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Dissident Episcopal leaders have expressed support for 21 clergy who were recently defrocked by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.
Conservative leaders, including the Rt. Revs. Robert Duncan of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Jack Iker of the Diocese of Forth Worth, and John David Schofield of the Diocese of San Joaquin, said last week's deposition of clergy who had already voted to leave The Episcopal Church is "of no effect."
Virginia bishop Peter James Lee announced on Thursday that he would remove from the priesthood 21 clergy who were part of the December exodus of Virginia parishes from The Episcopal Church. The congregations split over the denomination's departure from Anglican tradition and Christian orthodoxy.
The congregations left to remain steadfast in their faith and clergy who were removed are each recognized as "a priest in good standing of the Anglican Communion," conservative Anglicans argued.
The breakaway Anglicans have placed themselves under the authority of Nigerian archbishop Peter J. Akinola, joining CANA (Convocation of Anglicans in North America), the mission initiative of the Church of Nigeria.
Stressing that the clergy are no longer under Lee's jurisdiction, Akinola called Lee's action "meaningless" and said it "appears to be rather mean spirited."
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"There is no question that CANA and its bishops are fully Anglican – they are a recognized and integral part of the largest and fastest growing Anglican Province – there is a serious question as to how long The Episcopal Church will be able to make the same claim," Akinola wrote in a letter to the deposed clergy.
"As a member of the CANA clergy your Anglican identity is assured and your ordination vows fully valid."
Akinola and three other Anglican bishops from Africa have set up offshoots in the United States to provide a spiritual home and "safe haven" for Anglicans discontent with The Episcopal Church. The U.S. Anglican body widened rifts in 2003 when it consecrated an openly gay bishop.
CANA currently claims about 40 congregations and Akinola has said that if The Episcopal Church gets back in line with the Anglican Communion and gives up its liberal agenda, CANA will be no more.
