News for Week Ending 12/24/2012

Canadian primate lobbies against ACNA recognition

Anglican Ink reported December 19, 2012, that Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Anglican Church of Canada’s primate, has lobbied Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury designate, against any formal recognition of Bob Duncan’s Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). The two church leaders met at Auckland Castle, Durham, on December 6.

Archbishop of Canterbury urges gun control, a new spirit

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, in his final “Thought for the Day” for BBC Radio 4 on December 22, 2012, spoke out for gun control in the U.S. in light of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary a week earlier. “If all you have is a gun,” he said, “everything looks like a target.” Arms control is only a start, however, “a new heart, a new spirit” is also needed for a peaceful world. His remarks can be found here.

The Lead has reported that two Episcopal bishops, Jon Bruno of Los Angeles and James Curry of Connecticut, have offered on-line petitions urging reinstatement of the assault weapons ban and other measures. Washington bishop Mariann Edgar Budde and Atlanta bishop Rob Wright have also spoken out on the need for gun control.

Fallout from rejection of women bishops measure continues

The rejection of the measure to provide for women bishops in the Church of England—see Pittsburgh Update story here—continues to have repercussions. The Guardian reported December 17, 2012, that the Rev. Philip North, a traditionalist Anglo-Catholic who was slated to become the next Bishop of Whitby, has declined the post due to complaints over his opposition to the ordination of women. Andrew Brown, also writing for The Guardian, suggested December 18 that it may soon become impossible for opponents of ordained women to become bishops.

The Web site Get Surrey reported December 18 that laypeople in the Diocese of Guildford have called for the resignation of three lay representatives to the General Synod who voted against the women bishops measure even though sentiment in the diocese favors the consecration of women bishops. Canon Dr. Hazel Whitehead, who organized a meeting to consider a call for resignation, is quoted by Get Surrey as saying that representatives are not required to represent the views of voters, but it is expected that they will.

South Carolina Reorganization Continues

As the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina moves forward with plans for a reorganizing convention on January 25, 2012, the  Canon to the Ordinary of the group that left The Episcopal Church has issued another letter (according to David Virtue) of protest claiming that his group is the only one that can call a convention for the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and once again objecting to the group remaining in The Episcopal Church’s use of the diocesan name and seal. Meanwhile, the continuing diocese has sent out a newsletter noting that two more parishes have asked to be listed on their Web site and listing four “worshiping communities” that have formed to offer alternatives to parishes where the leadership is firmly in the camp of former bishop Mark Lawrence. The SC Episcopalians Web site has more on the parish and clergy alignments.

Fort Worth gets new Web site

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth now has a redesigned Web site. A note about the new site assures readers that many old URLs will be redirected to corresponding pages on the new site. The old site is archived here, and the new page containing information about property litigation in Fort Worth is here.

Bishop McConnell on the Web

Bishop of Pittsburgh Dorsey McConnell has posted a Christmas message titled “The Gift of the Child Jesus” on the diocesan Web site. Also, The Living Church has published a story about the skit that was part of McConnell’s consecration. The December 20, 2012, story is titled “More Bridges for Pittsburgh.”