Rift splits Episcopal Church
Conservative Episcopalians who disagree with their American and Canadian church counterparts on the divisive issue of the ordination of gays, formed their own group on Wednesday.
The new Anglican Church in North America includes four breakaway Episcopal dioceses, dozens of individual parishes in the U.S. and Canada, and splinter groups that left the Anglican family years ago, members of the new province said at a Wheaton press conference. In total, it will start off with about 700 churches and some 100,000 menbers.
It's an unprecedent split for the group that has its roots in the Church of England. Though there was division on issues for years, the 2003 consecration of New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, who lives with his longtime male partner, brought matters to a boiling point.
Bishop Robert Duncan, whose Pittsburgh province aligned with a more conservative African branch this fall, said the new province brings the Anglican church back to its true theological roots. Women can be ordained as priests, but will not serve as bishops. They will not ordain gays.
Duncan said they hope other congregations that have broken with the Anglican Communion join them.
"The Lord is displacing the Episcopal Church," he said.
Ultimately, the association's mission is reaching out to the "unchurched" and stay true to Christian doctine, explained Cynthia Brust, director of communications for the Anglican Mission in America, which signed on to the draft constitution introduced Wednesday.
"We are a body that is growing, that is planting new congregations, that is concerned to be an authentic Christian presence in the U.S. and Canada," Duncan explained.
The Rev. Charles Robertson, adviser to Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, said in a statement "there is room within The Episcopal Church for people with different views and we regret that some have felt the need to depart from the diversity of our common life in Christ."
• Daily Herald wire services contributed to this report.