Former Episcopalians look for new path

January 28, 2012
Nicholas Knisely

In an overview of the turmoil in the Anglican Mission of America, Bob Smietana in The Tennessean Newspaper, lays out the issues confronting the members of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) as they try to regroup. The article begins by quoting a former Episcopal priest who left to join the AMiA and who describes the present situation as “It’s sinful, it’s ugly, it’s wrong […] And it doesn’t bring honor to the name of Christ.”

The priest in question has decided to remain a part of the Rwandan community that is led by African Church rather than the larger group based in Pawley’s Island South Carolina.

Bob Duncan, the head of the ACNA, is interviewed as part of the article and he says of the larger part of the AMiA that is now independent of Rwanda:

“Since the Anglican Mission’s leaders are not part of the Anglican Church in North America or the Rwandan church they are basically an independent group.

“They are now former Anglicans,” he said. “That’s what they have to grapple with.”

Duncan, who was formerly the Episcopal bishop in Pittsburgh, said his group has close ties to bishops overseas, despite the problems between the Anglican Mission and Rwanda. He said having overseas bishops try to run churches in America simply is unworkable.

“It doesn’t work when your bishop is 8,000 miles away,” he said.”

0 0 vote

Article Rating

Café Comments?

Our comment policy requires that you use your real first and last names and provide an email address (your email will not be published). Comments that use non-PG rated language, include personal attacks, that are not provable as fact or that we deem in any way to be counter to our mission of fostering respectful dialogue will not be posted.

7 Comments

Newest

Oldest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Leslie Scoopmire

February 1, 2012 6:23 pm

See, the thing is, this is what happens once you start “talking a little treason,” to quote one of my favorite John Wayne films. Once you have cast aside any ideas of loyalty, reason, or humility, you get smacked by the very same attitudes in others. The AMiA folks have found that there is no honor among thieves.

David Thomas

January 29, 2012 2:39 pm

“Dial down the smack talk”? Coming from one of the top 10 purveyors of right wing smack on the internet today, your hypocricy is laughable.

Christopher Johnson

January 29, 2012 12:25 am

Bob Duncan was Anglican before the split. So either Bob Duncan is still Anglican or Anglican Christianity stopped being an “apostolic” tradition when Canterbury split from Rome. Take your pick. And I’d dial down the smack talk if I were you.

Leslie Scoopmire

January 28, 2012 11:28 pm

No kidding. That’s why bishops were created in the first place. What’s right cannot be submitted to a popular vote.

tgflux

January 28, 2012 10:45 pm

“They are now former Anglicans,” [xDuncan] said. “That’s what they have to grapple with.”

Beyond parody.

JC Fisher

wpDiscuz

Support the Café

Past Posts

The Episcopal Café seeks to be an independent voice, reporting and reflecting on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition. The Café is not a platform of advocacy, but it does aim to tell the story of the church from the perspective of Progressive Christianity. Our collective sympathy, as the Café, lies with the project of widening the circle of inclusion within the church and empowering all the baptized for the role to which they have been called as followers of Christ.

The opinions expressed at the Café are those of individual contributors, and, unless otherwise noted, should not be interpreted as official statements of a parish, diocese or other organization. The art and articles that appear here remain the property of their creators.