The Anglican Church in North America is Born

Yesterday, with the approval of a Provisional Constitution, the Common Cause Partners in effect became the Anglican Church in North America. And I’m glad to be part of it!

Of course, it’s not perfect. Even the initial Eucharist was a bit evo for me. But if one wants a perfect church too much and too soon you end up with the One Holy and Apostolic Church meeting in your apartment cathedral. Christ will make His church perfect on His timetable. Our part is to strive to be faithful, orthodox, and unified.

Besides, the first provincial Synod will be at St. Vincent’s in Bedford, Texas. They will show them how to worship!

I do heartily agree with the priority on mission repeatedly voiced last night. That is particularly needful as most of North America does not have an orthodox non-TEC Anglican church nearby. In the meantime, Hills of the North has a wise suggestion to accommodate orthodox Anglicans who don’t have a suitable Anglican church yet available – at-large membership in the new church.

Chris Johnson has some cogent comments. I agree that this new church/province will likely bring matters in the Anglican Communion to a head when ++Rowan will actually have to make a decision – on whether to admit Archbishop Duncan to the Primates Meeting or not.

But we’ll focus on that on another day. For now, I feel like a Solemn Te Deum!

Confirmed: APA Diocese to Join REC

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.

Common Cause Partners Asks GAFCON for Recognition as Province

Here’s the statement. Here’s lots of comments.

But isn’t this a bit fast? Shouldn’t there be a commission? Then a discernment process followed by a listening process? Then a meeting, then another and another and . . . ?

APA Not Joining Common Cause Partners at this time.

APA Presiding Bishop Walter Grundorf has decided that his Anglican Province of America will not be joining the Common Cause Partners at this time.

The decision is disappointing but understandable. The main reason behind not joining are that the APA is divided on the question of joining with some wishing not to get involved again in the unpleasantness of a divorce in progress. Really, with the APA split on the question, ++Grundorf made the right call.

But if I were in APA, I would be sorely disappointed. I want to be part of more than just a small denomination. Really being a catholic Anglican implies that. And that is important enough that I don’t think one should wait until all the ducks are in a row to unite with other committed orthodox Anglicans. So I much prefer my Reformed Episcopal Church’s course of joining CCP.

The APA not joining still effects the REC. It has to be a set back to the two bodies’ efforts to merge. But one can certainly pray with hope that this is only a temporary setback.

Real Inclusiveness

Bishop Duncan, Moderator of the Common Cause Partners (CCP) has sent out invitations to CCP bishops to attend GAFCon. And, yes, all CCP bishops are invited:

The Global Anglican Future Conference will bring together orthodox Anglican bishops from all over the world, especially gathering those who for reasons of conscience are unable to accept their invitation to this year’s Lambeth Conference, as well as some who believe it crucially important to attend both conferences. It will also gather some bishops and wives, especially true of the Common Cause College of Bishops, who were not invited to Lambeth.

The contrast with Lambeth is glaring. Let’s see. A church conference to which heretics and apostates are invited, but a number of orthodox Anglican bishops, including my bishops, are not. Or a church conference to which all these orthodox bishops along with clergy and laymen are invited, but which draws the line against heresy and apostasy.

Guess which one I’d rather attend?

Common Cause Communique

It didn’t take long for Common Cause to issue a communiqué from their Orlando meeting yesterday. I don’t know quite what to make of it. I suspect it may be one of those statements where what is not said is more important than what is said.

Another development: the Anglican Province of America is divided over participation in Common Cause as freely acknowledged by Presiding Bishop Walter Grundorf:

This subject has generated much conversation and seems to dominate the thinking of so many in our Province. It has caused great division among us and has polarized those who support remaining as partners and those who wish to see us only as observers at the Partnership meetings.

For now, they are observers.


Hat tip to Stand Firm.

Pray.

Be sure to pray for the Common Cause Leadership Council meeting in Orlando tomorrow.

‘Nuff said.

BREAKING: Anglican Communion Network on December 18th Common Cause Meeting

I just got this. The emphasis is mine.

-----

Dear Network,

The next major milestone in the development of Common Cause is next week, when the Common Cause Leadership Council gathers in Orlando, Florida on December 18 for its inaugural meeting. The Council comprises the head bishop, a clergy representative, and a lay representative from each Partner. This body represents Common Cause in all its fullness, and has the authority to do the work of the Partnership.

This is the organizing meeting of Common Cause, at which the assembly will elect its first officers and establish its initial committees and task forces. As such, December 18, 2007 will mark the formal beginning of a "separate ecclesiastical structure" in North America. Following this meeting, Common Cause will be in a place to seek official recognition from the Primates of our Communion.

We at the Network are pleased to have been given the Kingdom assignment of building unity among the Common Cause Partners. Thank you for sharing with us in this task, and please pray for our work next week.

Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Canon Daryl Fenton
Chief Operating Officer
Anglican Communion Network

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With everything else going on, this has snuck up on us, has it not? But I think this highly significant. I expect I will comment in due time.


