The U.S. Episcopal Church has been estranged from parts of the global Anglican church since a church in New Hampshire consecrated a gay bishop. The controversy has abated somewhat, but many in the church now worry about another potential divide. Depending on your point of view, African bishops are either stealing American worshippers ”” or rescuing them.
Just as Western missionaries spread the Christian message to Africa, African and other Anglican leaders are staking claims in the United States.
In the past two years, there’s been a flurry of reverse colonization as archbishops from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Bolivia and Singapore have taken conservative Episcopal churches under their wings.
Listen to it all. Two factual goofs to note. Jim Naughton works for the (Episcopal) Diocese of Washington, not the archdiocese. And, the second largest denomination in the world is the Orthodox Church; Anglicanism is often ranked third–KSH.
What does NPR mean when they say, “a church in New Hampshire” consecrated….etc? The Dio. NH is a separate church?
I caught that phrase also; I took it to mean the church in NH ie the Episcopal Church there, i.e. the diocese.
Most interesting is the matter of fact manner in which the reporter absolutely demolishes KJS and 815’s claim that only 45 churches have left ECUSA. I guess NPR didn’t know what the story-line was supposed to be …
It whould really read: “American congregations are flocking to African, Singaporean and South American +primates. These primates are willing to provide oversight as the ECUSA deviates more and more from traditional Christianity.
Jim Naughton: “It is born of desire to punish the allies of people who push for gay rights.” How very clueless. How naive. How laughable. How sad.
I have heard the revisionists dismiss those who have sought African oversight about being ignorant about Africa. So I really loved the response to the question of the All Saints, Virginia parishioner when she was asked the question whether she knew anything about Uganda. Rather than citing facts and figures, she responded by singing a Ugandan hymn. That, my friends, is what it is all about. Faith in the One who is the way, the truth and life.
“…who voted 402 to 6 to align themselves with the church of Uganda.”
“The trickle is turning into a robust stream.”