Wednesday, December 21, 2011

AMiA Bishops who resigned from the Anglican Church of Rwanda House of Bishops lose their status in the ACNA College of Bishops; AMiA loses status as ACNA Mission Partner

The Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) bishops who resigned from the Anglican Church of Rwanda House of Bishops have officially lost their status in the Anglican Church in North American (ACNA) College of Bishops. AMiA has also lost its status as a Ministry Partner in the ACNA .  Work is now underway to work toward restoring relationships between all parties.

Archbishop Bob Duncan writes to the Anglican Church in North America on recent events in the Anglican Mission in America:


“Recent events within the Anglican Mission in the Americas have challenged us all. The vision, however, that governs our fledgling Province remains unchanged: a Biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America.” 


ACNA Archbishop Bob Duncan
20th December, A.D. 2011
Eve of St. Thomas the Apostle
TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA

Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Recent events within the Anglican Mission in the Americas have challenged us all. This letter is a brief report to you all about those events and about our efforts to find a path forward. The present reality is brokenness. The vision, however, that governs our fledgling Province remains unchanged: a Biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America.

The resignation of nine Anglican Mission bishops, including the Bishop Chairman, from the House of Bishops of Rwanda, changed relationships with Rwanda, with fellow bishops and with the Anglican Church in North America. The resigned bishops lost their status in our College of Bishops as a result of their resignation from Rwanda. The Anglican Mission also lost its status as a Ministry Partner, since that status had been predicated on AMiA’s relationship with Rwanda. In addition, confusion and hurt has been created in Rwanda and in North America, and there is much serious work ahead of us.

Representatives of the Anglican Church in North America and of the Pawleys Island leadership met today in Pittsburgh. For the Anglican Church in North America the starting point was the importance of our Provincial relationship with the Province of Rwanda (a sister GAFCON Province) and with His Grace Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, of our relationship with the North American Bishops Terrell Glenn and Thad Barnum and all the clergy licensed in Rwanda, and of our relationship to those represented by the Pawleys Island group with whom we were meeting. We, as the Anglican Church in North America, have been deeply connected to all three, and we can only move forward when issues and relationships have been adequately addressed and necessary transitions are in progress.

The agreement from today’s meeting in Pittsburgh was that the Anglican Church in North America is prepared to enter into a process by which our relationship with those who will rally to the Pawleys’ vision and leadership (Anglican Mission in the Americas, Inc.) might be restored to a status like the one existing before the Ministry Partner decision of 2010. All those at the meeting today agreed “that there were no subjects that were not on the table.” For the Anglican Church in North America, these subjects must include leadership, relationships, and jurisdictional participation in a way that is fully Anglican.

We made a partial beginning. Bishops Leonard Riches and Charlie Masters agreed to lead the negotiations from the Anglican Church in North America. Bishops Doc Loomis and TJ Johnston will lead from the AMiA side. There is much about what has happened that will have to be faced. The other part of this beginning will be to come alongside P.E.A.R. and their designated bishops (Barnum and Glenn), clergy, people and parishes in North America as they discern their next steps. The good news is that we know a God who has called us and who is able. [I Thess. 5:24] We are sure that He wants all the pieces back together in an ever-more dynamic, ever-more-submitted, ever-more transformed and transforming North American Church.  [John 17]

Keep praying. With God nothing shall be impossible. [Luke 1:37] And besides that, He works all things together for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. [Rom. 8:28] Blessed Christmas!

Faithfully in Christ,

Archbishop and Primate  
Anglican Church in North America

2 comments:

Kevin said...

I've very happy with my archbishop in this situation.

I think everyone else did it on their own, but it's like calling "everyone out of the pool." now on land one can untangle what happened and what is the best way forward. Hopefully stopping people from continue to club each other in the process. Maybe it does not get untangled but like St. Paul whole does not side with one or the other but in Philippians tells two ladies to stop fighting in the name of Jesus.

This whole sorry tale has done nothing but get worse. I hope this is sign that we're all turned a corner and maybe what Satan meant for evil the Lord will redeem and show us all a better way.

Daniel Weir said...

I am pleased with this, as I have always felt that there was great value in bringing together in one Church those who have left the Episcopal Church.