The only surprise here is that the GAFCON Primates Council is comprised of six not five Primates and The Most Rev Valentino Mokiwa, Primate of Tanzania, the sixth Primate, is missing from the endorsement.
Five Anglican archbishops have backed the introduction of a new Anglican province in North America, a significant, though unsurprising boost for the conservative-led initiative.
"We fully support this development with our prayer and blessing,"
said the archbishops, who are called primates because they lead regional branches of the worldwide Anglican Communion. "It demonstrates the determination of these faithful Christians to remain authentic Anglicans."
Last Wednesday (Dec. 3), a group of conservative dissidents announced that they were starting a branch of the Anglican Communion called the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). The group claims 100,000 members, including most of four dioceses that have split with the Episcopal Church, the U.S. branch of the communion, in the last year.
The new province faces several obstacles before it is officially admitted to the Anglican Communion, however, including the approval of two-thirds of the communion's 38 primates.
Released on Dec. 6, the primates' statement was signed by:
Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda, Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya, Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Archbishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone (South America), and Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria.
Story here-
http://www.gafcon.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=89&Itemid=12
Official Statement here-
http://www.gafcon.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=12
2 comments:
Note, however, that the primates did not recognize the new denomination as an Anglican province. They do not have the authority to do that, of course, but the GAFCON folks seem to have thrown away the Anglican rule book.
And Schori has adhered to all the Canons of TEC? What a joke!
Post a Comment