The Episcopal Missionary Church has recently voted to join the Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas (FACA), according to Fr Gordon Anderson at The Continuing Anglican Churchman, where some discussion is underway.
I was recently wondering what was going on with FACA since the announcement last autumn of its formation. A visit to its website a few days ago did nothing to answer my curiosity.
Is it safe to say the FACA will definitely represent the more "Evangelical" arm of Anglicanism? Do we Anglo-Catholics have any such federation?
ReplyDeleteSt. Worm
I think the Federation idea is a good one. It is not as binding as "in full communion with" and much easier to achieve because bishops don't have to relinquish power, etc. It would seem that FACA has some Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions and some that are evangelical (and also allow women's ordination to Deacon and are "grandfathering in" priestesses.) I think the best possible solution is to have one Federation for Anglo-Catholics and/or jurisdictions that do not allow W.O.; and a second Federation for Evangelicals and/or jurisdictions that allow W.O. I don't believe there can ever be union between jurisdictions that ordain females and those that don't. Why waste time trying? If two such Federations were formed, it would set all the like jurisdictions on a path of working together. If they someday achieved jursidictional unity, O.K., but if not, they'd still be functioning as a unit. Because it is not a "in full communion with" situation, I hope it's doable.
ReplyDeleteuI am heartened that some groups are able to talk and form a federation. The usefulness given differences over women's ordination and formularies of such a federation may prove a boon for sorting these things out. We can only pray for such. Our ACC diocesan remarked recently when queried about the ECM that relations were cordial between the two churches. I just hope this does nothing to endanger this feeling.
ReplyDeleteOf course, as the discussion about the TAC/ACC talks brought out we would be much better witnesses for Our Lord's Kingdom if we got along better in the Continuum. We might even have the numbers to convince some fence-sitters or fireside Anglicans to join our ranks at last. Pray for our bishops, pray for our churches.