The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has announced to all ACNA clergy that one of its founding partners, the Anglican Mission in the Americas (formerly known as AMiA and now known as “theAM”) has changed its status with ACNA. Assuming the move is approved at the ACNA Provincial Council meeting in June, theAM will become a Ministry Partner, joining other ACNA ministry partners such as the American Anglican Council, the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, Forward in Faith and the Federation of Anglican Churches in America. This change includes theAM’s Canadian churches in the Anglican Coalition in Canada.
Bishop Don Harvey commenting on this development said, “I do not see this as good news, in fact it is a sad development in many ways. But it seems to be the best solution for now given the relationship between the Rwandan Church and theAM. The good news, I believe, is that this change will not hinder our working together both to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who desperately need our Saviour and to plan churches in Canada and the US.”
About theAM
TheAM was established in 2000 under the Church of Rwanda as a missionary outreach in North America. The bishops of theAM are members of the Rwandan House of Bishops and the constitution of the Church of Rwanda integrates theAM into the Rwandan church. Over the years, theAM has grown and developed a strong missional culture. Today theAM numbers 156 congregations in the US and Canada. When the ACNA was constituted in June 2009, theAM formed nine of the ACNA dioceses. ACNA will now have 20 dioceses.
About theAM’s changed relationship with ACNA
An ACNA announcement to clergy states that the change was precipitated by “…a January resolution by the Rwandan House of Bishops objecting to the dual membership of Rwanda’s missionary bishops in the [ACNA] North American College of Bishops.”
The constitution and canons of ACNA were written “…so theAM might be practically integrated in the structure of the ACNA as a jurisdiction, while sustaining identity as a missionary outreach of Rwanda.” However, “The jurisdictional approach has led to a number of areas of confusion for bishops and congregations of the Anglican Mission.”
TheAM website states, “…the Anglican Mission initially chose the jurisdictional option for membership in the ACNA while maintaining its identity as a missionary outreach of Rwanda. This “dual citizenship” approach, however, has resulted in significant confusion within the Anglican Mission and the ACNA regarding membership in two provinces, and more importantly, is inconsistent with the Constitution and Canons of the Province of the Anglican Church in Rwanda. Practically speaking, this jurisdictional/membership status became untenable and non-sustainable.”
In the ACNA announcement, ACNA Archbishop Robert Duncan stated, “The vision of a biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America remains the vision of every North American Anglican. Jurisdictional integration also remains a future hope as Rwandan canons do provide for the transfer of the Anglican Mission to the Anglican Church in North America when the time seems right.”
What it means to be an ACNA ministry partner
The following excerpts from the ACNA statement explain what theAM’s new relationship to ACNA will entail:
“Local congregations continue to work together in ministry, and are free to transfer between the Anglican Mission in the Americas and the Anglican Church in North America (or vice versa) in consultation with the bishops concerned.”
“Clergy of theAM remain canonically resident in the Province of Rwanda and subject to their Norms, Prescripts, and Disciplines, but Ministry Partner status does provide canonically for clergy of theAM and the ACNA to minister in both ecclesiastical entities provided they are in good standing.”
Bishops – “The most significant change brought by Ministry Partner status is that AM Bishops would no longer be regular members of the ACNA College of Bishops.”
Blog comment: There’s not a lot good about this really, though perhaps it codifies what was ambiguous from the beginning. I can imagine that some of our worthy opponents will be overjoyed, but what can you do? From my best understanding, this would leave the ACiC in Mission Partner relationship with ANiC, though I don’t have confirmation of this yet.
UPDATE: Confirmation received, ACiC will be in Mission Partner relationship with ANCA / ANiC.
I’m going to call for comment charity here, please and thank you.
Nobody should be overjoyed by this new development in the ACNA. ACNA is a young movement.
I don’t see a problem here. As Michael said ACNA is a young movement everybody will be exploring how their current organization fits and the best relationship to function within to do the work God has called them to. It is to be expected that there will be some shifting. The AM has at this time determined that in order to fulfill the mission God has given them, they are best to stay within their pre-existing structure. They are still maintaining a relationship with ACNA, just not as members, as friends. At some point in the future they may choose to join as full members, but that will be at a time of God’s direction.
I am reminded of a situation with some friends of ours. They run a mission that reaches out to kids and families on a native reserve. They were with Church Army for many years but have recently switched to come under the umbrella of another organization. This is not because they have anything against Church Army, they still have many friends there, but the new organization is a better fit for the nature of the work they are doing.
From what I have been able to understand of this report, the changes are mostly administrative in nature. TheAM has not “left” the ACNA, only changed the nature of its membership. Thus, I think it is safe to say, we are still on the same side.
However, our opponents will make a big deal of this, including a gross missrepresentation of the facts. So get ready for it.
This should not cause overreaction. ANIC has melded together a great range of orthodox Christians in a short time. This is a process of ‘fine tuning’. Remember all the member organizations had to make concessions and adjustments. The upside is this collective effort has resulted in growth while TEO and ACoC continue their slide into the pit. They are still our brothers and have a great deal to contribute to Christ’s Mission.
That referred to TheAM although I just wish TEO and ACoC would repent and join our journey!
Ministry partnership is not membership. If you remember the old days of the Soviet Union and the International Communist Party, being a ministry partner is like being a fellow traveler and being a member is like being a card-carrying Communist. It is a rough analogy but it does illustrate the difference between ministry partnership and membership.
This certainly isn’t the end of the world: but if this were happening to our cousins in the ACoC, I’m sure that we would all be crying that it were a sign of God’s judgement upon that church and a sign of its imminent collapse. Perhaps we ourselves need to learn to be more charitable.
Richard; Charity for the ACoC exists in our prayers and desire for her well-being. Your call seems to indicate a change in definition of charity, to one of acceptance and sympathy. This in turn calls for an abdication of the truth which is our Lord Jesus. Unthinkable!
God’s judgement happened in Eden as a result of the Fall. All actions since that time has been the fault of Man’s ongoing disobedience. We have by our error reaped judgement upon ourselves.
Richard,
You might take a look at this article from another ac/na site. The honeymoon is over.
http://sandiegoanglicans.com/david-turney/2010/05/24/must-read-amia-rant-part-2?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SanDiegoAnglicans%2Fmain+%28SanDiegoAnglicans.com+%28Main%29%29
I hardly think one person complaining about modern music, or that a bunch of priests didn’t wear their roman collars at a seminar or a retreat counts as the honeymoon being over.
RM Bruton (#10), I know this is off topic, but I’ve scanned some of your comments elsewhere and have a question. At different times you’ve used ACNA, AC-NA and AC/NA. Are you subtly trying to communicate something or are you just sloppy in the use of acronyms?
#10, Mr. Bruton as the subtlety of your overtures becomes more apparent it would appear that your purposes are suspect. Let me assure you that in trying to describe the almost unbelievable speed and smoothness of the creation of ACNA as a honeymoon that is over is incredulous. Even if you had just left it at “a honeymoon” it would be still be evidence of a strange confusing desciption. You see Mr. Bruton orthodox believers recognize full well that the wedding has yet to be, the feast still being planned and most importantly in ACNA the lamp oil is still being gathered. Speaking of which….. gotta light?