Well, the formal process is now official. There is to be instituted a new “Anglican” denomination in the U.S. made up of some currently within the Episcopal Church and some from various denominations and jurisdictions of the “Continuing Anglican” presence in the U.S.
The “Common Cause Partners” just completed their meeting of a council of their bishops. They issues a statement declaring the beginnings of a new ecclesiastical structure in the U.S.
Anglican bishops from ten jurisdictions and organizations pledged to take the first steps toward a “new ecclesiastical structure†in North America. The meeting of the first ever Common Cause Council of Bishops was held in Pittsburgh September 25–28.
Read the entire proclomation, HERE.
Yet another denomination is being born. There are so many as it is in the U.S. – 10 of thousands. There are so many “Continuing Anglican†denominations, too. So, some people and groups will come together and in time there will be more splitting up. We can’t help ourselves once going down that road.
There is always great excitement and expectation when something new is born. Goodness knows, the Evangelical/Protestant denominations and churches in this country have not done a very good job attracting/bring in the unchurched. Perhaps this new denomination will be more successful than the rest of the American Protestantism.
The proof will be in the pudding, as they say. It will be interesting to see where things are 25 years from now. I remember a Reformed Episcopal Bishop recommending strongly a few years ago that dissenting TEC bishops not create a new thing. The REC has not faired very well over time, despite the promise of new found purity and excitement when they broke from the American Church last century.
As was mentioned somewhere else, for a new entity to be declared the official provincial structure of the Anglican Communion, 2/3rds (I think) of the ACC must give approval (aside from recognition by the ABC). I don’t think that is going to happen. I don’t think there is the support internationally for such a thing. Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda do not even have full agreement within their own provinces about recognizing a new thing and rejecting an old one.
I am profoundly interested to see where things are 25 years from now! Of course, nothing will be as we expect. All new beginnings are full of excitement and expectation.