Anglican Network in Canada bishop received into Southern Cone
Nov 16th, 2007 by Peter
An ANiC news release, FYI
Bishop Donald Harvey has been received into the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone under Primate Gregory Venables. The Southern Cone encompasses much of South America, from Tierra del Fuego in the south to Peru in the north.
In becoming a bishop of the Southern Cone, Bishop Harvey has come out of retirement and is resuming full-time episcopal ministry. He will now be free to offer episcopal oversight to biblically faithful Canadian Anglicans who are distressed and feel they no longer have a home in the Anglican Church of Canada.
“By receiving Bishop Harvey upon his departure from the Anglican Church of Canada, the Province of the Southern Cone is responding to the ongoing crisis and brokenness in the Anglican Communion,” said The Most Revd Gregory Venables.
“Because of the unabated theological decay in the Anglican Church of Canada, many long-time Anglicans have already left their church and left Anglicanism,” said Bishop Harvey. “We want to provide a fully Anglican option – a safety net – for others who feel their church has abandoned them and who are contemplating taking the same action.”
In his letter to Archbishop Fred Hiltz in which he relinquished his licence to exercise ministry under the Anglican Church of Canada, Bishop Harvey wrote:
I have been a member of this Province since my baptism as an infant and have enjoyed some forty-four years of Ordained ministry, of which over twelve were in the Episcopacy.
I think you know me well enough to understand that this decision was not made lightly or for any other motive than the realization that I cannot continue to follow the obvious path that the Anglican Church of Canada is taking.
I will continue to pray for you, as I trust you will pray for me, in the difficult days ahead.
The Anglican Network in Canada is holding national conference November 22-23 in Burlington, Ontario at which it will outline details of the option available to biblically faithful Canadian Anglicans who are in “serious theological dispute” with the Anglican Church of Canada and want to be recognized as “fully Anglican” and in the mainstream of global Anglicanism.
The Anglican Network in Canada is committed to remaining faithful to Holy Scripture and established Anglican doctrine and to ensuring that orthodox Canadian Anglicans are able to remain in full communion with their spiritual brothers and sisters around the world.
UPDATE: Here is the Anglican Journal’s take on it.
UPDATE2: And this from CoGS.
Great news!
May the Lord’s blessing and protection be upon Bishop Don.
Our prayers are with him and his family.
You don’t have to be around Bp Harvey for very long to realize that the man walks with God. It is obvious to me that he has a special anointing for the work he has been called to minister in… The ACC indeed has lost a giant in the faith.
What a pity that a Faithful Bishop feels no choice except to leave the Church that he has served for so long. What a shame that the Anglican Church of Canada, with it’s liberal stand on SSB has virtually forced this wonderful man to do this.
I welcome this news. Hopefully it will not be long before faithful parishes, Priests and Bishops will follow this courageous mans lead.
Thank You to Southern Cone and Archbishop Venabels for making Bishop Harveys move easier. I think many of us share in his relief from the pressures put on him by the Canadian House of Bishops.
I pray that God will continue to bless Bsp. Harvey and the faithful in Canada as we take this forced journey.
An interesting discussion of Bishop Don’s news is underway on the StandFirm blog as well: www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/7681/
I found this on the CoGS link:
“It added: “Our General Synods have consistently sought to honour every voice as we work patiently through contentious and difficult issues before our church … We value and respect the diversity of the worldwide Anglican Communion and have expressed our commitment to its ongoing life, even as we also ask for respect and understanding of our own.”
Oh really? I’d bet that the members of the Zacheus fellowship would have a different opinion - you know, that group of ex-gays that don’t exist…