CANADIANS AND AMERICANS JOIN HANDS — REALIGNMENT BEGINS IN EARNEST

By David W. Virtue | Ottawa | September 2, 2004

OTTAWA, ON — Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, leader of the U.S. Anglican Communion Network, got a standing ovation from 700 orthodox Canadian Anglicans at their ESSENTIALS conference this week, and then he launched into an appeal for unity across geographic borders, saying it was "the work of the enemy to divide us."

"We will be close allies in a biblically-driven, orthodox, remnant gathering, uniting and missionary movement, and He who has called you is faithful and he will do it," said the Evangelical Catholic bishop, citing Paul's letter to the Thessalonians. Then he praised the Canadian orthodox Anglicans.

"In forming Essentials you were the first to figure out how to put the charismatic, evangelical and Anglo-Catholics together, and when the terrible innovation moved forward in the Diocese of New Westminster, you stood so clearly showing to the world how it could be done," he told a receptive audience.

"One of the great sadnesses as we get moving is that the enemy is always trying to divide us from each other; the AAC from the AMIA, the ACiNW from the ACiC, evangelicals from Anglo-Catholics — but these divisions are not of the Lord, they are of the enemy," he said.

Duncan said the newly formed Canadian Conference of North American Anglican Bishops (CNAAB) must hang together or hang separately. "God is doing a new thing, so we must cooperate. We must see what God is doing with our corporate identity."

Duncan said the ACN had grown "staggeringly" since its inception. "On August 5, 2003 I stood before the U.S. House of Bishops and said that the General Convention had broken the constitutions and strayed from the faith once delivered, and I said you are in schism with the whole Christian Church."

"Six weeks later at a meeting in London Dr. Rowan Williams used the term 'The Network of Confessing Dioceses' suggesting a concept able to stand against the totalitarianism and the abuse of power and authority from ECUSA's revisionist leadership. In November four diocesans signed a memorandum of agreement. Nine more came on board. By January 2004 we had gathered in 12 dioceses and the Network was formed. Now three quarters of the world's Anglicans stand with us."

Duncan said the Network now had 11 dioceses, within which are 1,100 clergy, 735 congregations, and 176,000 communicants. Beyond this base are 7 convocations, two of which are non-geographic, including Forward in Faith. The newest convocation is The Church of Nigeria in America (CONA) — started in May and growing by leaps and bounds.

"The House of Bishops of Nigeria has called Nigerian Anglicans out of ECUSA and are forming this new convocation. There are some 500,000 ex-patriot Nigerians in the U.S. In partnership with the Network, the Church of Nigeria is determined to create new dynamic gospel-driven churches where Anglicans could go and find a recognizable liturgy and faith."

22 of 38 Anglican Provinces have declared broken or impaired Communion with ECUSA. 15 of these Provinces now officially recognize the Network. Additionally, three church groups outside ECUSA have declared Common Cause with the Network: AMiA, REC and APA, adding a total of 232 congregations and 35,000 communicants.

"God is doing this new work. We didn't do it, it is not our plan — God is the one who is doing it," said Duncan. "The way forward is in Him. God gave us a vision of a united, orthodox, missionary movement, gospel living, gospel preaching church."

Duncan said the orthodox must give up their idols, bishops included. "We need to give up our pride and the fractures we have caused. God does not use unbroken men and women. The way forward is together. God is building a new Anglicanism in North America."