MORE:
Having let this sink in some, I now have some thoughts:

The Common Cause Partners aren’t wasting any time, are they? The Panel of Reference they’re not. I think they are engaging in deliberate speed for three main reasons:

1. They realize the urgent need to provide credible safe places for distressed Anglicans. North American Anglicanism is bleeding people to Rome and various other churches, including the church of the sacred pillow. Many determined to remain faithful Anglicans need a safe place and soon.

2. As much as they can and as quickly as they can, they want to end the scandalous joke of the Anglican “alphabet soup.” For those who claim to be catholic to be so splintered is not right. The current environment makes it all the more urgent to be much more united. (And, by the way, I’m proud that my once sectarian Reformed Episcopal Church has taken a significant role in this effort.)

3. They are responding to the call of at least some Primates for a “separate ecclesiastical structure.”

I don’t think forcing ++Rowan Williams’ hand is a motive, but it likely will be an effect. With dioceses leaving The Episcopal Church and fleeing to the shelter of ++Greg Venables and now with Common Cause getting ready “to seek official recognition from the Primates” perhaps by the New Year and perhaps as a province, I suspect ++Rowan will have to make decisions and take sides in the New Year whether he wants to or not.

Bishop Duncan is my hero.

His response to Presiding Heretic Schori’s not-so veiled threat is masterful:

The Most Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori
Episcopal Church Center
New York, New York

Dear Katharine,

Here I stand. I can do no other. I will neither compromise the Faith once delivered to the saints, nor will I abandon the sheep who elected me to protect them.

Pax et bonum in Christ Jesus our Lord,

+Bob Pittsburgh

Very Interesting

This bit of news posted over at Stand Firm is very interesting, particularly this from reporter Jonathan Petre:

Sometime in November, a conservative archbishop is planning to announce radical plans to adopt a breakaway group of conservative American dioceses,and the resulting collision could prove very messy indeed. Under the plans, between three and five dioceses will - over a period of time - opt out of The Episcopal Church and affiliate with the conservative province thousands of miles away. The proposals, which I have seen, have been drawn up over a number of months and follow extensive consultations between the bishops of the American dioceses and their counterparts in the province concerned.

As if that’s not interesting enough, then comes this in the comments:

++Venables is the patron of FACA which is having a meeting of bishops next week. . . .

I did not know that. Since most of the members of FACA are also in Common Cause, that will likely be discussed.

Then I chime in on who the “conservative archbishop” might be:

I’m betting on ++Venables. Just a hunch.

And do note who soon concurs.

Like I said – interesting.

By the way . . .

I’m not ignoring the statement from the Common Cause bishops meeting, which sounds like good progress. I just don’t have anything profound to say about it at the moment.

However, it so happens I’ve been elected a delegate to the 2008 REC General Council next summer. Since Common Cause and its efforts will almost certainly be on our agenda, it just might be interesting.

My Thoughts on U. S. Anglican Doings

Going into the TEC House of Bishops meeting, which just ended, and the Common Cause College of Bishops meeting, which just began, I felt it was necessary for Common Cause to unite into a new province, if necessarily with a federal structure. And I was convinced that the Episcopal Church is no place for the orthodox.

That much hasn’t changed. But the events in the TEC HOB meeting gave me two negative surprises which have hardened my views even further if you can imagine that.

1. As I mentioned a few days ago, Rowan Williams’ clarity on his attitude toward distressed North American Anglicans and those new bishops shepherding them shocked me. His stated solution to those who can’t stay in the Episcopal Church is . . . to stay in the Episcopal Church and not come under those “illicit bishops” outside TEC.

2. It’s hard to know for sure. But so far it seems the tripe passed by the TEC HOB received only one no vote. In a way I’m glad if this is so. It speaks volumes on the spinelessness of those so-called Windsor bishops who are dead set on remaining in the Episcopal Church.

These two factors make it even clearer, if that’s possible, that there is no safe place for the orthodox in the Episcopal Church. And forget about Rowan coming to the rescue. Please. Frankly my sympathy for the arguments of those who want to stay in, especially the Windsor bishops, is wearing thin.

So I will continue to pray and pray hard for the Common Cause meeting. I don’t want to think about the consequences if they fail to make significant progress toward forming a new orthodox Anglican province.

Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.

UPDATE:
A hat tip to Baby Blue for this update:
The New York Times confirms only one bishop voiced a “no” vote.

Bishop Iker on Continuing Anglicans

At the final press conference of the Network meeting just completed (which can be seen here), the Bishop of Fort Worth Jack Iker, sitting between Primate Venables and REC Bishop Ray Sutton, said the following:

We’ve been given an opportunity to make a common cause with groups that have largely been ostracized by the Episcopal Church, certainly excluded, looked down upon, and regarded in a condescending kind of way. I mean The Episcopal Church would say that the people we are making common cause with are largely not really Anglicans. . . . they don’t really matter. . . . That’s been demeaning to those bodies of Christians and fellow pilgrims. I think this is an opportunity for us to reach out to them and to affirm them and be enriched by the gifts they bring to us as fellow Anglicans.

I don’t think Bishop Iker was responding even indirectly to Ephraim Radner. But the contrast with Dr. Radner’s statement today is obvious.