Anglican Church in North America

[bliz]

Is anyone up to speed on this new denomination?

 

[Albion]

Is anyone up to speed on this new denomination?

There doesn't appear to be much speed in the ACNA, but it's hard to answer your question without knowing what your level of familiarity with her is and what in particular you might be wondering about.

Fire away and we'll see if we can answer.

 

[bliz]

I've read their web site and like a lot of what I read, but I've had way too much church drama in recent years, and want to avoid revolutions, fights over property, angry parishioners/former parshioners. Been there, done that and don't want to do it again.

 

[Albion]

I've read their web site and like a lot of what I read, but I've had way too much church drama in recent years, and want to avoid revolutions, fights over property, angry parishioners/former parshioners. Been there, done that and don't want to do it again.

Thanks. In that case, my advice to you would have to be to look elsewhere, because ACNA is facing all those fights in the months and years ahead.

The mainstay of ACNA, i. e. the several dioceses which left The Episcopal Church, are being sued over property.

There are divisive issues that are unsettled as of yet and will not be settled easily--women clergy, which prayerbook to use, and some other things.

There has been some irritation expressed over whether the ACNA's stated principles tend towards Anglo-Catholicism or, rather, towards more mainstream Anglican views.

The six or so dioceses, churches, and associations which founded ACNA have yet to dissolve themselves into ACNA and make it a united, single church.

It is unclear if the churches affiliated with African provinces of the Anglican Communion will go into ACNA in the end or not.

The Anglican Catholic Church is threatening to sue over the name itself (which was the original name of the ACC).

And if all of this is ironed out, ACNA faces its biggest struggle--but the one that is automatic, given the reason there is an ACNA at all--persuading the Anglican Communion to accept it as a second province in North America.

Although more conservative in some respects, the Continuing Anglican churches by contrast are now fairly well settled and have left these problems behind--except for not having established unity among themselves.

.

 

[RestoreTheRiver]

My wife and I are members. We've worshipped with an ACNA parish since December, and are now part of a new mission in our home town that just started in September. I'm a priest, and am in process of having my orders received by the ACNA.

Our friend Albion has done his usual accurate job of describing the challenges our new communion faces. Given that, I love the family of missions of which we're a part, and see so much that is good, and so much potential, beyond our immediate context as well.

If there are questions I can answer, I'll be happy to add my perspective to this discussion.

Michael

 

[Albion]

One footnote that's probably needed...

The situation with each parish matters a lot, and that's something which the rest of us have a hard time commenting on accurately. A denomination that has some serious internal struggles may nevertheless have many parishes which are relatively calm. And, on the other hand, there are many congregations in whatever denomination which are rent with bitter battles even though the national church is rather calm. So also with property fights. In some cases, the settlement is made relatively easily and everyone moves on. In others, one party or the other feels it cannot compromise, for one reason or another, and it drags on for year after year. One example of the trickiness of giving any answer to your question would be this: if we are speaking of the former Episcopal Dioceses of Pittsburgh or San Joaquin, there are likely to be property fights. But if we are looking at you joining a parish of the Reformed Episcopal Church (which is one of the parties joining in creating the ACNA), there is nothing for you to worry about, since those battles were fought over a hundred years ago.

What I'm getting at is that the answer for you, bliz, may lie in what the local situation looks like. For all the rest of us know at this point, you have few choices, either ACNA, Continuing Anglican, or some other. If there is a solid and growing ACNA church near you, that potentially means more than the fact that there might be a different one you'd prefer but which doesn't have a thriving parish within fifty miles of your home. The ACNA faces a number of potential tussles, and we all recognize that, but it's not clear at this time which ones, if any, will become long and drawn out, and which ones will be resolved without too much bickering.

 

[RMDY]

Is anyone up to speed on this new denomination?

I'm in it, and it is not a new denomination: It is a new province in the Anglican Communion.

 

[PaladinValer]

I'm in it, and it is not a new denomination: It is a new province in the Anglican Communion.

No it is not.

It is not recognized by the Archbishop of Canterbury nor has representation in Lambeth, the Primates' Meeting, or the Anglican Consultative Council.

At best, the ACNC is an ambiguous organization. While it is recognized by some provinces, it doesn't meet any of the core qualities that the Anglican Communion deems necessary for its inclusion.

Until the ACNC meets these qualities, it remains ambiguous, but it is absolutely not a new province. If that is what they are teaching, then they have a lot of explaining to do to the ABC, the Primates' Meeting, and to the ACC.

 

[bliz]

Well, not that I'm more confused than ever...

 

[RestoreTheRiver]

It is the vision of the ACNA to become a new Anglican Province. We are recognized by, and in communion with, a healthy list of provinces; especially those of the global south. Therefore, we are in communion with the majority of Anglicans in the world.

Given that, we are not yet recognized as a province by the Archbishop of Canterbury, etc. Now, whether one believes such recognition is likely or not seems to fall right in line with where one is on the ACNA in general. Time will tell, one way or the other.

Perhaps at this time, it would be best to say that we are Anglicans, as affirmed by the majority of Anglicans in the world; and that we aspire to be, and believe we will be, recognized as a province.

+Michael

 

[Thewsis]

I happen to be in formal communion with them. I know the Archbishop and many of the pioneers personally. I do share their vision, priorities and concerns. However, we must not hurry to jump into any conclusions yet. The new communion still faces identity and theological issues as some people still carry the ECUSA mentality - without saying it's a negative thing. I only hope that confusion will cease. Time will show but yet, it's a positive development for Traditional Anglicans.

 

[Albion]

No it is not.

It is not recognized by the Archbishop of Canterbury nor has representation in Lambeth, the Primates' Meeting, or the Anglican Consultative Council.

At best, the ACNC (sic) is an ambiguous organization. While it is recognized by some provinces, it doesn't meet any of the core qualities that the Anglican Communion deems necessary for its inclusion.

PV, you're right about that, of course, but my hunch is that RMDY used the term "Anglican Communion" to mean 'the world of Anglicans' generally. This is erroneous usage because there is a specific organization called the Anglican Communion. However, many people seem to say "Anglican Communion" when trying to find a way of saying "Anglicanism."

(and Michael...if you sign yourself with + before your name, it means that you are a bishop.)

 

[RestoreTheRiver]

PV, you're right about that, of course, but my hunch is that RMDY used the term "Anglican Communion" to mean 'the world of Anglicans' generally. This is erroneous usage because there is a specific organization called the Anglican Communion. However, many people seem to say "Anglican Communion" when trying to find a way of saying "Anglicanism."

(and Michael...if you sign yourself with + before your name, it means that you are a bishop.)

Yes...that was an unfortunate error!

Michael+