The leader of the Anglican Church of Canada has emerged from his Dec. 6 meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury-elect, Justin Welby, feeling “very optimistic about his leadership….”
During his meeting with Welby, Hiltz said he mentioned ongoing concern about efforts by the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) to be recognized by the Church of England. Composed of Anglicans who have left the Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church in the U.S., ACNA describes itself as “an emerging Province in the global Anglican Communion.”
Hiltz said he requested that if bodies of the Church of England are to meet with representatives of ACNA, “in fairness, they should also meet with us to get a better picture.” Welby was “very appreciative” of the place of the Anglican Church of Canada in the Communion and the contributions it has been able to make, added Hiltz.
What is ++Hiltz worried about? The truth, maybe? If the ACofC has made any contributions to the Communion, then why has their membership plummeted so drastically? A healthy Church has a healthy constituency, and his is anything [i]but[/i] healthy. I hope that ++Welby won’t be foolish enough to believe that claptrap.
Interesting. If Hiltz wasn’t worried about it, Hiltz wouldn’t have so publicly brought it up. From what I understand, the AC of Canada is sinking just as fast as is TEC, but without the vast financial reserves. You even had Canadian dioceses sending litigation funding to each other.
++Welby also has to face reality, and that reality is that the ACNA is now recognized as a faithful Anglican Christian Church and province in formation by the GAFCON and Global South primates…..a not inconsiderable majority of the Communion’s provinces. The ACNA is here, and they are not going to go away, and he will have deal with that reality.
“If Hiltz wasn’t worried about it, Hiltz wouldn’t have so publicly brought it up.”
Jamesw, I think that is an astute observation.
“Hiltz said he requested that if bodies of the Church of England are to meet with representatives of ACNA, “in fairness, they should also meet with us to get a better pictureâ€.”
Interesting that he didn’t feel confident to demand no contact at all.
“Once upon a time in Spinland…”
MichaelA, “…….no contact at all.” You mean as Katharine Jefferts Schori would say, I assume? ++Hiltz’s statement is nothing short of ridiculous.