Ontario churches disappointed by decision
A press release from the Anglican Network in Canada –
A judge in the Ontario Superior Court in Hamilton, Madam Justice Milanetti, has ordered three southern Ontario Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes to share their building facilities with a diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada pending the resolution of a trial over who is legally entitled to exclusive possession.
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More from the Athabasca synod
The archbishop of Athabasca has issued a letter confirming his diocese’s commitment to the Canadian church and the Anglican Communion after its synod passed motions supporting churches that have left the Anglican Church of Canada and criticising bishops who have gone to court over property issues.
The letter was released after the leader of the Anglican Church of Canada asked the archbishop to explain his synod’s motions. …
– from the Anglican Journal. See also our earlier report.
(Photo of Bishop John Clarke: Diocese of Athabasca)
Apostolic gospel must be at the core, says David Short
The priest of the largest Anglican parish in Canada, who is under ecclesiastical siege from revisionist New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham, says his denomination has lost faith in the gospel. This is evidently revealed in the diocesan newspaper, which gives the impression that the gospel is about being nice, being compassionate, recycling, “and we will even bless your pets”.
“The eternal gospel of redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus’ death and the power of his resurrection has been replaced with a gospel which is about approval, affirmation and acceptance. The apostolic gospel of sins forgiven, of rescue from eternal punishment has been smoothed and soothed to be more acceptable and relevant,” said the Rev. Dr. David Short, pastor of St. John’s, Shaughnessy in Vancouver. …
Report from VirtueOnline.
See also the St. John’s website. (Photo of David Short at the Anglican Network in Canada national conference last weekend: Ed Hird.)
Canadian diocese declares: in full communion with Anglican Network
LC.net/Canada reports that the Synod of the diocese of Athabasca, in northern Alberta, has broken ranks with the leadership of the national Church by declaring it is “in full communion” with the parishes and bishops who have left the Anglican Church of Canada to join the Anglican Network in Canada.
The Synod reportedly passed these resolutions –
Resolution # 2008-11 – BE IT RESOLVED that the Synod inform the parishes and the bishops who have joined the Anglican Network in Canada and the Province of the Southern Cone that we are in full communion with them.
Resolution # 2008-12 – BE IT RESOLVED that the Synod of the Diocese of Athabasca express its dismay that bishops of dioceses have resorted to secular courts when parishes within those dioceses have found it necessary to align themselves with the Anglican Network in Canada and the Province of the Southern Cone. (emphasis added)
With thanks to lambethconference.net (Photo of Bishop John Clarke: Dio. Athabasca)
Southern Cone bishop lends support
Why can’t Canada’s infighting Anglicans just love each other?
That’s the question one of South America’s high-level Anglicans is bringing to the country – even while he accuses Vancouver-area Anglican Bishop Michael Ingham of not being an authentic Christian for allowing the blessing of same-sex relationships.
“I tell people in Canada not to get filled up with bitterness about the homosexual issue, to just try to allow Christ’s love and generosity to come through,” says Gregory Venables, who was elected primate (senior archbishop) of the Southern Cone in 2001. … “I believe truth is above geography. I place doctrine above jurisdiction,” Venables said, the day before he was to attend a conference at South Delta Baptist Church sponsored by the Anglican Network in Canada, which represents breakaway Anglicans. …
Report by Douglas Todd in the National Post. (Photo: Bill Keay/Canwest News Service)
Canadians set to make ecclesiastical history
Fourteen bishops, including several archbishops, many from the Global Anglican Communion, led by the Archbishop of the Southern Cone, the Most Rev. Gregory Venables, will make an historic visit to Vancouver, British Columbia, this weekend to officially launch an ecclesial organization that will stand in permanent opposition to the theologically liberal Anglican Church of Canada. …
– Story from VirtueOnline. (Photo: Diocese of Recife.)
Canadian Anglican Clergy deny charges
Anglican Network in Canada – 21 April 2008
“We have therefore determined that in order to uphold our ordination vows, we must leave your jurisdiction, and by this letter, we hereby relinquish the licences we hold from the Bishop of New Westminster.”
