The Pendulum

There seems to be a perception in certain quarters that North American Anglicanism is getting more and more liberal as time goes by. That may be true in a sense, but it is not a linear development.

I am an Anglican, and I am twenty years old as of this writing. I certainly know young Anglicans who are very keen on the Book of Alternative Services, and all kinds of doctrinal laxity. But most young Anglicans I know are not in this category. It may be true that most (though not all) of us are "liberals" on the "hot-button" issues of women in the priesthood, and same-sex partnerships. But we also take the Creeds seriously and hold firm to Nicene and Trinitarian orthodoxy. We have a high view of the sacraments, and believe in the Real Presence and apostolic succession. We're waiting for the Baby Boomers to kick the bucket so that we don't have to listen to them tell themselves how "inaccessible" we find the Book of Common Prayer. Then we can bury their tie-die stoles with them and crack out the maniples and birettas. I don't mean to be overly crass: the pendulum is swinging the other way, and honouring the example of those who came immediately before us doesn't necessitate that we mimic them when we come to assume positions of Church leadership.

We are anxious to make our contributions to the Church. Take vocations to the ordained ministry. Anglicans my age will seek ordination to the diaconate and priesthood as a first career to a greater extent than have the clergy of our parents' generation.

The churchmanship of the future is high on sacramental grace and mystery, broad on doctrinal interpretation (within the historic formularies of the Church), and low on dogma, kitsch, and minimalism. It expects much of its followers and yet forgives much. And I for one am very much excited to be a young Anglican at the turn of the twenty-first century.

List of Anglican denominations in Canada

By approximate number of congregations


Anglican Church of Canada (2,884)
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (42)
Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America (illicit) (17)
Anglican Coalition in Canada (illicit) (12)
Reformed Episcopal Church (9)
Independent Anglican Church, Canada Synod (7)
Anglican Orthodox Church (3)
Christian Episcopal Church (3)

God in the Streets of New York City

I have to say that this is a favourite of mine, even though it's a bit sentimental.

Toronto SoCo priest inhibited

The Diocese of Toronto reports:

"It was reported in The Globe and Mail on Feb. 18, 2008 that, on the previous weekend, the Church of St. Chad, Toronto, had taken the decision to put itself under the authority of the Archbishop of the Province of the Southern Cone. Other media also carried similar reports, indicating that the vote was 12 in favour, 10 opposed and 2 abstentions.

As a result of these events, the Bishop of Toronto has inhibited the Rev. Barbara Richardson, part-time priest-in-charge of St. Chad, effective February 20, 2008. This means that Ms. Richardson will be on paid leave while the Bishop conducts an investigation into these reported events.

A priest has been appointed to provide Sunday services, and pastoral care continues to be available to all parishioners. The parish has been under the oversight of a diocesan administrator (receiver-manager) for more than five years.

More information will be provided as it becomes available."

Moving on

Thinking Anglicans tells us that Bishop Victoria Matthews has been elected bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand, subject to confirmation by the House of Bishops and General Synod. Didn't see that one coming.

Keeping track

So the parishes that have asked to be received into the Southern Cone are:

*St John's, Shaughnessy, Vancouver
*St George's, Lowville, ON (shocking!)
*St Hilda's, Oakville
*St Chad's, Toronto
*St Matthew's, Abbotsford, BC
*St Mary of the Incarnation, Victoria
*St Alban's, Ottawa

Good Shepherd, St Catharines, votes on the 24th, as does St Matthias and St Luke in Vancouver. The Church of the Good Shepherd in Vancouver is also expected to vote by the end of the month.

Three BC parishes (Holy Cross, Abbotsford; Resurrection, Hope; St John's, Richmond) were not ACoC parishes in the first place.

Interesting that, in contrast with San Joaquin, the SoCo doesn't seem to have the same allure for Anglo-Catholics in Canada (apart from Bishop Harvey himself). I would be very interested to see if, for example, St John the Evangelist, Calgary, splits.

St John's, Shaughnessy

The congregation of St John's, Shaughnessy, in Vancouver appear to be labouring under the misapprehension that they can leave the Anglican Church of Canada, while still a) remaining in the Anglican Communion, and b) keeping it's building. Just to reiterate, 1) the Anglican Church of Canada is the sole province of the Anglican Communion in Canada, and 2) parishes do not have a legal existence apart from their dioceses.

Frankenmass

The Book of Common Prayer is rather vague in its rubrics for combining Morning Prayer with Holy Communion. (It appears, for example, to call for lectionary-jumping and the omission of the Collect). The Book of Alternative Services rubrics seem to be non-existent. As far as I can tell, this is the most sensible way of celebrating going about it:

*For the Liturgy of the Word, celebrate Morning or Evening Prayer in desired language according to the BAS order. Begin with the penitential rite, if desired. Use the Apostles' Creed rather than the Hear O Israel. After the Collect, instead of the Lord's Prayer and Dismissal, conclude with Confession and Absolution from the Eucharist (if the Penitential Rite has not been used) and the Peace.

*Celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist in language congruent with that used thus far. If the Gloria is desired, it is sung following the Prayer after Communion.