So after reading all the articles on AMiA, I have determined that there is no simple summary so I will take a shot at it. By the way, “summary” means I left out a bunch of details. My blog; my prerogative on which details I leave out. The Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) is an organization of churches Chuck Murphy created when he left the Episcopal Church. In order to be an official Anglican organization recognized in the world by other Anglicans, he needed an endorsement from a genuine Anglican province. Rwanda and Asia stepped in to fill that role and now Chuck is Bishop Murphy. What they didn’t tell us (or at least what I didn’t get)….apparently this organization is not part of the province of Rwanda, as I had thought. It is a business venture of Bishop Murphy. So when Bishop Murphy breaks ties with Rwanda and leaves, so does the Anglican Mission. And that is what has happened. Bishop Murphy has cut our relationship with the Province of Rwanda.
This is where it gets complicated. Our church is an AMiA church, but our priests were received as official missionary priests in the province of Rwanda. So it would seem our church is under the authority of Bishop Murphy, but our priests are under the authority of Rwanda, but not Bishop Murphy. What? Exactly.
So is AMiA all about Chuck Murphy becoming primate of his own little denomination? I’m sorry if I offend, but that’s how it looks in the press, starting with his initial secession from the Dio. of South Carolina right up to the latest goings on.
I hope AMiA is all about Chuck Murphy’s vision to create a missionary organization affiliated (connected) with the Anglican communion, but primarily dedicated to reaching the lost in the US. No offense taken, but my blog really wasn’t intended to add to bad press or opinions about anyone. I have many readers on my blog who know nothing about church politics and I was trying to give a “non-official” summary with a side of exhortation. Thanks to the Canon Dr. for the post!!
I feel bad for those in the pews. And also for anyone who may still want a provincial connection, and now have lost it.
[blockquote] What they didn’t tell us (or at least what I didn’t get)….apparently this organization is not part of the province of Rwanda, as I had thought. It is a business venture of Bishop Murphy. [/blockquote]
So I am not the only person who was struck by the business-like nature of the arrangement. Bishop Murphy set up a company, became chairman, and negotiated contracts with the Province of Rwanda to function, essentially, as a franchise. (I strongly suspect that wasn’t how Rwanda saw it — especially as it apparently paid quite a price to enter into this relationship and did so in the belief that it was offering a hand to those in great need — but it seems clear from the various documents that that was how Bishop Murphy saw it.) It was no accident that the contract was written to describe a “voluntary” association which had to be renewed annually and could be terminated at will. And now, as he wills it, he has terminated it.
What is quite breathtaking is the interfence with the internal structure of the Province of Rwanda (in terms of re-writing the canons) that Bishop Murphy engaged in. I can understand that at some point they may well have viewed this as the tail starting to seriously wag the dog.