Shifting Times in the Anglican Community

I was recently asked to write a letter outlining the crisis in the Anglican Church. A longtime Anglican from a smaller outlying community wanted a summary she could share with other Anglicans as well as local media. I seems appropriate to post it here as well.

SHIFTING TIMES IN THE ANGLICAN COMMUNITY

March 2008

Over the past few years the Anglican world has been experiencing an underground shift that has now resulted in a physical and emotional breakaway. This is a historical event which will affect every Anglican parishioner in Canada from coast to coast.

The issue at the heart of this shift has been a challenge to the authority of Scripture, as God’s Word written. Even the uniqueness of Jesus as Lord and Saviour has been challenged. The current presenting issue is the blessing of “same sex” partners. This was voted on at the recent 2007 Synod in Winnipeg and passed as being “not in conflict with core doctrine.” A second motion to allow local dioceses to perform same sex blessings was narrowly defeated (by 2 votes). But many in the leadership of the Anglican Church of Canada have stated that they will go ahead with the offering of blessings. The Anglican Church of Canada has shown by its actions that it wishes to follow the trends of society, and uses the ever popular buzz word of the day “inclusivity”. While the Church should strive to include all, having inclusivity at the cost of compromising the Gospel is unfaithful to the traditional teaching of the Anglican and Christian faith.

The Worldwide Anglican Communion has repeatedly warned the Canadian and American Anglican Churches, that they would be seen as choosing to “walk apart” from the Communion if they continued implementing changes contrary to the traditional teachings of the Anglican Church and Holy Scripture. For some time concerned Canadian Anglicans have gathered together under the name of “Anglican Essentials Canada”, for information and support. This group of Orthodox Anglicans has since formed into two main groups. The Essentials Federation is composed of those who have chosen to remain within the Anglican Church of Canada while striving to bring its leaders back to its historic teachings. The Network are those who see the Anglican Church of Canada as continuing on its present course regardless of the warnings; and therefore feel called to step out from the national Church while retaining their membership with the Worldwide Anglican Communion.

In the last few months several parishes and a number of small groups have realigned as the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC). ANiC is led by Bishop Don Harvey (Newfoundland) who is assisted by Bishop Malcolm Harding (Manitoba). ANiC is connected to the Anglican Communion through the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone (South America) and their Archbishop Gregory Venables.

The largest parish to join ANiC is St. Johns Shaughnessy (Vancouver) which was one of the largest Anglican Churches in Canada. One of the smaller groups to join is the newly formed Church of the Resurrection (Brandon). Many in this group have left their parishes not because of issues with their Pastors who have been faithful preachers of the Word, but rather because they felt to stay would be seen as being supportive of the liberal directions the Anglican Church of Canada have taken. Over the past few years, these people have strived within the church to call its leaders to repentance and return to traditional teachings. At this moment in time however these groups feel they have now been called to take a stand and step outside the Canadian Church as a faithful witness to other Anglicans across this nation.

What we have witnessed is the “latest wave” of Anglican realignment within Canada. If the Anglican Church of Canada maintains its present course, Anglicans may see further “waves” of realignment with ANiC as an Orthodox and viable Anglican alternative.

By Phil Varcoe