 |
|
|
| |
Anglican Church of Canada bishop attempts to prevent Anglican Network in Canada priests from ministering “within the bounds of this Diocese” |
... pdf version |
| |
 |
|
| |
19 October 2008
The Bishop of Brandon in the Anglican Church of Canada, the Right Reverend Jim Njegovan, sent letters on 16 October 2008 to the Rev Paul Crossland and the Rev Ann Crossland, rector and honourary assistant rector of the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes of Church of the Resurrection (Brandon) and Church of the Redeemer (Dauphin), purporting to “inhibit” them (prevent them from ministering as priests). Bishop Njegovan implies in his letters that, since he was not informed that Paul and Ann had relinquished their Anglican Church of Canada licences, they had no right to minister “within the bounds of this Diocese” – that is western Manitoba.
Anglican Network in Canada response
Paul and Ann have not been employed by the Diocese of Brandon since November 2004 and, in fact, had ended their affiliation with the Anglican Church of Canada effective 31 August 2008. Archbishop John Clarke, bishop of the Diocese of Athabasca, where both Ann and Paul ministered from December 2004 until August 2008, received the Crosslands’ resignations from the Anglican Church of Canada effective 31 August 2008.
On 1 September 2008, both the Rev Paul and the Rev Ann Crossland were licenced by Bishop Donald Harvey of the Anglican Network in Canada, under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone – one of the 38 Anglican Provinces in the world. The Anglican Church of Canada is also one of these 38 “Provinces”.
They are currently ministering as rector and honourary assistant in the ANiC parishes of Church of the Resurrection (Brandon) and Church of the Redeemer (Dauphin) since 1 September 2008.
It is shocking to think that Bishop Njegovan believes he has the authority to “inhibit” priests from churches which have no relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC). Does he presume to have authority to “inhibit” Baptist, Pentecostal or Mennonite ministers from exercising their ordained ministry in western Manitoba?
Like these other denominations, the Anglican Network in Canada is an independent church with no structural relationship to the ACoC. In fact, the ACoC has severely damaged its relationship with the vast majority of Anglicans around the world. ANiC was formed to allow faithful Canadian Anglicans to join a church structure that would allow them to re-connect with Anglicans around and world and, once again, be recognized by them as authentically Anglican.
The majority of Anglican leaders worldwide – representing the vast majority of active Anglicans – recognize the Anglican Network in Canada, its members and parishes as authentically Anglican. At the same time, a great number of these same leaders believe the Anglican Church of Canada is abandoning historic Anglicanism and is walking away from the global Anglican Church.
The global crisis in Anglicanism, which started in Canada and the US, is causing many Anglicans and Anglican parishes in North America to realign with alternative Anglican Provinces that uphold historic Anglican and Christian teaching and practice – particularly as it relates to the authority and reliability of the Bible and the deity and transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Members of the Anglican Network in Canada are 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 Anglican brothers and sisters around the world. Since it launched its ecclesial structure last November under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, ANiC has received two bishops – Donald Harvey and Malcolm Harding – 59 clergy and 22 parishes.
... back to "News releases" main page
|
|
|
 |
