Anglican Network in Canada
Encyclopedia
The Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) is a Canadian
church established in 2005 under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, a province of the Anglican Communion
. It joined the Anglican Church in North America in June 2009.
Although ANiC is primarily a Canadian church, a number of churches in the United States are also part of it. This "no borders" attitude rests on a close relationship between these parishes and Bishop Harvey, the Moderator of the ANiC. The Anglican Network in Canada is also affiliated with Anglican Essentials Canada
and has a loose affiliation with the Anglican Coalition in Canada which is a part of the Anglican Mission in the Americas (itself part of the Church of the Province of Rwanda
).
of 1886/1888 and affirms the Jerusalem Declaration of GAFCON 2008.
The Anglican Network in Canada has a policy which allows churches to continue using the style of liturgy that each respective church had been using at the time of joining the network. Until the Network creates and publishes its own authorized liturgy, the majority of churches will continue to use the 1962 Book of Common Prayer and the 1985 Book of Alternative Services authorized by the Anglican Church of Canada. In addition to creating a so-called "life boat" or alternative church for Anglicans dissatisfied with what they consider to be theological and moral liberalism and relativism in the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Network of Canada is actively engaged in planting new churches. It hoped that non-Christians and many Christians in other denominations will be able to feel at home in the Anglican Network due to the rich Anglican liturgical tradition coupled with biblically-based evangelical doctrine.
Most churches within the Anglican Network of Canada celebrate the Holy Communion (Eucharist) at least once a week, with many churches holding multiple services. Many Network churches use a wide variety of contemporary Christian music in worship. It is not uncommon for churches in the Network to be involved in ecumenical, "wider church" initiatives, often partnering with other local churches and denominations for charitable, outreach, and evangelical initiatives.
Within the Anglican Network in Canada, there exists a wide diversity of worship styles. There are some churches in ANiC which identify as High Church
and Anglo-Catholic (such as Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Marlborough, Massachusetts ) while there are churches at the other end of the spectrum which identify as Low Church
and Evangelical (such as St. John's Vancouver). Some other churches have a middle position and incorporate both High and Low Church styles into their worship (such as St. George's Anglican Church in Ottawa ).
The Anglican Network has recently gained a degree of media attention in two respects. Firstly, the network upholds traditional Christian understandings of morality including what it believes are the orthodox Biblical ideas about the family, marriage and discipleship. The Network has been criticized by the mainline Anglican Church of Canada, the Canadian media, secular interest groups and other liberal, mainline denominations for taking a stand against same-sex marriage and the blessing thereof.
Secondly, many parishes in the Network are involved in legal battles with their former Anglican dioceses. This includes many established, vibrant and larger churches being sued by the Anglican Church of Canada for possession of their church buildings and trust funds attached to them.
.
Primates of ANiC:
The Most Reverend Gregory Venables, the former Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America (a member church of the Anglican Communion
), extended an offer of jurisdiction to Anglicans who wished to disassociate themselves from the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church in the United States while also remaining members of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Network is under the episcopal oversight of Archbishop Venables.
The Most Reverend Robert Duncan
, the Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, a church formed outside of the Anglican Communion, has offered full support in the realignment of the Anglican Network of Canada with the Anglican Church in North America.
ANiC bishops:
The Reverend J.I. Packer is a leading theologian in the North American evangelical world. He is the assistant pastor of St. John's Vancouver and a professor of theology at Regent College. Packer is a prominent member and considered the theologian emeritus of the Anglican Network in Canada.
The Anglican Network in Canada has received strong support from some members of the Anglican Communion
, such as the former Bishop of Rochester in the Church of England
, the Right Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali
, who spoke at the 2010 Anglican Network synod at St. Paul University and at St. George's Anglican Church in Ottawa, Ontario. Support has been received from other leaders in the Anglican Communion.
's proposed creation of personal ordinariate
s for disaffected traditionalist Anglicans by saying that this provision would probably not have a great impact on its laity and clergy, who are satisfied with the current Anglican realignment
movement. Furthermore, Bishop Don Harvey
stated that "Apart from being an intrusion at the very highest levels of one major church into the internal affairs of another, under the guise of being ecumenical, this invitation offers very little that is new".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
church established in 2005 under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, a province of the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
. It joined the Anglican Church in North America in June 2009.
Structure
The Anglican Network in Canada is a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America and a major Canadian constituent of the Anglican realignment movement. The irregular nature of ANiC makes it a very large Anglican diocese – covering all of Canada and a pocket in the northeastern United States. Although the Anglican Network in Canada is under the ecclesiastical oversight of the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America, the ANiC also holds a position in the house of bishops in the Anglican Church in North America. At this time, the Anglican Church of North America is in the process of trying to gain admittance into and obtaining official recognition from the Anglican Communion. Until that may happen, the Anglican Network in Canada will hold a “dual citizenship” in both the ACNA and the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.Although ANiC is primarily a Canadian church, a number of churches in the United States are also part of it. This "no borders" attitude rests on a close relationship between these parishes and Bishop Harvey, the Moderator of the ANiC. The Anglican Network in Canada is also affiliated with Anglican Essentials Canada
Anglican Essentials Canada
Anglican Essentials Canada is a conservative group of Anglicans who share a common commitment to faithful biblical orthodoxy.*Barnabas Anglican Ministries *Anglican Renewal Ministries Canada ; and...
and has a loose affiliation with the Anglican Coalition in Canada which is a part of the Anglican Mission in the Americas (itself part of the Church of the Province of Rwanda
Church of the Province of Rwanda
The Church of the Province of Rwanda is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 9 sees in East Africa. The current primate of the province is Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, consecrated Dec. 12, 2010.-Official names:...
