Growth

I hope to have news soon about plans to make this blog more open to the broader traditional Anglican community -- as a focal point for teaching, spiritual growth and work toward unity among ourselves and with the broader orthodox Catholic world. In part, I am hopeful that this will entail the coming on board of two priests, men whose theology has impressed me deeply.

In that vein, I encourage all readers to consider The Continuum to be a place to which they can come with their own suggestions for discussion.

I welcome each of you on behalf of all of us. Don't hesitate to contact me offline.

Nigerian-REC-APA Covenant

Another very interesting step in the process of Anglican realignment.

COVENANT UNION OF ANGLICAN CHURCHES IN CONCORDAT
AMONG THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION) THE REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AND
THE ANGLICAN PROVINCE OF AMERICA

Whereas the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America share a common heritage of faith and order within the Anglican tradition; be it understood that:

Article 1: The Churches, recognizing the fact that they are working together in the common cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, pledge to each other, their mutual cooperation, support, discipline and accountability.

Article 2: Wherever possible, individual congregations within proximate geographic locations will work closely and cooperatively to demonstrate their commitment to one another and their desire to witness to a consistent Biblical, Evangelical and Catholic expression of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Article 3: As evidence of our union in Christ and the Common Standards of the faith existing among the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Province of America, a delegation of ministers and laity may be sent to attend each other’s Provincial and General Synods or Councils. As a further demonstration of our union, bishops of the Churches may attend each other’s episcopal meetings with the expectation that they will be invited to speak but not cast votes.

Article 4: The Ministers of the Churches may, subject to the respective regulations of the Churches, be eligible to exercise pastoral ministry in each Church. Archbishops and Bishops of the Churches in the concordat may also be invited to conduct episcopal duties with accountability, discipline and the episcopal blessing of the local appropriate provincial authorities.

Article 5: Communicants of the Churches may be received into the other Churches on presentation of letters of transfer, or their equivalent.

Article 6: It is also our declared intention to initiate a process that will permit us, in due course to enter into an agreement of full communion with a clear and common understanding of all of its implications.

(Thanks to TitusOneNine)

Introduction

For more than a year I have actively participated in discussions on other blogs, and often felt frustrated by never being able to bring up myself a topic that came to mind.

That is now behind me, thanks to Google and blogger.com.

Like most blogs, The Continuum has a purpose, and I heartily welcome all who choose to participate within that framework. That said, I envision there will be times when discussion goes a bit off-topic, or even way off-topic. No problem as far as I am concerned, as long as people are civil.

A bit about myself.

I call myself a genetic Anglican, as I was born to parents who were both Episcopalian. I was born into, baptised and confirmed into what was then called the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America, and now has a name I dare not utter.

Now, at nearly 55, I have been here, there and just about everywhere geographically. I have been on the lovely Mediterranean island of Cyprus for the past five years, where I work as a wire journalist and my Spanish wife, Susana, teaches ... Spanish. Daughter Andrea, 16, is a budding actress and son, Winslow, has just officially become a teenager.

I'll have a good deal more to say about my churchmanship in due time. For now, suffice it to say that I have resolved to depart from the Anglican Communion of my birth as a result of the nonsense of the past couple of years, and the even more serious problems that have led to that.

Suffice it to say that however narrow it looks, the Bosphorus was too wide for me to swim, while there was a watergate on the Tiber than repelled me.

So come aboard my little barque, and let us see where the current will take us.