of lawful FACT…go forth and exclude others at all levels of Churchlife if you must BUT Anglican Church of Canada and Episcopal Church of The United States patrimony/property is not yours to thieve…drop-outs must find YOUR OWN PLACE TO STAND (without our Great… Read more »
On line nytimes.com one can see a picture of today’s New York Times actual front page. In both the local and national editions, this story is the “second lead,” on the left top column. A problem of this kind in any other non-Roman denomination would not be given such prominence, confirming the centrality of TEC in American life. Small numbers, great influence. (And of course the Sulzberger family who own the paper are Episcopalians.)
“2% of TEC churchgoers?” You must be joking. ASA in TEC for 2007 (and the number includes the breakaways) was about 715,000. 2% of that number is 14,300. You need remedial math lessons. Now if you meant 2% of the super-bloated membership numbers TEC touts of 2.1 million, that would be about 42,000.
Dan, if the Duncanites are following their normal practice, they are comparing ASA numbers for TEC to their own quite bloated *total* membership numbers.
(Let’s not forget that that total membership figure includes not only former Episcopalians but also members of the numerous splinter sects that have never been Anglican to start with, the so-called “Anglican continuum” groups that have five bishops serving one congregation that meets in someone’s garage.)
Now whose numbers are false? Go to the latest TEC publication on change in ASA. It identifies the losses in ASA for the period 1997-2007 except that it actually only calculates the losses for 1997-2006. So, for example, in NY the decline for 1997-2007 is reported as 7% when the actual calculation for that period is 9.8%. The overall loss in TEC’s ASA for the period is about 14% and the rate of loss appears to be accelerating. But not to worry, “the worst is behind us.”
“Now whose numbers are false?” What’s your point? That people misrepresent the numbers attending their parishes on a given Sunday? Not exactly behaviour limited to one side, surely. That the most successful churches have the most bums in pews? Well, membership doesn’t equate with witness to the Gospel. I mean, Nigeria is the biggest Church in the communion, isn’t it? Yet their Archbishop is a particularly bad witness to the Gospel. That whichever side has the greatest numbers is right? Well, the Arians had the numbers in the early Church, but it took till the 19th century for that heresy… Read more »
“On June 22, 2009 the ACNA will hold its first provincial synod at St Vincent’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Forth Worth. A spokesman for Bishop Iker noted that at the synod “representatives of each constituency of the new province will gather with the intention of ratifying the constitution and canons that have been introduced today.“ -George Congar, on ‘Religious Intelligence’ site- This statement is indicative of the impudence of former TEC prelates, Messrs Duncan and Iker, the first of whom has already assumed the title of Moderator and Archbishop of the ‘new 39th Province of the Anglican Communion’. Is… Read more »
“and, b. the Cathedral of Saint Vincent in the TEC Diocese of Forth Worth may not be made available to the ACNA group for the prospective ‘Synod Meeting’ of the proposed ‘new Province’ in June, 2009?”
Oh, surely it will take a long lawsuit to dislodge the Ikerites from TEC property. And maybe we could work out something with them about St. Vincent’s…Besides being ugly (its inside looks like the outside of a faux-Tudor half-timber house), I think it’s really quite weird to have a cathedral out in the suburbs.
Dan, how desperate can you be? Your obvious need to support the dissidents has led you into a bit of a bind. The Old Testament Scriptures (where you probably find your greatest solace) has a story somewhere about God reproving someone for actually counting the numbers of the elect. And, does it really matter what the maths are -except that the new ‘church’ is certainly going to have to grow very fast to support the life-style of it’s proliferating bishops, priests, and other ministers – not to mention the air-fares of it’s overseas primatial Visitors. Also, once it starts trying… Read more »