APCK MUST DECIDE ISSUE OF UNITY WITH OTHERS

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
6/22/2007

The Bishop of the Eastern States of the Anglican Province of Christ the King, (APCK) the Rt. Rev. Rocco A. Florenza has written a letter to his clergy and people declaring that "a state of genuine unity and full communion" now exists with the Anglican Church in America (ACA).

Bishop Florenza's unilateral action has neither been approved nor disapproved by the other bishops of the APCK, a denomination which stands at a crossroads.

The timing of this announcement comes as Archbishop Robert Sherwood Morse has said he will step down as the head of the Continuing Church body.

The election of his successor is scheduled for the end of June.

The staunchly Anglo-Catholic APCK was formed in 1977 following the Affirmation of St. Louis because of fundamental changes by the Episcopal Church at the 1976 Episcopal Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota to accommodate new beliefs and practices i.e. the ordination of women to the priesthood and the adoption of the revisionist 1979 Prayer Book.

The Right Rev. George Langberg is President of the ACA. This Continuing Church body is a constituent member of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) whose Archbishop is Australian-born John Hepworth.

In his letter, Florenza sharply criticized what he called "the brokenness of our witness for Christ as traditional Anglicans.

"Now, some thirty years after the Affirmation of St. Louis...the traditional Anglican expression in the U.S. has grown increasingly fragmented. At present between 20 and 40 groups calling themselves "Anglican" stand divided; and the few major groups whose roots are grounded in the Denver Consecrations, despite sharing communion and in some cases clergy, remain apart." Florenza said the divisions were "man-made."

"How is it possible to remain divided if we share the same apostolic origins, the same theology and the same Sacraments? Such divisions contradict the will of Christ [and] present a stumbling block to out work for Him in this world, and inflicts damage on our witness as traditional Anglican Christians."

Florenza then wrote, "It is in the interest of unity of the Body of Christ that the Diocese of Eastern States, Anglican Province of Christ the King, has renewed its commitment to ever-closer work with those who share the same origins, theology and sacraments."

Florenza then said as "your diocesan bishop I have pledged to increase our cooperation and fellowship with the Anglican Church in America (ACA), a respected body that has been in real and visible communion with this diocese and with the province. Therefore, I now declare openly a state of genuine unity and full communion with these our brothers and sisters who hold fast to the same eternal truths as do we."

A source told VOL. "Bishop Florenza is moving unilaterally toward unity with the ACA because he feels it is right and he has grown tired of the solitary status quo."

"If Florenza encounters opposition from his fellow APCK bishops to his agreement with the ACA, he has the option to move his entire diocese into the ACA," said the source. "Bishop Florenza's letter is a Godly challenge to the current direction of the APCK and is a much needed breath of fresh air and vitality."

Florenza's plea for Christian unity comes at a critical juncture in the life of the Anglican Communion. Realignment of North American Anglicanism is in full swing and continues to gain momentum.

In recent weeks four new "missionary" Anglican dioceses have formed in the U.S. including Bishop Martyn Minns for the Anglican Province of Nigeria (CANA), Bishop William Cox of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, Bishop-elect Bill Atwood of the Anglican Province of Kenya and Bishop-elect John Guernsey who will serve 26 congregations for the Anglican Province of Uganda.

All of them are members of the Anglican Communion Network led by Pittsburgh Bishop Bob Duncan who also heads Common Cause which includes bishops from the Anglican Communion Network, the Anglican Mission in the Americas (including the Anglican Coalition in Canada), the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, the Anglican Network in Canada, the Anglican Province of America, Forward in Faith North America and the Reformed Episcopal Church. They will hold their first-ever Common Cause Council of Bishops in Pittsburgh, PA, September 25-28.

END


DIOCESE OF THE EASTERN STATES
ANGLICAN PROVINCE OF CHRIST THE KING
The Rt. Rev. Rocco A. Florenza
Diocesan Bishop

A PASTORAL LETTER TO BE READ FROM THE PULPITS OF ALL PARISHES AND MISSIONS

June 21, 2007

To the clergy and people of the Diocese of the Eastern States:

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I write to you today On the Unity of Christ's Church.

On June 9th, 2007, the Diocese of the Eastern States concluded its annual synod. It was a time of learning, prayer, fellowship and, most importantly, communion. Gathered before the Altar the faithful of this diocese united in the celebration of the Eucharist, joined at that moment with all in the church that is holy, catholic and apostolic. The closing mass of this synod was an occasion of profound joy, yet tinged with sorrow over the brokenness of our witness for Christ as traditional Anglicans.

Now, some thirty years after the Affirmation of St. Louis and the consecration of four priests to the episcopacy by the Rt. Rev. Albert Chambers and other bishops, to continue the traditional Anglican expression in the United States, that witness, begun in great hope and fervent prayer, has grown increasingly fragmented. At present between 20 and 40 groups calling themselves "Anglican" stand divided; and the few major groups whose roots are grounded in the Denver Consecrations, despite sharing communion and in some cases clergy, remain apart. One may claim any number of reasons for these unhappy divisions, but they essentially are man-made.

The unity of divided humanity is the will of God. For this very reason the Father sent His Son, so that by dying and rising for us He might bestow on us the Spirit of love. Indeed the night before His sacrifice on the Cross, Jesus Himself prayed to the Father for His disciples and for all those who believe in Him, that they might be one, as He and the Father are one, in living communion.

This forms the basis of the duty and responsibility of those in the Body of Christ to foster reconciliation and unity.

Daily and during the course of our synod, faithful laity have repeatedly asked, "How is it possible to remain divided if we share the same apostolic origins, the same theology and the same Sacraments? What precisely is it that separates us?" In truth, such divisions contradict the will of Christ, presents a stumbling block to our work for Him in this world, and inflicts damage on our witness as traditional Anglican Christians,

A community truly centered in Christ present in the Sacrament cannot be closed in upon itself, as though it were somehow self-sufficient; rather it must strive for harmony with other catholic communities. Cooperation among all Christians incarnates the bond that unites them, and reveals to the world the servant hood of Christ.

It is in the interest of unity of the Body of Christ that the Diocese of the Eastern States, Anglican Province of Christ the King, has renewed its commitment to ever-closer work with those who share the same origins, theology and Sacraments. As a first step, I, your diocesan bishop have pledged to increase our cooperation and fellowship with the Anglican Church in America, a respected body that has been in real and visible communion with this diocese and with the province. Therefore, I now declare openly a state of genuine unity and full communion with these our brothers and sisters who hold fast to the same eternal truths as do we.

In the eyes of the world, cooperation among Christians is a form of common Christian witness and represents a means of evangelization commanded by Christ. Such cooperation based on our common faith, our common origin and our common sacraments is nothing less than a manifestation of Christ Himself.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

Faithfully,

+ Rocco A. Florenza