Clergy in six Lower Mainland Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) churches today denied charges they have abandoned their ministry.
In February, Bishop Michael Ingham of the Anglican Church of Canada Diocese of New Westminster issued a “Notice of Presumption of Abandonment of the Exercise of the Ministry” to nine Anglican priests and two ordained deacons. These priests and deacons – including world renowned theologian, the Rev Dr J I Packer – all serve in churches where parishioners had voted to join the Anglican Network in Canada.
In their response, the clergy and deacons point out the glaring lack of evidence as required by church canons (bylaws). They then declare that they continue to be actively engaged in the Anglican ministry to which they were ordained and intend to continue to minister in the Anglican Church – however, not under the jurisdiction of Bishop Ingham and his diocese, both of which have departed from historic orthodox Anglican teaching and practice in defiance of the Lambeth Conference, the Windsor Report and the Primates of the global Anglican Communion.
The clergy conclude their response by declaring: “We have… determined that in order to uphold our ordination vows, we must leave your jurisdiction, and by this letter, we hereby relinquish the licences we hold from the Bishop of New Westminster. Each of us will receive a licence to continue our present parish ministries from Bishop Donald Harvey, who, as you know, is under the jurisdiction of the Primate of the Southern Cone. In this way, we will be able to continue our Anglican ministry within the Anglican Church, under the jurisdiction of and in communion with those who remain faithful to historic, orthodox Anglicanism and as part of the Anglican Communion worldwide.” The two deacons signed a similar statement.
Members of the Anglican Network in Canada are committed to remaining faithful to Holy Scripture and established Anglican doctrine and to ensuring that orthodox Canadian Anglicans are able to remain in full communion with their Anglican brothers and sisters around the world. Since it launched its ecclesial structure last November under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, ANiC has received two bishops – Donald Harvey and Malcolm Harding – and 15 parishes.
The text of the statement released may be seen here (pdf) – or here below –
Statement by nine Anglican Network in Canada clergy to
Bishop Michael InghamDelivered April 21, 2008
We, the undersigned clergy, are writing in response to the Notice of Presumption of Abandonment of Ministry that you have sent to each of us. We would like to point out that the Notice is not in compliance with the Canons in that it does not set out the required facts but simply repeats the language of the Canon. The canonical process has therefore not been engaged.
We have not abandoned the “ministry to which we were ordained”. Each of us was ordained into Anglican ministry; indeed, we were ordained into ministry in the “Church of God” as per our ordination vows. We have been privileged to serve in the Anglican ministry for many years and it is our intention and prayer that we may continue in the Anglican ministry.
Further, it is our intention to remain members of the Anglican Church. We are not leaving the Anglican Church to become members of another church or to minister in another church, which is the concern of Canon XIX.
However, with deep reluctance and regret we have concluded that we cannot continue the Anglican ministry to which we were ordained under your jurisdiction. The Diocese, under your leadership, has departed from historic, orthodox Anglican teaching and practice. It has departed from what the Primates have unanimously recognized as the standard of teaching of the Anglican Communion. The Diocese is in a state of broken or impaired communion with the majority of Anglicans worldwide. Sadly, it appears the Anglican Church of Canada has now similarly departed from Anglican teaching and practice.
We have therefore determined that in order to uphold our ordination vows, we must leave your jurisdiction, and by this letter, we hereby relinquish the licences we hold from the Bishop of New Westminster. Each of us will receive a licence to continue our present parish ministries from Bishop Donald Harvey, who, as you know, is under the jurisdiction of the Primate of the Southern Cone. In this way, we will be able to continue our Anglican ministry within the Anglican Church, under the jurisdiction of and in communion with those who remain faithful to historic, orthodox Anglicanism and as part of the Anglican Communion worldwide.
Signed by:
Rev. Dr. James I. Packer
Rev. Dr. Trevor Walters
Rev. David Short
Rev. Simon Chin
Rev. Stephen Leung
Rev. Dr. Archie Pell
Rev. James Wagner
Rev. Dan Gifford
Rev. Mike Stewart.
