More significant was the view that the election of the Archbishop of Canterbury was a matter for England alone. It will be the leaders of the FoCA who decide whether or not to accept him as part of the Fellowship: no-one is acceptable (i.e. godly and Anglican) merely by virtue of their office.
* * *
Therefore there will be no schism in the sense of one organization separating itself out from another on a certain day, followed immediately by either or both bodies setting up new structures and legal identities.
Instead there will be a steady continued tearing of the fabric as distinct ecclesial units (parishes, dioceses and provinces as well as individuals) align themselves explicitly with the FoCA. The legalities will depend on the law of each country (property and pensions being governed by secular law) and on the ecclesiastical structure of each Church.
I anticipate that the FoCA churches will thrive, purposeful and enthusiastic for at least the medium-term foreseeable future. It will thus be self-legitimating.
Hmmm, some of it makes sense.
Interesting to read the comments: Grandmere Mimi thinks (or rather wishes) that +Lawrence will leave TEC – so many liberals have been assuring each other for years now that this or that bete noire is going to depart from the congregation soon.
Paul Bagshaw at least has got the message that Gafcon doesn’t intend to encourage departures from CofE, although its pretty obvious they intend to create some sort of provision for those unwilling or unprepared to stay.
#1 I wonder how the asymmetry will play itself out, given that the counterparts to ACNA and AMiA do not exist in the CofE? Perhaps that is why it was thought useful to have a single TEC Bishop present, and also to have him dialogue with an ACNA Bishop. This would at least put the CofE better in the picture as to what is similar and what is without obvious counterpart.
Prof. Seitz, I agree. Whatever the solution for English Anglicans, it will be different to that for North American Anglicans because the ecclesiastical polity is different. But it is a very good thing that American bishops can share the American experience with English anglicans.