Canadian Church splits

[...] The Anglican Church of Canada stole the limelight this week with the announcement that two bishops said they are leaving the church for the Province of the Southern Cone coming under the ecclesiastical authority of the Most Rev. Gregory Venables.

Orthodox Canadians were finally pushed over the line by three Canadian dioceses' which have accepted the blessing of same-sex unions. They departed amidst much hand-wringing, threats and more from Anglican Church leaders who feel aggrieved that two of their own and as many as 20 or more parishes will, in due course, slip out of the grasp of the liberal led denomination.

Schism has finally come to the north. This is bigger news than most would credit because Canadians, by and large, are not people who like to get into ecclesiastical fights. It takes a lot to push them over the edge. (This writer still retains his Canadian passport, having lived in BC for nine years). Canadian Anglicans have no exact history like that of the St. Louis 1977 breakaway of American Episcopalians and the steady departures over the years, though many Canadians have walked away from their church.

So for several hundred orthodox Anglicans to say they are done with the liberal denomination is big news indeed. A group of parishes broke away from the Diocese of New Westminster some years ago and suffered mightily for their decision to leave, but now there are bishops and clergy leaving across the country. For their departure they will be met head on by the national church whose leaders are deeply upset at their flight. Read more
No comments will be posted without a full name and location, see the policy.