See also the Anglican Network in Canada website.
I go to attend to friends – Venables
In response to the public letter from the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada –
“My number is there on the Anglican Communion network,” Archbishop Venables said in a telephone interview from Buenos Aires. “I mean, this is only my humble opinion, but if somebody really wants to talk to me, they can pick up the phone and talk to me. … Do you write a personal letter, between primates, on the Internet if you seriously want a personal dialogue? … I am going to meet with people who are no longer members of the Anglican Church in Canada. They left the Anglican Church in Canada. Therefore, my meeting with them is of no concern to the Anglican Church in Canada. I go to attend to friends.”
– from a story by Michael Valpy in The Globe and Mail.
Archbishop of Canterbury ‘recognises only Anglican Church of Canada’
The propaganda war hots up prior to tomorrow’s deadline for former New Westminster clergy who have aligned with the Anglican Network of Canada. From the Diocese of New Westminster website:
The Archbishop of Canterbury has said the only church body in Canada that belongs to the Anglican Communion is the Anglican Church in Canada. …
The letter from the Archbishop, who heads the Anglican Communion… was in reply to a letter of concern from the Brandon bishop about the activities of the Anglican Network in Canada.
From the New Westminster website.
See also this story from three months ago and another from last weekend.
Canadian Primate to Venables: please stay home
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, writes to Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone, asking him to cancel a planned, unauthorised visit this week to Canada. (This letter assumes Archbishop Venables’ visit needs to be authorised!)
“With this provision in place we believe there is no need for pastoral interventions by Primates or Bishops from jurisdictions outside of the Anglican Church of Canada.”
And to read about being “Compelled by Christ’s Love”, see the Anglican Network.
Read Archbishop Hiltz’s full letter here – Read more
Anglican Church of Canada chooses litigation over negotiation
News Release from the Anglican Network in Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops has rejected an overture from the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) to seek negotiated settlements of property disputes rather than pursue litigation.
Bishop Donald Harvey, moderator of ANiC, expressed his disappointment, and said that, while he was fully aware of the sensitivities of “diocesan autonomy” and wasn’t surprised at this response, “I had hoped the Primate would have attempted to facilitate negotiations between the dioceses and the Anglican Network parishes.” Read more
Canadian Bishops decline Network’s request
Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada, at their April 14-18 meeting, declined a request for national-level negotiations over church property from the Anglican Network in Canada…
– Report from the Anglican Church of Canada’s Anglican Journal. (Photo: Solange de Santis, Anglican Journal.)
St. John’s Shaughnessy stays focussed
David Short, the Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, writes –
A number of people have asked me what has happened since our Vestry vote of February 13th to join the Anglican Network in Canada and receive the Episcopal oversight of Bishop Don Harvey under the jurisdiction of the Southern Cone. Across the country, 14 other congregations have voted to join the Network and the response of the different dioceses has been varied. … Read more
St. Mary’s Metchosin aligned with majority of Anglicans
“As the minister at St. Mary of the Incarnation Church in Metchosin, I write in response to the editorial ‘When churches lose their way’ of April 8.
I too am saddened that the apparent “fighting” appears to have distracted us from our mission as a Christian church. However, the picture is a much bigger one, and the stand we have taken was a matter of being faithful. …”
Sharon Hayton is the Rector of St. Mary of the Incarnation Church in Metchosin on Vancouver Island. She writes in the Victoria B.C. Times Colonist.
See our earlier stories here. (Photo: Diocese of British Columbia.)
Diocese of British Columbia changes locks
On Saturday, this news was posted on the Diocese of British Columbia website:
The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia… has asserted its ownership of buildings at 4125 Metchosin Road, in the District of Metchosin, by securing the property with a change of locks and the installation of a monitored alarm system. … (Full press release here – PDF.)
According to LC.net/Canada, a judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court, has now ordered the Diocese to allow the people back into their building in time for Sunday services.
For background, see our earlier stories. (Photo: Bishop Don Harvey of the Anglican Network in Canada with Sharon Hayton and Andrew Hewlett of St Mary of the Incarnation.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…