More conservative Anglican congregations will join those that have already cut ties with the Anglican Church of Canada, the head of a breakaway group predicts.<\/p>\n
In the past week, seven parishes voted to leave the Anglican Church of Canada to seek the authority of a South American archbishop in a long-running dispute over theological issues, including the blessing of same-sex marriages, which they oppose.<\/p>\n
So far, six Anglican parishes in Ontario, eight in British Columbia and three in Alberta have decided to operate outside the jurisdiction of the Anglican Church of Canada and joined the recently formed Anglican Network in Canada. Ten of the 17 breakaway parishes have voted to align themselves with the more orthodox, traditional Province of the Southern Cone, which covers most of South America. More are expected to consider the issue in the following week.<\/p>\n
“I’m quite confident that this is just a beginning,” said Bishop Donald Harvey, moderator of the recently formed Anglican Network in Canada, a “haven” for breakaway congregations that is under the jurisdiction of the South American archbishop, Gregory Venables.<\/p>\n