Support for Movements toward Realignment

There have been a couple of significant public statements in the last day regarding the realignment presently underway in North American Anglicanism.

One is a letter of support for Bishop Iker of Fort Worth from dozens of leaders in the Church of England. In says, in part, "We fully applaud the stand you have taken for scriptural and traditional Faith and Order, the departure from which of The Episcopal Church (TEC) has been deeply damaging and divisive within the Anglican Communion, and in our relationships with major ecumenical partners. The leadership of TEC’s use of litigation against faithful congregations and clergy is nothing short of a scandal ... [.] We are delighted by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement in response to Bishop John Howe of Central Florida that any diocese compliant with Windsor remained in communion with the See of Canterbury and the mainstream of the Anglican Communion, and trust that you and your diocese will be encouraged thereby. We hope and pray that you, your clergy and people will find an appropriate way to remain true to the faith and order of the universal Church within the fellowship of the Anglican Communion."

Meanwhile, an important letter was issued by key Global South leaders following the transferal of two retired bishops from the Anglican Church of Canada to the Province of the Southern Cone so that they might minister to parishes within the Anglican Network in Canada. In one, the provinces of Kenya, Uganda, Central Africa, and West Africa said:

We recognize that the Province of Canada has failed to provide ... “Adequate Episcopal Oversight”, and in fact, in places like the diocese of New Westminster, has taken actions to close biblically faithful churches and discipline biblically faithful priests for remaining faithful to the teaching and practice of the Anglican Communion. We commend Bishop Donald Harvey for his willingness to come out of retirement to provide Adequate Episcopal Oversight for those biblically faithful, communion-committed Anglicans in Canada who require such oversight and protection. We recognize this will allow their gospel ministry to flourish and grow, while the Communion seeks to find a way forward through this crisis. We have welcomed Bishop Harvey to many of our Global South meetings and we recognize him as a godly and humble servant.

In a different direction, The Times of London is reporting that, "The Pope will discuss how to deal with the increasing numbers of disaffected Anglicans wanting to join the Roman Catholic Church at a meeting with cardinals from around the world. Benedict XVI, who is making the reunification of Christendom a goal of his pontificate, is considering requests from at least three US Episcopal bishops for reception into the Catholic Church [RWF: the three would include Bishop Steenson of the Rio Grande and retired Bishop Lipscomb, formerly of SW Florida, but who is the third convert?]. He has also been approached by an entire breakaway group of traditionalist Anglicans" [RWF--this is presumably the TAC, or perhaps a group of Irish Anglicans who are converting].

Hat tips to Titusonenine.