September 19, 2008
HERNDON, Va. (September 18, 2008) – The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) responded to The Episcopal Church’s decision to depose Bishop Bob Duncan, moderator of the Common Cause Partnership and the head of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, from the priesthood. CANA is a founding member of the Common Cause Partnership.
“We support Bishop Duncan, a godly man who has chosen to follow the historic teaching of the worldwide Anglican Communion and to remain steadfast in his faith. CANA continues to recognize Bishop Duncan as a bishop in good standing in the Anglican Communion, as Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh,
and as the moderator of the Common Cause Partnership. This hostile and uncanonical action by The Episcopal Church House of Bishops will not be
accepted by the worldwide Anglican Communion,” said CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns.
David Bena, Suffragan Bishop of CANA, added, “What interests me is that this well planned ambush of Bishop Duncan by the leadership of The Episcopal
Church failed to take into account something pretty important – they are firing blanks. Bishop Duncan is now even more respected across the world,
remains in office, and just went up another notch as a respected leader in the Anglican Communion.”
“We hope and pray for the leaders of The Episcopal Church that they would protect the interests of its members by working with – rather than fiercely
against – its bishops to proclaim the life-transforming news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That should be the goal of all Christians. Sadly, trying
to fire a bishop in good standing with the rest of the Anglican Communion does nothing to save one soul,” Bishop Minns concluded.
The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (http://www.canaconvocation.org/ ) currently consists of approximately 70 congregations and 150 clergy in 21 states. CANA was established in 2005 to provide a means by which Anglicans living in the USA who were alienated by the actions and decisions of The Episcopal Church could continue to live out their faith without compromising their core convictions.
Created as a missionary initiative of the Church of Nigeria, about a dozen of the congregations are primarily expatriate Nigerians. CANA is part of the Common
Cause partnership that includes representatives of more than 250 Anglican congregations that are connected to the rest of the Anglican Communion, a
worldwide fellowship of some 70 million, through various pastoral and missionary initiatives.
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