CEN—New bishop raises questions about the ACNA’s commitment to Anglicanism

Charges the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has abandoned the historic episcopate by receiving a bishop from the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches (CEEC) without re-consecrating him are unfounded, the traditionalist province-in-waiting tells The Church of England Newspaper.

On July 31, American church commentator Robin Jordan charged the ACNA with having abandoned the historic episcopate when its Provincial Council of Bishops voted on June 9 to receive the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones as a bishop in good standing. Formed in 1995, the CEEC is an American Protestant denomination that has found a niche blending charismatic worship with liturgies drawn from the Book of Common Prayer, and is not normally numbered among the Anglican breakaway churches in the United States.

However, a review of Bishop Jones’ episcopal antecedents by the CEN finds that while a number of his consecrating bishops would not be recognized by Anglicans, his descent from a Brazilian bishop whose episcopal orders were recognized by Pope John XXIII places him within the apostolic tradition.

To read the entire article, click here.

To read the comment thread on TitusOneNine, click here.

I find that it is interesting that the ACNA turned to George Conger, a charismatic Anglo-Catholic friend of the ACNA, to write an explanation of the College of Bishops' reception of Bishop Derek Jones as an ACNA Bishop.

I must continue to ask why did not the ACNA College of Bishops, when it announced Bishop Jones' reception, state the basis for his reception as an ACNA bishop?

I also must point out that the Rev. Conger did not address the questions that I asked Archbishop Duncan in my letter to him. Indeed he avoids or skirts a number of issues that Bishop Jones' reception raises. Bishop Jones' qualifications were never an issue and even his orders were not the primary issue. The chief issues were related to how the College of Bishops operates. I refer readers to my articles, "Anglicans Ablaze goes a-begging" and "Openness + Transparency = Trust + Confidence."

The Rev. Conger's article does not offer a satisfactory explanation for the College of Bishops' hesitancy in making known the basis of its decision. It does not address whether the College of Bishops addressed the issues I raise in my article, "Openness + Transparency = Trust + Confidence."