E-mail
Print
RSS
G-bookmarks
Live
TechnoratiConservative Anglicans who cut ties with The Episcopal Church – the U.S. arm of Anglicanism – are moving quickly on the formation of a new Anglican body in North America.
Groups of breakaway Anglicans are releasing a draft constitution to their new structure on Wednesday and the rival body to The Episcopal Church is expected to be officially up and running by the middle of next year.
One of the key leaders in the move is the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, who heads one of the more prominent breakaway groups called CANA (Convocation of Anglicans in North America) – a missionary branch of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. The Christian Post caught up with Minns, who has traveled nearly 300,000 miles in the past two years visiting conservative Anglican congregations, on Sunday at Truro Church in Fairfax, Va., to hear his thoughts on the breakaway movement and how Anglicanism in America may be splitting up and diversifying the way several other mainline denominations have already.
CP: It’s the second anniversary of the Anglican District of Virginia (which is part of CANA). Over these past two years as these churches in Virginia cut ties with The Episcopal Church and more have joined this “conservative movement,” if you will, out of the national church, what would you say has been the greatest challenge?
Minns: I think the challenge has been to keep focused on doing Christian ministry and not get caught up in reacting or being sort of overwhelmed by all the various litigation and the pushes and pull. I think we’re doing pretty well. I think people are keeping focused on the importance of the Gospel. So that’s been the challenge.
CP: Were there any surprises during those years?
Minns: I think I’ve been surprised by how many people were willing to pay a price for their faith. In this country it’s fairly easy to be a Christian as opposed to other countries where it’s quite challenging. But I’ve been surprised and pleased by how many folks were willing to step out and risk everything.
CP: And what have you found the most rewarding?
Minns: I find it really rewarding to visit congregations of people that are really seeking to follow God, to hear God and to do God’s will. It’s really rewarding to see especially the children who really are dedicated to … who are enthusiastic Christians and want to make a difference.
CP: Has the Archbishop of Canterbury offered any recognition of CANA (Convocation of Anglicans in North America) and your position as missionary bishop?
Minns: Not any formal recognition. But then again, we are part of the Church of Nigeria so in that sense, his recognition isn’t strictly necessary. But he’s stuck in a hard place because on the one hand, he wants to keep everything together but he realizes that the American church is headed off in a direction that the rest of us won’t go. He’s also limited in terms of his authority in this country, so I think he’s trying to stay quiet and stay out of it.
CP: In your message today you mentioned the new province that’s forming, saying it’s happening more quickly that you expected. Why is that?
Minns: Well, just a lot of people with lots of different opinions, coming from different backgrounds, like the Reformed Episcopal Church has been separated from The Episcopal Church for more than a hundred years, so overcoming that takes a lot of work. And then we’ve got different strands, different groups that have different opinions on things so I thought it would take a lot longer to overcome some of those differences but we’re really doing quite well.
CP: Is there something in particular that pushed or accelerated the creation of this new structure?
Minns: I think in some ways yes. The fact that these large groups, what they call the dioceses, left added some impetus to that. And then I think the Jerusalem conference was such a tremendous positive experience. When they said “we want you to get organized in America, so get on with it,” so we had essentially been given the challenge to do this. Continue »
jvwh3b »
Agree: 
Disagree: 
