Church of Nigeria: What CANA passport?
A story that has just popped on the Church of Nigeria website (though it's dated March 7th) repeats a February 23rd newspaper story in which it was reported that the Archbishop Okoh said CANA was no longer a missionary diocese of Nigeria. That story was first picked up on Anglican/Episcopal blogs by The Lead.
Shortly after the story got into the Anglican news-stream alarm bells sounded. CANA issued a press release saying that Okoh denied the report, and that CANA was still a missionary diocese of Nigeria. CANA subsequently reiterated the statement on its website that members of CANA hold dual passports in ACNA and the C of N.
March 7th is a few days after the end of the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria. Martyn Minns of CANA attended that meeting reportedly as a member.
To state the obvious, we await a clarification from CANA on this latest development. Why has the Church of Nigeria published a report that contradicts CANA's press release?
The easiest answer would be a clerical error.
Previous episodes of this saga:
Abp Okoh says CANA belongs to ACNA, not CoN - The Lead 2/23/11
Dual Citizenship in CANA & ACNA - CANA News Articles 2/24/11
Minns gets reassurance from Okoh - The Lead 2/25/11
At this point I wonder why we waste any time on CANA, ACNA or the Ordinariate. Apart from an occasional update on legal cases all of these folks are irrelevant to the ongoing mission of TEC.
Indeed we can depend on any statement from them being a prevarication, they will never admit any inconvenient truth.
The person who should be watching this is the ++ABC. But I doubt it.
Posted by Michael Russell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 17, 2011 3:17 PM
@Michael
Point taken.
My reasoning:
1. If the ABC isn't watching we should be.
2. In the Virginia cases it's still up in the air whether being a missionary diocese of Nigeria makes a difference. It seems settled, but you wonder.
3. Following the miscommunication is amusing to some of us.
Posted by John B. Chilton![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 17, 2011 3:25 PM
One thing is clear (and has been for the length of Archbishop Okoh´s reign as Primate of all Nigeria) and that is Martyn Minns doesn´t write the script Nigerian HOB´s script anymore (and maybe not the blank checks either)!
Posted by Leonardoricardosanto.blogspot.com![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 17, 2011 4:07 PM
Inquiring minds want to know if the retrogressives have added a retroactive clause.
Posted by Bonnie Spivey![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 17, 2011 4:40 PM
Yes it is highly entertaining to watch them flounder in the gauzy web of their self-delusions. On the other hand, attention is what they crave, so denying them attention is really the best way to handle them.
Also it is Lent so we should not be snickering at their confusion.
There has also been way too much coverage of the ordinariate. Again, who cares how many go, they simply help the English vote be more decisive (I hope) for women bishops and against the Anglican Covenant.
Posted by Michael Russell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 17, 2011 6:34 PM
"The easiest answer would be a clerical error."
Indeed. Clerical errors abound in this whole sad business.
However, as Michael reminds us, it is Lent. We should all beware of schadenfreude. And especially me.
Speaking of the Ordinariate, I see that the former CofE bishops have now been made monsignori -- a couple of Prelates of Honour and one Apostolic Pronotory! How nice for them!
Oh-oh. That's a kind of schadenfreude again, isn't it? Mea culpa....
Posted by Bill Moorhead![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 17, 2011 7:47 PM
why do we need to keep watch on ACNA/CANA? because someone needs to shine the light on them, so long as they continue to spread falsehoods (that ACNA is the real Anglican church in North America,for instance). In the internet age, it is all to common for something to become "true" just because it is repeated again and again.
What is clear from this is that Okoh, unlike Akinola, is not the puppet of Minns. This press release was clearly written by a Nigerian, unlike previous press releases in the Queen's English.
Posted by Jim Pratt![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 18, 2011 9:54 PM
While the link to the report posted on the CoN website currently still working, the report no longer shows on the homepage.
So, did CANA ask CoN to take it down? Who is running this show?
http://www.anglican-nig.org/index.php
Posted by John B. Chilton![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
|
March 18, 2011 10:43 PM