I wanted to be sure I got my facts straight before posting on this. But after talking to reliable sources, I can confirm that Bishop Richard Boyce of the Anglican Province of America has asked the Reformed Episcopal Church to receive him and his Diocese of the West. I can also confirm that unless there is some very unexpected change, the REC will indeed receive him and the willing within his diocese. The REC has not yet issued any public statements, however.
It appears Bishops Boyce’s main reason for switching to the REC is the APA’s reluctance to join Common Cause Partners. There is a large enough element in the APA that don’t want to join Common Cause that they are succeeding in keeping the APA out. Bishop Boyce is clearly fed up with that and wants to join Common Cause.
It’s sad that after making serious moves to increase orthodox Anglican unity, the APA backed away from that direction. This latest development is part of the fruit of not putting adequate weight on Jesus’ desire that we be one.
2 comments:
Mark,
I am not so sure that this is a good thing. What will this due for REC/APA relations (other than out west)?
Might one expect REC parishes whish are not happy with the REC being in CCP now start moving towards the APA?
Will the REC's affinity for the CCP survive Bishop Rich's retirement. (Some other bishops have expressed less enthusiasm than PB Riches for CCP.)
I know two things.
1) The General Council in Victoria will be "interesting.
2) The Joint REC/APA eucharist we are having this Sunday in Maryland will be "very intersting!!"
As a member of the APA. I would let you know that we remain observers in the ccp. We did not want to join with the issue of womens ordination still up in the air along with other things.
We do look forward to a united Anglicanism but not as the cost of orthodox. The banned of unity will not lead us into heterodoxy.
I hope this clears somethings up for you.
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