ANGLICAN ESSENTIALS CANADA
FEDERATION COUNCIL
Arising from The Way Forward Conference 2004, Anglican Essentials Canada is a new federation of orthodox Anglican persons and parishes dedicated to a renewed Anglican orthodoxy. It aims to recover the traditional principles of Anglicanism in Canada while remaining in the Anglican Church of Canada. Our mission is to help coordinate the vision and effort of orthodox Anglicans in Canada through faithful witness to the truth of the Gospel. The interim governing Council of the Federation is made up of bishops, clergy and laity from each ecclesiastical province in Canada.
A number of dioceses across the country have held their annual synods within the last few weeks. What follows is an update on some of the highlights.
The Diocese of Brandon held their 42nd annual synod on October 14-16, 2004. Essentials Brandon took a prominent role throughout this synod. Prior to beginning the sessions Essentials invited all synod delegates (including the Bishop) and friends to a supper located at a nearby hall to both enjoy a warm meal and to have a period of prayer prior to the start of the session. Such an offer was seen as a challenge by our Bishop Njegovan, who wrote each delegate in an attempt to dissuade their attendance " as they [Essentials] divide rather than bring about the unity for which Jesus prayed". " I cannot agree with the basic claims of the Essentials movement or their understanding of authority." Despite this strongly worded note, 55 attended the supper. Clearly this was a harbinger of things to come. Later that evening, in the Bishop's charge, the attack continued. Almost a third of that direction dealt with the issue of the General Synod's motion A134 . In his rebuke of Essentials, the Bishop commented that, " the document known as the Montreal Declaration of Essentials is nothing more than the document of a group of like-minded people who gathered together and produced it. It is not the Doctrine of the Anglican Church of Canada or of the Anglican Communion....”
In response the synod delegates answered that criticism when dealing with Resolution 12. This motion, although watered down by the Resolutions Committee, was passed with an eighty (80)% percent majority. It read " Be it resolved that the 42nd Synod of the Diocese of Brandon send a memorial to General Synod expressing its dissatisfaction with the amendment to motion A134 passed at General Synod affirming the integrity and sanctity of same sex relationships, and respectfully request that General Synod reconsider this matter." Once again this was passed by a large majority of the delegates despite the Bishop prefacing the vote with the admonition that he would not necessarily concur with the forwarding of any such motion to General Synod.
Two positive outcomes occurred at this synod for the Essentials members, not including the resounding approval given to the above resolution. At the end of the synod, with the Brandon Sun reporters present, Bishop Njegovan consented to sending this resolution on to General Synod. Secondly, and more importantly, he also (after earlier writing reprimands to several clergy and forbidding their involvement in any Essentials Brandon organization) agreed to meet with the orthodox clergy (the large majority of all clergy in the diocese), something that he had refused to do over the preceding six months.
The Synod of the Diocese of Rupert's Land met November 13, 2004 in Winnipeg. Although without Episcopal direction or position stated, Rev. Brett Cane and his St. Aidans members were able to move and to have approved two encouraging motions;
As well, the St. Aidans members were able to set up an information table at the Synod where Anglican Essentials Manitoba members, including our chairs, Ann and Phil Varcoe, handed out Essentials information and met with interested delegates to discuss orthodox issues within the ACC.
The Synod of Niagara met on the same weekend of November 13th with much more divisive results. The delegates, despite the release of the Windsor Report, voted 213 to 106 in favour of church blessings of the civil marriages of same-sex couples and so followed the New Westminster lead on this issue. Niagara Bishop Ralph Spence did not assent to the vote at this time. However he indicated he would reconsider the motion at the next synod in 2005, this despite the ACC's synod vote in May to postpone any such decisions until 2007. In response to this decision of the synod, eight orthodox parishes spoke for the authority of Holy Scriptures and gave faithful witness to the Gospel of our Lord.
The Diocese of Calgary held their Synod on the same weekend. In that synod, the focus of the delegates was much more on the local issues relating to Bishop Hollowell's disestablishment of three Calgary parishes. However, delegates were certainly concerned with the place of their diocese within the larger Anglican world. Noting that the constitution of the Anglican Church of Canada, as set forth in the Solemn Declaration of 1893, provides that this church is to continue in full communion with the Anglican Church throughout the world and noting the recent Windsor Report plea for that communion, a motion was brought before the synod; it stated, " … Be it resolved that this Synod reaffirms its commitment to uphold its constitution and remain in full communion with the Anglican Church throughout the World." Predictably, perhaps, this motion was summarily dismissed by the Synod Chancellor and Bishop, who ruled it out of order.
It is apparent that some bishops and synods of the Anglican Church of Canada are prepared to pointedly ignore the voice of the global Anglican Communion. They appear exceedingly reluctant to consider the views of the orthodox voice within our own national Church. Thus - and seemingly without concern - they continue to lead us to exactly that state of separation of which the Windsor Report so recently warned. We can only pray that Anglicans will not continue to abandon each other in this way. Let us pray that the Spirit that guides all true quests for the Mind of our Redeemer will still be able to preside over our conversations.
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“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - , and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4 verses 6-8
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