English bishop calls for a new American province to be created

http://www.religiousintelligence.com/news/?NewsID=2866

[Religious Intelligence] 25 Sep 2008--The Anglican Bishop of Lewes, a suffragan in the diocese of Chichester, has called for the creation of a new province in the USA after the House of Bishops there deposed a traditionalist bishop.

The Rt Rev Wallace Benn was just one of a number of bishops worldwide who reacted with anger to the deposition of the Bishop of Pittsburgh, the Rt Rev Robert Duncan. He had been making moves to have his diocese vote to quit the Episcopal Church, seeking sanctuary with the South American Province of the Southern Cone.

In a bid to pre-empt that vote, the US House of Bishops meeting last week voted to depose him, but critics say the procedures used were lacking authority. Now the British-based campaigning group Anglican Mainstream has issued a statement calling for a new province to cater for traditionalists.

“The Jerusalem statement from almost 1200 confessing Anglican leaders urged the Archbishops of Nigeria, Kenya, Southern Cone, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa and Rwanda to recognise a new Anglican province for North America.

“This has now become more urgent due to the aggressive illiberal and unprincipled behaviour of The Episcopal Church House of Bishops towards the Bishop of Pittsburgh who is currently moderator of the orthodox Common Cause Partnership.

“The behaviour of The Episcopal Church House of Bishops shows that the promised moratorium at Lambeth is dead and their integrity in wishing to bring peace must now be questioned,” they said. The statement was signed by Bishop Wallace Benn, a trustee of Anglican Mainstream, Dr Philip Giddings, the group’s Convenor and Canon Dr Chris Sugden, its Executive Secretary.