Meeting the Challenge of Anglicanorum Coetibus—Part II

By Robin G. Jordan

In my previous article, “Meeting the Challenge of Anglicanorum Coetibus—Part I,” I drew attention to the challenge that the personal ordinariates present for the Anglican Church and the need for a strong champion of the authentic historical Anglicanism and the Protestant and Reformed character of the Anglican Church. We should not take this challenge too lightly. North America presently has no group that has the influence, the resources, and most importantly the will to champion authentic historical Anglicanism and the Protestant and Reformed character of the Anglican Church.

As my readers may know, I advocate the formation of a network linking together North America Christians committed to authentic historical Anglicanism and the Protestant and Reformed character of the Anglican Church and linking them with like-minded Christians outside of North America. The aims of this network would be (1) to spread the gospel in North America and throughout the world, (2) to encourage and support network members and other Christians sympathetic to network aims and core principles wherever God has placed them and in whatever ministry God has placed them; (3) to promote cooperation, fellowship, mutual assistance, and unity between network members and other Christians sympathetic to network aims and core principles, in and outside existing Anglican bodies, in and outside of North America; (4) to establish and grow new Anglican churches in North America and assist and strengthen existing ones; and (5) to promote authentic historic Anglicanism and the Church of England’s Protestant and Reformed heritage. These aims are not particularly unique and are shared by a number of existing organizations. This network would bring them together in one organization.

I also advocate the formation of a non-geographic diocese or sub-provincial jurisdiction within the Anglican Church in North America to enfold in that body congregations and clergy committed to authentic historical Anglicanism and the Protestant and Reformed character of the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church in North America would in creating this subdivision waive the provisions of its constitution and canons that would interfere with the formation of a subdivision of this type within that body. The present move in the Anglican Church in North America to transition to territory-based dioceses without consideration of theological differences will in the long haul replicate the kind of conditions that have historically existed in the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church with one group dominating each diocese and other groups maintaining only a marginal existence in the diocese, if they are able to maintain an existence at all, and which underlie the serious conflicts that beset these bodies. My proposal would apply the homogenous unit principle and place in a subdivision all congregations and clergy that shared a common set of beliefs and values. The subdivision itself could then be divided into episcopal area or dioceses, uniting the combined resources of the congregations in a particular geographic region in support of a common mission. The Anglican Mission has been successfully applying this principle in its church planting networks.

I further advocate the formation of a North American non-geographic convocation of Anglican churches like the Church of England’s Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe and the Episcopal Church’s Convocation of American Churches in Europe that would enfold congregations and clergy which are committed to authentic historic Anglicanism and the Protestant and Reformed character of the Anglican Church and which for a variety of reasons are not attracted to the Anglican Church in North America or any other North American Anglican body. The extent to which this body might cooperate with the Anglican Church in North America would depend upon the willingness of the Anglican Church in North America to modify its present fundamental declarations and to adopt in their place a more neutral set of principles not aligned with any particular theological school of thought but consonant with historic Anglicanism. Local cooperation would depend upon individual congregations.

This is admittedly an ambitious set of proposals but I believe that they would resolve a number of tensions between different groups in North American Anglicanism and would bring them closer together while at the same time respecting their theological integrity. Some groups may not want to have any kind of formal relations with others even in this structured environment, believing that in doing so they are compromising their beliefs and values. The convictions of such groups should be respected.

I believe that this approach, while it may at first glance appear complex, would be an effective response to the challenge of Anglicanorum coetibus. Who is to say that God is not using the Pope’s scheme to unite Anglicans but not in the way the Pope intends—within the Church of Rome. A Roman Catholic criticism of Protestantism is its many divisions. However, a Protestantism that is despite these divisions united in a common purpose—spreading the gospel and making disciples of Jesus Christ—is beyond criticism. It is carrying out what Christ has commissioned his Church to do. The Anglican Church may yet fulfill its potential and provide a model for Protestant cooperation that is biblical and apostolic.