The recent announcement about plans to move forward with creating a new Anglican rival body in North America was dubbed by one bishop as "disturbing."
"What's quite disturbing, in my opinion, about this proposal is the determination to create a province based on theological grounds," rather than based on mission and geographic location, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, said earlier this week, according to the Anglican Journal.
His comments were directed toward the Common Cause Partnership, a network of Anglicans in the United States and Canada who cut ties with The Episcopal Church and announced that it will release a draft constitution to the public next month of an emerging Anglican Church in North America.
Conservative Anglicans, unhappy with the liberal direction of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, have been working toward the formation of a "biblical, missionary and united Anglican Church in North America," as Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, moderator of Common Cause Partnership, described it. The new structure would serve as a separate Anglican body from the current two North American bodies.
Duncan stated last month that there has been "an illiberal takeover of the church" in the United States, contending that The Episcopal Church has left traditional understandings of Scripture, the person of Jesus and Christian morality.
The Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church had caused uproar in 2002 and 2003, respectively, when they sanctioned same-sex blessings and consecrated the first openly gay bishop.
While plans for creating the new structure are quickly moving forward, the primate of the Anglican Church of Canada was critical of the move and listed several reasons why breakaway leaders should not proceed with the new body.
In addition to the creation of a province based on differences in theology being unprecedented in the global Anglican Communion, Hiltz said the Anglican Consultative Council is the only body of the church that can create a province. And that usually happens after "a long period of discernment and testing."
He also denounced the Common Cause Partnership's decision to proceed without the blessing of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, arguing that such a move is "not in keeping with Anglican tradition."
Although conservative leaders have acknowledged that the new structure may not receive immediate recognition from the Archbishop of Canterbury, several bishops from the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) – which drew conservative leaders representing some of the largest Anglican provinces in June – have already expressed their intention to recognize the new North American body.
But Hiltz believes it's a "huge assumption" to think that the views of the GAFCON leaders represent the views of the millions of Anglicans in their provinces, as reported by the Anglican Journal.
"It has become more and more clear that those associated with GAFCON are not so committed to building bridges and keeping in conversation but rather to separation," Hiltz stated.
Nevertheless, breakaway Anglicans have expressed little hope that the current church bodies in North America would get back in line with orthodox Christianity and Anglican tradition. The Common Cause Partnership plans to unveil their draft constitution and affirm their stance at an evening worship celebration on Dec. 3 in Wheaton, Ill.
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Jester,
I dont know . . . one thing is for sure, they will be back.
i'm just trying to figure out where the monkeys are in this article, and why are they so upset?
thanks. i'll try not to get out of hand though. i know i have a habit of being "ill-mannered" sometimes. i have to work on that.
Jester,
Well, at any rate; it is good to have you back; a few of us here welcome another supporter in the Kings court . . . lol
mostly workin. i havent had much time to visit CP unfortunately. things have slowed down some so you might see more of me. im sure the unbelievers on here are just jumping for joy over that announcement.
Jester,
Im doing well; Where have you been my friend?
online,
hey whassup brother?
Jester,
Good to hear from you again . . .
John chapter 17 is often used to support church unity, but let us not forget to read it in its context; unity without truth is a counterfeit.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17).
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (John 17:19).
i also thinks i recall hearing it in the three amigos. lol
jester, prophet just watched Sister Act II and learned a new word!!!:)
"Anglican Primate 'Disturbed' by New Rival Body"
boy was this article a let down. i thought it was about monkeys or something. or maybe evolution. monkeys getting upset over the new body they were evolving into. im sure it prehistoric monkeys could see into the future to what they evolved into, they'd shoot themselve just to keep it from happening.
proph, what in the world is a "plethora"? and are you allowed to use that kind of language on CP?
Not to mention the plethora of unscriptural, and erroneous teachings promoted by the RCC....
Sounds to me like no one's in charge and no one has any authority within Episcopalianism, it's just a free-for-all right now. Jesus prayed that we all be one (John 17:21) and Paul said the Church was the foundation of truth (1 Tim. 3:15), yet it sounds to me like everyone's doing their own thing.
Hey Primate, you should be really disturbed by the fact you are teaching heretical positions on women being Priest, actively gay men becoming Priests and Bishops, women becoming Bishops and having "Official" headship over men and the fact you think there are MANY WAYS to Heaven!
May God have Mercy on your soul! Now, your soul being in danger should really have you "Disturbed"!
"an illiberal takeover of the church" is an understatement. How about a sabotage by the "feel gooders" who take on the form of godliness by deny the power thereof.
What a great step of courage from a few brave men and women of God who is doing something about the takeover. May the Lord bless them.
The Bishop doesn't get it. Those who are separating themselves from those who refuse to follow the teachings of the Word of God are doing what they have too considering the direction of North American Anglicans. The Bible encourages true believers to "come out from among them and be ye separate" 2 Corinthians 6:17. That's what they are doing, Bishop, being true to the Word of God and refusing the current apostasy of Anglicans in North America.
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine (1Timothy 5:17).
I pray that those who honor the Lord by honoring his Word will continue to take courage and keep their eyes on Jesus.
I admire the courage it must have taken to create a new church and leave behind the one many may have been with for decades. But the people have seen they must follow Christ and not whatever new ideology appears on the scene. I wish them well and pray for their success, but even if the church itself fails, I suspect that the congregation will follow principles laid out by the Bible.
Why not see this as simply a parting of the ways with regards to doctrinal differences as opposed to a rivalry?
OK, Mr. Hiltz, are you saying that theological grounds such as the lordship, the deity, and the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, and faith in His word are not sufficient grounds for Christian unity, fellowship, and service? I'm somehow not getting your message: What is it, exactly?
I'm not usually one to advocate division and more denominations, but in this case it's pretty clear that there is a line that's been drawn by both sides. I think you do your best to influence the other side, but at some point, you just have to cut your losses. As much as leaders like Hiltz advocate unity and tolerance, they have been pretty bull-headed in dragging the denomination away from it's roots.