CONSERVATIVE NETWORK STARTS TAKING SHAPE

Gaining place in realigning communion

Senior Bishops Also Ready To Cross Diocesan Lines, Plano-East Meeting Told

Report/Analysis

By Auburn Faber Traycik

The Christian Challenge (Washington, DC)

January 13, 2004

IF THE OVER 3,000-STRONG Plano-East meeting January 9-10 just south of  Washington, D.C., is an example, the network of faithful Episcopalians emerging   within the Episcopal Church (ECUSA), but outside its official structure, is  becoming - as one speaker put it - a force to be reckoned with.</td><td class="print">The new Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes reportedly  has--among other things--the encouragement of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr.  Rowan Williams.

But, while it seems highly unlikely that he would presently support the  designation of it as a replacement for ECUSA‚ -an unprecedented step--he may face  a hard choice on that score.

That is because the Network--even before its formal launching next week--is already starting to be treated as the legitimate U.S. branch of the Communion by several Anglican provinces and even other Christian bodies, said Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan and other principals at Plano-Eastin Woodbridge, Virginia, sponsored by the D.C. and Virginia chapters of the American Anglican Council (AAC).

The shift in ecclesial relationships is flanked by earlier announcements that some 20 Anglican provinces considered their communion with ECUSAs liberal  leadership broken or impaired, in the wake of the American Church’s consecration  of an actively gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson, and support for optional  same-sex blessings. The actions--seen by most Anglicans worldwide as defying  scriptural authority, established policy, and widespread appeals--have quickened a  process of realignment across the Communion.

The most remarkable recent illustration of the change taking place came in a  stinging letter to ECUSA Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, in which the Ugandan  Anglican Church--which earlier broke ties with ECUSA--turned back the U.S.  Church’s plans to send a delegation to the installation of Uganda’s new presiding bishop. It also saw ECUSAs offer of aid as an attempt to buy Uganda’s  silence and cooperation for its unbiblical policies.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not for sale, even among the poorest of us who  have no money, the letter declared. Eternal life, obedience to Jesus Christ, and conforming to His Word are more important, said the Ugandans--who invited Network representatives to attend their archbishops installation instead.

That is radical stuff, the Rev. Martyn Minns, rector of Virginias Truro Church, Fairfax, told Plano-East participants, who outnumbered the some 2,700 faithful Episcopalians who attended October’s landmark meeting in Dallas (Plano). Minns said the Ugandan event would be attended by Bishop Duncan, the Networks Moderator, and Dallas Bishop James Stanton, and others.

The formal inauguration of the Network--a move the AAC says is strongly  supported by many Anglican primates--is set to take place January 19-20 at Christ  Church, Plano, and to include among its participants representatives of at  least a dozen dioceses: Albany, Pittsburgh, San Joaquin (CA), South Carolina,  Florida, Central Florida, Dallas, Fort Worth, Quincy and Springfield (both in  Illinois), Western Kansas, and Rio Grande.

THE NEW NETWORK also got a boost from a group of senior bishops which Minns  announced is now prepared to exercise episcopal ministry to marginalized or  embattled parishes across diocesan lines--with or without the permission of  the local ECUSA bishop.

Though there was speculation that this may involve foreign  bishops--canonically untouchable by ECUSA--Minns did not name names, and neither would other AAC  spokesmen TCC queried.

But the provision of adequate episcopal oversight for conservative parishes  in hostile circumstances has the backing of Anglican primates (provincial  leaders), who inferred at their October meeting in London that they will monitor  such provisions via the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role as consultant in the  matter.

Still, it appears virtually certain that there will be a need for bishops willing to cross lines without permission. Already, ECUSA and AAC officials are  stalemated over a draft bishops plan that provides no override of the local  bishop if he fails to permit adequate alternate care (adequate being judged  by the recipients). And the stakes are growing higher by the day: some 100  parishes are said to have applied through the AAC for alternate episcopal care.

-Navigating Uncharted Waters-

Minns sparked amusement with his understatement that providing unauthorized  episcopal ministry--though pastoral in intent--may cause some controversy.

And of course, no one could expect that, for beleaguered faithful  Episcopalians,  it will be all smooth or swift sailing through uncharted Anglican waters.  Nor is the new Network likely to offer a panacea for all believing Episcopalians, since it will not adopt the catholic position on women’s ordination.

Some confusion and questions were generated recently in the wake of Bishop  Duncan’s comments to the effect that the Network is not seeking to be a province  separate from ECUSA.

Indeed, it remains intertwined with a body that--despite its rebellious pro-gay actions and the serious damage they have caused to Anglican unity and  ecumenical efforts--has yet to be de-recognized by the Archbishop of Canterbury  and/or the primates jointly. In remarks to reporters at Woodbridge, as well,  Duncan still held out hope that sufficient pressure could be brought to bear on  ECUSA to step back from its anti-scriptural position on homosexuality.

That was not exactly the message that some heard earlier--if not from Duncan,  from other leading spokesmen--at the Dallas meeting and elsewhere.

One online commentator asked what happened to some conservative leaders  assertions that there would be a new province, that the irreformable ECUSA  would be `excommunicated, that no one was working on establishing a `church  within a church--a phrase lately used to describe the Network by both Duncan and  AAC President David Anderson, but a scheme that has been tried and failed.  (Based on its experience, the traditionalist Forward in Faith, North America, has  been urging some Communion-recognized

...