It's Not a Denomination

I've noticed a few stories this week that are calling the new Anglican province for North America a new denomination. It's not a denomination; it is what it is called - a new province of the Anglican Communion. Words like breakaway, schismatic and the like are bandied about today without much precision in use. The Common Cause Partnership is made up of dioceses and parishes that have remained Anglican while ceasing to be in communion with pecusa. As the Bible clearly states (e.g. Jude), heresy divides.

When pecusa began adopting heresy as official doctrine (which began many years ago), bishops, priests, deacons and entire congregations left pecusa. Those could fairly be described as breakaway. However, when dioceses and parishes leave pecusa today it is not schism; it is formally breaking with heresy and apostasy. Beliefs matter and since the early days of the Church, Christians have recognized that being joined to heretics is to compromise the identity of the Church.

When church leaders, like bishops, teach that which is contrary to the Scriptures they should be disciplined. Failing that they should be isolated and declared outside the boundaries of the church. Since the Anglican Communion is not willing to do what the Bible prescribes, individual provinces have joined together to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of the Communion. 22 of the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion have declared that they are in impaired or broken communion with pecusa. This is not schism - the formation of a new province in North America is realignment and hopefully replacement of an apostate province.