More on The Federation of Anglican Churches
in the Americas

The Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas has their web site up now.

I found this page of their articles the most interesting. There they list the following among their “tasks”:

Furthering mutual understanding of its member Provinces, Jurisdictions and Ministries with a view to eventual union when and if deemed practical.

Pursuing a communal and charitable relationship with the world-wide Anglican Communion.

Clearly they are seeking more unity beyond being a federation of continuing jurisdictions. And that’s reflected in Article 11. There it’s clear there’s a great deal of intercommunion among federation members, which to date are the AMiA, the REC, and the APA.

+Ray Sutton of the REC is listed as a contact. He’s been prominent in North American orthodox Anglican ecumenical efforts and happens to be the bishop who confirmed me.

The Tinfoil Hat Song!

For those who are convinced George Bush was behind 9-11, know that space aliens are spying on them, or are just Presbyterian, it’s the Tinfoil Hat Song!

Presbyterians Join 9-11 Nutcases.

Those Presbyterians! They just can’t resist aiding every trendy Leftist cause. Now they are publishing a book implicating the Bush Administration in 9-11. I’m not kidding.

More here. More on tinfoil hats here.

The Bishop of Texas Announces Windsor Bishop Consultation

Bishop Don Wimberly has announced a consultation of Windsor bishops in hopes of finding “a way forward that both prevents some in our Church from ‘walking apart’, and others from seeking irregular means of preserving their Anglican identity.” The meeting will be September 19-22 in Texas.

Two key CofE bishops will also be there with the blessing of the Archbishop of Canterbury: +N. T. Wright and +Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester.

Now I know what you’re thinking: anyone can slap a “Windsor Bishop” label on and attend. Not so. Attendees are expected to agree that Lambeth 1.10 is the teaching of the Anglican Communion, to agree with Windsor/Dromantine, and to agree that the General Convention’s response to Windsor/Dromantine was inadequate.

There are five designated points of discussion for the meeting:
1. Solidifying Communion links to Canterbury and the Meeting of Primates;
2. Development of a leadership council for links with Canterbury and the Meeting of Primates;
3. Commitment to common action;
4. Thresholds for an Anglican Covenant;
5. Care of clergy and parishes not represented by “Windsor Bishops.”

Notable is that the Bishop of West Texas, +Gary Lillibridge, among others, is assisting with this effort.

Now many in the orthodox Anglican blogdom have been a bit hard on +Don Wimberly, and understandably so. And I’ve been quite hard on Bishop Lillibridge. Fairly or unfairly, both have been perceived to be fence sitters. However, bringing about this consultation appears to be real leadership on their part.

I will be watching this meeting with great interest. And if it is fruitful, then I’ll be the first to say “Thanks be to God” . . . and “Mea culpa.”

36% Believe in Federal 9-11 Conspiracy?!

According to a new Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll, about one-third of Americans suspect federal officials were in on 9/11 beforehand. Here’s more.

When I read about this in the local paper today, I was disturbed. This adds to my chagrin:

The poll found that a majority of young adults give at least some credence to a 9/11 conspiracy . . .

Even if the numbers are high, if about 1/3 of the nation are nutcase idiots, that does not bode well for our future as a democratic republic.

UPDATE: I mentioned this item to a sensible, intelligent teenager at my church. He surprised me by saying he, too, was suspicious that federal officials were in on 9/11. God help us.

The Advantages of Federations

Yesterday, I told you what little I know about the Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas.

But it wasn’t the first time I’ve heard of the concept of federation among continuing and orthodox Anglicans. During a visitation to my parish, one of the REC bishops, +Royal Grote I think, opined that he thought a federation was the most likely way North American Anglican unity efforts would proceed.

I think it may be the best way to proceed in many cases as well (and I suspect the bishop would agree). Now I do think merger is often preferable when possible, such as between the APA and REC. The more unity without sacrificing truth and tradition the better.

But mergers have their problems. Orthodox Anglicans agree on the basics of the faith, but there are differences most are not eager to fudge away. The issues around the ordination of women are certainly prominent among those differences.

Also, continuing Anglicans especially are reluctant to give much power to a central authority. In the REC, for example, a parish owns its own property and can pretty much leave when it wants.

Many continuing parishes want that kind of autonomy. For many of them come from situations where authority was imposed on them against their will. One example is the REC Church of the Holy Communion in Dallas. A precipitating event in their leaving the Episcopal Church was their 1928 BCPs being taken away. Longtime readers might remember that during discussion about the new REC BCP (which is very traditional), some there were anxious about whether they could stick with the 1928.

Most continuing parishes are likewise not eager to give up their distinctives nor leave them in the power of a higher churchly authority. Hence, federations are more doable than mergers.

One additional plus I see in federations is they help quarantine any future unorthodoxy. If one federation partner descends into unorthodoxy, the other partners are under no obligation to join along. In fact, the partners may be able to boot the offending partner out if necessary. An actual merger greatly complicates dealing with unorthodoxy and makes it more difficult to remain separate from it.

There are surely other issues as well. Federations are just faster and easier to bring about and live with while leaving the door open to later mergers. That is certainly the case with the REC and APA. Their merger is proving to be a slow process while their federation happened before most people even knew about it. And with all that’s going on in Anglicanism, the ability to act relatively quickly is an asset.

The Federation Of Anglican Churches In The Americas

Very quietly, and even under my radar, The Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas (FACA) has been formed.

As my rector brought to my attention, this new federation is given a prominent place on the Reformed Episcopal Church’s site (complete with hokey musical introduction). Anglican Province of America Presiding Bishop Walter Grundorf discussed it in his recent Synod address. And the Diocese of the Holy Cross has some information here. Those are the only mentions I can find on the net. Given the hyperactivity of the Anglican blogdom, that’s pretty quiet.

Here’s what I can glean from the above sources. The brainchild of the REC’s and APA’s unity efforts, the Federation now consists of the REC, the APA, and the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) and has picked up steam this year.

++Gregory Venables has signed on as Patron, quite a statement from him given he’s a Primate in the Anglican Communion.

FACA will likely work hand in hand with Convocation of Anglican Nigerians in America (CANA).

If I find out more of substance, I’ll let you know.