Moving on

From The Anglican Planet with a h/t to Fr. Ed Hird:

Monday, November 30, 2009 at 01:27PM

A response to Philip Turner’s ‘Staying on’ [Turner's essay is below this post. ed.]

By Ron Ferris

I HAVE THE HIGHEST RESPECT for the wisdom and insights of Dr. Philip Turner. With regard to his article “Staying on” [October 2009], I have chosen a different path. I have made the choice to move to an alternate Anglican jurisdiction.

In his article Dr. Turner seems to confuse the present corporate structures with “the Church.” The loyalty Anglicans hold for “the Church” is much larger than any temporary human institutional expression. In fact the ultimate loyalty of any Anglican is to God and to his One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

In my opinion the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada and the synods of many of its large dioceses have gone contrary to the teachings of Scripture and the Solemn Declaration and have abrogated the terms of their own constitutions.

We have a “received tradition” as catholic Christians. Our beliefs can only be changed if a vast majority of believers within the structures and globally accept those new beliefs as true and consistent with Scripture. That consensus is not happening. In fact over 80 percent of the bishops of the world from six continents have stated they are in profound disagreement with the views that the General Synod [of the ACC], General Convention [of The Episcopal Church] and many North American dioceses are espousing.

These North American Churches are asking for an autonomy from the global Anglican Communion that their own constitutions will not allow. If anyone is “departing” it is those structures that are wrongfully changing teachings and disciplines contrary to the advice of all of our Instruments of Unity.

Many of these structures are consuming millions of dollars to wage legal battles against those who would remain faithful, and to deprive congregations of their clergy, buildings and assets. The vigorous Chinese Anglican churches of British Columbia are in danger of losing decades of assets accumulated for their mission. This is just one example of many injustices across the land.

Dr. Turner argues that we should follow the example of Christ and “allow the powers of darkness to have their hour.” But Christ resisted darkness to the point of his own death. In fact he was persecuted because he refused to abet evil or to acquiesce to it.

Because Dr. Turner cannot find a “purer place” he seems to argue for unity at all costs. But the Reformers who began the Anglican tradition clearly believed there were truths that took precedence over unity. They even spelled them out in the 39 Articles. Anglicans of conscience will differ on when the turning point has been reached, but to argue there is no turning point goes against our very foundations. In his own words he sees his adversaries as “Christians who have fallen into serious error” and sees more dangerous issues on the horizon which misrepresent “the person and work of Christ.” At what point does our passion for truth outweigh our loyalty to the present corporate structures?

Many of my scholarly friends argue for “negotiating space” in the existing structures. But how can you negotiate space when you have committed to supporting these structures at all costs? All structures are subject to pruning and reformation so the vine can be more productive. Pruning imagery was a clear part of the teachings of Jesus.

It seems to me that our teachings about marriage are part of the genetic code of Apostolic Christianity, the Christian family, and our ordination disciplines. While we want to be compassionate and understanding to all people, we don’t tinker with the genetic code and certainly not before there is widespread agreement.

I am profoundly thankful for the ministry I had in Yukon and Algoma and for the solidarity shown in those places for the teachings and disciplines of the global Anglican Communion. My commitment to the Gospel, global Anglicanism and the mission of the church is unchanged. I respect and encourage thousands of friends and associates who uphold the teachings and disciplines of the Anglican faith and who continue to work within the established structures.

The attraction for me in the new structures is solid teaching, missional energy, and global solidarity. Conscience would not allow me to work under the direction of a diocese that is in impaired or broken communion with the leaders of a majority of Anglicans around the world.

I must support a church that I can generously donate towards, enthusiastically attend and easily invite others into. The new reality is that Anglicans find themselves in a multi-polar world. I was at Lambeth 2008 where it was openly recognized that we did not have the structure to handle the present crisis. The moderate pole is represented by Lambeth, the liberal pole by The Episcopal Church, and the conservative pole by the Global Anglican Fellowship Conference (now becoming the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans). Some Anglicans will belong to one, some to two and others to all three.

Relationships will definitely be more complex in the future. In fact it is unlikely that the Lambeth pole will be able to reconstitute itself as it once was without the participation of the bishops from the Global South and their North American colleagues in the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). That will be the future test of whether we are indeed a global communion, or separate national churches sharing a heritage and going our own separate ways. As a bishop in the College of Bishops (ACNA) I will do all I can to ensure the future of a strong and united global communion.

The Primate’s Council of the Global Anglican Fellowship conference is comprised of Primates that represent a majority of Anglicans who worship on Sunday. The Jerusalem Declaration from that Conference summoned the new North American jurisdiction into formation to robustly uphold traditional Anglican beliefs and practices. The Anglican Church in North America met for its fi rst Assembly in Texas last June. I, like Dr. Turner, intend to die an Anglican!

Throughout North America, where members feel that Anglican teachings and disciplines are being undermined, the move to new jurisdictions is underway. New Anglican parishes are starting up all across North America and I am privileged to be a part of that effort in Langley, B.C. The Anglican Church of North America is operational, and it encompasses many new Anglican jurisdictions that now represent 80,000 to 100,000 worshippers on Sunday. This is a body that is larger than 12 of the existing Provinces of the Anglican Communion, including the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Wales. It will be approximating the present size of the Anglican Church of Canada which I estimate to be about 125,000 worshippers on a Sunday.

In British Columbia, the Anglican Network in Canada, The Anglican Coalition in Canada, and the Reformed Episcopal Church are all constituent jurisdictions of the continent-wide Anglican Church of North America.

While the new umbrella body for North America is becoming fully operational, most of the constituent jurisdictions are receiving temporary episcopal oversight from the offi cial Primate or President Bishop of an Anglican Province overseas that is a constituent member of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Network in Canada is under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of the Southern Cone. Through this linkage it is possible to remain in communion with Anglicans around the globe, and exercise ministry that fulfills the intent of the Solemn Declaration.

A prominent church leader wrote to me expressing the hope that I would someday return to the church that I had spent my whole life serving. My answer to him is that I am serving the same church I have always served -- the Church that the Risen Christ summons anew in each generation!

The Rt. Rev. Ron Ferris is an Assisting Bishop in the Anglican Network in Canada.