While it is technically possible for a vote on a third province to come before the primates’ meeting Jan. 31 thru Feb. 5 in Alexandria, Egypt, and then be forwarded to ACC-14 in May for action this year, it is unlikely as the necessary constitutional work in forming a CCP-based North American province is not likely to be completed.
The time line for final approval could take up to two years as the diocesan conventions of the four breakaway Episcopal dioceses: San Joaquin, Pittsburgh, Quincy and Fort Worth will have to endorse the constitution over two meetings of their convention, while the Reformed Episcopal Church, the Anglican Mission in the Americas, the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, and the Kenyan and Uganda overseen churches in North America and other CCP members must ratify the constitution and amend their own governing documents so as to bring its terms into force.
International approval of the CCP document will likely be quicker, as the Gafcon (Global Anglican Future Conference) primates’ council comprising the primates of Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa and the Archbishop of Sydney are scheduled to meet after the Dec. 3 gathering in Wheaton to vote to receive the constitution. Meetings have been tentatively scheduled between the Gafcon primates and Archbishop Williams before the primates meeting in Alexandria, to seek his counsel and input into the process. However, Archbishop Williams’ approval is not a prerequisite for creating a new province for the Anglican Communion.
[blockquote]Should the primates agree to the creation of a Third Province at their 2011 meeting, the matter would be brought before ACC-15 in 2012. While special meetings of the ACC and the primates meeting can be called on the initiative of their standing committees, no such meeting has ever been called, and the current political climate within the Anglican Communion does not favor expedited action.[/blockquote]
Cadogan: “That’s a matter for the committee”
Birkenhead: “We are the committee”
Chariots of Fire
This well-informed analysis by George Conger strikes me as being very sensible and objective. Those of us who are eager and even impatient for a new “third” province for orthodox Anglicans in North America to be formed and duly recognized will simply have to face reality, I think, and accept the fact that it’s likely to take considerably longer process than we’d like. But in the meantime, the FCA movement exists and will almost certainly continue to gain strength and momentum steadily.
I’m not discouraged. Reformations are long, drawn out, messy affairs. So it was in the 16th century. And we have every reason to think it will be the same with this New Reformation of the 21st century.
But here’s my own general analysis or forecast, FWIW. By the time it’s over and this war for the soul of Anglicanism is resolved, there won’t be a “third” Anglican province in North America, for the new one will no longer be a parallel or alternative province to TEC and the ACoC. Instead, it will be a replacement province. And the AC itself will have split along ideological lines. Or as I would prefer to say, along theological lines.
And tragic as that would be, I also think, “It is meet and right so to do.” For as the Master warned us, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
David Handy+
2, Notwithstanding, they can, in fact, move quickly when they want to.
They do not want to. But that’s OK. Maybe by that time the AC will be something I want to be a member of.
What’s the rush? Anything this important needs to be done right anyway. The important thing is that we’re now moving FORWARD and not stuck in endless and pointless conversations. Recognition by the historic Communion would be nice, but it’s not critical and there’s no rush. It will come in His time.
RUSH!! O come on. Some of what is thought to be sooo recent begain traveling this road 40 to 50 years. Some one finally decided to say halt; go no further. For example; how long has Spong been spreading his “gospel” of unbelief?? (about 50 years or so).
As usual, an excellent piece by Conger.
Constitutional processes are [i]supposed[/i] to be long, drawn-out affairs. We have seen what can be done in the name of “efficiency” and “expedited process” recently in the actions of Mrs. Schori and Mr. Beers in TEC; imagine what would happen if, in the name of efficiency or prompt resolution, the JSC of the Kearon/Cameron ACC were empowered to take unilateral action.
Harvey #5 is quite right that the subversion of TEC has been going on for a long time; on the other hand, noone within TEC has taken decisive action against it since the minor exodus of the Continuum in the ’70s. We are acting now; if we had acted ten years ago (say, promptly after Lambeth ’98), it would all be a [i]fait accompli[/i] by now, but the movement would have had much less support; the [i]fait[/i] would be somewhat more [i]petit[/i].
We are where we are. The time required to get where we want to go is what it is. Just keep slogging forward, praying that the pillar of smoke remains in view, and that we can faithfully follow it.
In the meantime, our new province will function as a province……even without the ACC’s approval. What can they do about it? Nothing!
And we will grow!
It is necessary to make provision for those who have left TEC now – I would have been more impressed if this had been dealt with by the JSC rather than discussing trivial items for the upcoming meetings and giving the Presiding Bishop photo opportunities.
Whether or not there are institutional attempts to block or slow the acceptance of a new province, I suspect the determining factor of its acceptance will be the degree of support it can command.
It is pretty clear that there has been a consistent attempt to undermine and split the Global South into Gafcon and non-Gafcon factions, some of it from within. I wonder to what extent the +Duncan deposition will have altered this? We will probably find out in the next week or so when provinces give their responses to events on 3rd December.
Ho hum.
The covering provided by the “new Province” -whether recognized or not in this year or years to come or not- is welcome relief to those of us suffering under the ECUSA/TEC/GCC/EO-PAC with no relief. When the Diocese of Missouri repudiated the Windsor requests item-by-item this weekend past thereby showing how Anglican it intends to be, WE LEFT. We can now in good hope organize an Anglican entity from the ground up and seek covering from within the geographical region! Praise God!
… now gathering …
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I suspect that Pageantmaster is closest to the near reality. Whether there is a formal sanction for the CCP province will make vary little difference if, upon its formation, a number of parishes from across the US undertake to join. (I will certainly try to persuade my own parish.) If there is a good demographic spread, those parishes which would otherwise dither, may see the demographic distribution as the writing on the wall. Sheer large local numbers will help, but a wide distribution will help even more.
But one has to see this new province in the light of the growing “blueness” of most of the states. This move to maintain continuity with our theological past is in absolute contradiction to the momentum in the whole country. I cannot imagine where this new century is going to go. What newnensses even now are waiting to astonish our imaginations? There may be another color besides red and blue waiting to color inside the states’ lines. Larry
Just to clarify my #10 I had in mind support across the Communion and in no way contemplating further division.
Prayers for you in your situations #11 and #12.