The Revs. Mark Harris and Scott Gunn have written blog posts recently about the Anglican Church in North America. In general I think it is a mistake for the Episcopal Church to pay too much attention to these folks because it distracts us from our own issues, with which they have little to do. Yet it is useful to have vigilant folks like Mark and Scott keeping an eye on a church that means us no good–even if that church is decreasingly able to do us harm.
Scott studied ACNA’s annual report. He writes:
When I saw that ACNA had issued reports, I expected to see some impressive numbers. After all, at first glance they seem to have a clearer identity and mission. In many cases, they are free of the shackles of buildings ill-suited to 21st century church. But they have not shown much real growth or vitality. Perhaps that’s they’re still filled with too much anger and a fragile sense of self-confidence. If they are going to grow, they need to lose the anger and the persistent schism, and develop a Gospel-based message that is about hope, not fear and division.
Mark surveys the situation more broadly and says:
So, where is ACNA three years in?
It is a church, much like the church from which it sprang, only with more purple.
It is not our friend.
It is strategic in identifying itself as Anglican
It is patient.
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Hi Nicole and Adam. Looks like the period crept into my earlier hyperlink. See if this works: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/shoulders/Episcopal.pdf
Note that it’s in PDF.
Cheers,
Eric Bonetti
Yes, I tried going to the link as well. However, I think at the rate of how we are doing as a church, dwindling numbers and terrible budgets such as this one, they really don’t need to do much. ACNA might very well be the next Anglican representative in the US in the next 10 years, if there is an Anglican Communion left.
Hey Eric,
Just a friendly FYI that your link above may be broken. (Or my computer may be broken…)
Adam
Forget my signature:
This rant was authorized by Eric Bonetti, candidate for dog catcher 🙂
Hi Nicole. Thank you for your question.
ACNA’s goals and its lack of transparency around its true intentions is best set forth in the December 28, 2003 memo written by Geoff Chapman,available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/shoulders/Episcopal.pdf. Chapman was instrumental in efforts to form ACNA, which he states intends to replace the existing TEC hierarchy. Tellingly, in his memo, Chapman urges recipients to “keep this memo confidential, sharing it in hard copy…only with people you fully trust, and do not pass it on electronically with anyone under any circumstances.”
Apropos claims that ACNA folks believe parish property to be theirs, Chapman states, “Recent litigation indicates that the local diocesan authorities hold almost all the cards in property disuptes and clergy placement if they want to play “hardball”. (sic) This, of course, well prior to efforts by parishes here in Virginia to seize TEC assets.
As I’ve said here before, I wish no one harm, and I know several folks at the breakaway parishes who are good and decent people. But I also believe that ACNA must be taken at its word when it says that it wishes to supplant TEC, particularly when it has, in fact, followed the “cluster strategy” outlined in the Chapman memo.