News for Week Ending 6/22/2009

More ACNA bishops chosen

The Living Church reported June 19, 2009, that three new bishops were elected June 13 by the Church of Rwanda to serve the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA). The elections come just before the Inaugural Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). (See story below.) The AMiA is a part of the ACNA. Five additional bishops for the new ACNA “province” were elected by the ACNA’s College of Bishops meeting June 20–21, according to the Web site of the Assembly.

ACNA Inaugural Assembly to be held this week

Deposed Episcopal Bishop of Pittsburgh Robert Duncan will lead members of the Common Cause Partnership in the official formation of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), billed as a new Anglican province. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The Inaugural Assembly of the ACNA is being held in Bedford, Texas, June 22–25, 2009. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette carried a long story on Duncan’s experience in Pittsburgh and another story on the ACNA. Other stories can be found on the Web sites of USA Today, the Dallas Morning News, and NPR, which includes an audio report. Duncan is to be recognized as the archbishop of the ACNA on Wednesday, June 24. The ACNA is likely to receive some recognition from the Anglican Communion, but it is unlikely to become an official province (like The Episcopal Church) anytime soon.

Episcopal bishops’ role in ACNA controversial

Episcopal News Service reported June 15, 2009, that Bishop Peter Beckwith of the Diocese of Springfield and his assisting bishop, Keith Ackerman, were to attend the Inaugural Assembly of the Anglican Church of North America. (See above story.) Ackerman resigned his position of Bishop of Quincy shortly before that diocese, at his urging, voted to “realign” with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. According to The Living Church, Beckwith first indicated that he was going to Bedford, Texas, as an observer, but that he has now indicated that he will not attend. It is unclear whether Bishop Ackerman will attend, and, if he does, what significance should be attached to his presence.