In a way, the new province raises some problematic questions for the structure of the church in North America. To truly be a province, the group would need recognition from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
“Those who are gathering next week to essentially declare a new province can only call it a ‘province’ in quotes,” said Rev. Edward Rix, rector at All Saint’s Parish in Wynnewood. “What will be controversial will be how they move forward on such issues that divide them.”
Rev. Rix said there are many examples of overlapping jurisdiction that could provide a precedent, but those instances may be considered different than this one.
“It is the case that dioceses spring up from groups of parishes,” said Rev. Rix.
He said some parishes incorporate as a diocese and than apply for membership as a diocese, essentially the same procedure that is being used for the new province.
Bishop David Moyer, rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, knows many of the leaders of the movement. He said their intentions are good, but that their road will be difficult.
“I think these leaders are driven by Gospel imperatives,” said Bishop Moyer.
But he also said he doesn’t really expect Archbishop Williams to recognize the new province.
It is happening whether it is officially recognized by Canterbury or not. As the leadership of the AC (all except the Primates that is) have failed to address the crisis and the Windsor Report has been subverted to the Windsor Process and made meaningless as will be the Covenant, this is the only recourse for those who desire to continue as faithful Anglicans.
I beg the elves tolerance. This is entirely off thread. I suggested that Kendall publish this but he hasn’t. Anyway, for a Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously extremely funny piece, see yesterday’s NYTimes Op ed. piece, On a Ring and a Prayer. I thought this was a howl, painfully true, but funny. Larry
1, that about sums it up. Indeed it now appears that the ABC and the official offices of the AC are determined to fully rehabilitate TEC. It would seem that the AC is openly no friend of the orthodox.
If ++Rowan Williams declines to recognize our new province, he risks the alienation of most of the Global South, and I don’t think he wants that, nor do I think he can afford it.
Satisfying Schori and Company comes with a huge price tag. Is he willing to pay the price? I don’t think so!
Lo, how the process works: parishes form, parish form dioceses, dioceses form regional structures aka provinces. DID I MISS the required General Convention part?
Both sides face difficult questions. For the orthodox the question boils down to whether Anglicanism depends on Canterbury, I personally don’t think it does, but this remains an open question. I do think we’re at a historic moment in the history of Anglicanism (which has faced many decisive moments in the past and has survived them all), and whatever happens it’s not likely to look the same in ten years. I suspect that historic Anglicanism will transcend the loss of Canterbury and find new instruments of communion, but how and what those will be is still unclear. For the revisionists, the great question is whether Canterbury can survive the loss of huge parts of the Communion (mostly in the global South) and survive only on mostly shrinking provinces of the global North. This too is an open question.
I don’t think Canterbury can survive the loss, and quite frankly, I don’t care!
The ABC will stay with TEC. Already too comitted to change horses midstream.
The new province will thrive to such a degree that no one will remember there was a “Canterbury”.
I think the apostolic succession thing is pretty cool, but we don’t want to get too caught up in worshiping our church and not Him.
Without Apostolic Succession you don’t have the Church.
Apostolic succession isn’t just found in the Anglican Communion under Canterbury; it’s wherever three or more Anglican bishops are found who have been consecrated while still under Canterbury but who have since left. Once consecrated, always consecrated, and that includes every bishop whom THEY’VE consecrated.