).
Beliefs and worship style
The stated mission of the Anglican Network in Canada is to "Build Biblically faithful, Gospel sharing, Anglican Churches". The network desires to be used by God to build new churches and expand existing churches that it believes will be fully Anglican, biblically faithful, evangelizing and discipling. The Anglican Network in Canada, along with the ACNA, and the grand majority of the Anglican Communion uphold the historic Christian creeds, traditional moral and theological principles pertaining to the Trinity, Christian sexuality, and the authority of the Christian scriptures. Often labeled a schismatic "sect", the Anglican Network upholds what it believes to be the historical, biblical and traditional Christian beliefs found in the Anglican tradition. The network affirms the Chicago-Lambeth QuadrilateralChicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral
The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, frequently referred to as the Lambeth Quadrilateral or the Lambeth-Chicago Quadrilateral, is a four-point articulation of Anglican identity, often cited as encapsulating the fundamentals of the Communion's doctrine and as a reference-point for ecumenical...
of 1886/1888 and affirms the Jerusalem Declaration of GAFCON 2008.
The Anglican Network in Canada has a policy which allows churches to continue using the style of liturgy that each respective church had been using at the time of joining the network. Until the Network creates and publishes its own authorized liturgy, the majority of churches will continue to use the 1962 Book of Common Prayer and the 1985 Book of Alternative Services authorized by the Anglican Church of Canada. In addition to creating a so-called "life boat" or alternative church for Anglicans dissatisfied with what they consider to be theological and moral liberalism and relativism in the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Network of Canada is actively engaged in planting new churches. It hoped that non-Christians and many Christians in other denominations will be able to feel at home in the Anglican Network due to the rich Anglican liturgical tradition coupled with biblically-based evangelical doctrine.
Most churches within the Anglican Network of Canada celebrate the Holy Communion (Eucharist) at least once a week, with many churches holding multiple services. Many Network churches use a wide variety of contemporary Christian music in worship. It is not uncommon for churches in the Network to be involved in ecumenical, "wider church" initiatives, often partnering with other local churches and denominations for charitable, outreach, and evangelical initiatives.
Within the Anglican Network in Canada, there exists a wide diversity of worship styles. There are some churches in ANiC which identify as High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
and Anglo-Catholic (such as Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Marlborough, Massachusetts ) while there are churches at the other end of the spectrum which identify as Low Church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
and Evangelical (such as St. John's Vancouver). Some other churches have a middle position and incorporate both High and Low Church styles into their worship (such as St. George's Anglican Church in Ottawa ).
Media attention and legal troubles
Secondly, many parishes in the Network are involved in legal battles with their former Anglican dioceses. This includes many established, vibrant and larger churches being sued by the Anglican Church of Canada for possession of their church buildings and trust funds attached to them.
Leadership
The Moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada is the Right Reverend Don HarveyDon Harvey (bishop)
The Rt Revd Donald Frederick Harvey DD is the Moderator Bishop and director of the Anglican Network in Canada and the Director of Anglican Essentials Canada...
.
Primates of ANiC:
The Most Reverend Gregory Venables, the former Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America (a member church of the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
), extended an offer of jurisdiction to Anglicans who wished to disassociate themselves from the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church in the United States while also remaining members of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Network is under the episcopal oversight of Archbishop Venables.
The Most Reverend Robert Duncan
Robert Duncan
-Arts:*Robert Duncan , American music critic*Robert Duncan , British TV actor*Robert Duncan , U.S. composer*Robert Duncan , U.S. poet-Politics:...
, the Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, a church formed outside of the Anglican Communion, has offered full support in the realignment of the Anglican Network of Canada with the Anglican Church in North America.
ANiC bishops:
- The Right Reverend Stephen Leung (Asian ministry); Vancouver, British Columbia
- The Right Reverend Charles Masters; Milton, Ontario
- The Right Reverend Trevor Walters (area bishop for British Columbia to Manitoba); Abbotsford, British Columbia
- The Right Reverend Malcolm Harding (assisting bishop); Brandon, Manitoba
- The Right Reverend Ronald Ferris (assisting bishop); Langley, British Columbia
The Reverend J.I. Packer is a leading theologian in the North American evangelical world. He is the assistant pastor of St. John's Vancouver and a professor of theology at Regent College. Packer is a prominent member and considered the theologian emeritus of the Anglican Network in Canada.
The Anglican Network in Canada has received strong support from some members of the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
, such as the former Bishop of Rochester in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, the Right Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali
Michael Nazir-Ali
Michael James Nazir-Ali was the 106th Bishop of Rochester in the Church of England: he retired in September 2009, taking up a position as director of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue...
, who spoke at the 2010 Anglican Network synod at St. Paul University and at St. George's Anglican Church in Ottawa, Ontario. Support has been received from other leaders in the Anglican Communion.
Reaction to the Roman Catholic Church's proposed personal ordinariates
In October 2009, ANiC's leadership reacted to the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
's proposed creation of personal ordinariate
Personal Ordinariate
A personal ordinariate is a canonical structure within the Catholic Church enabling former Anglicans to maintain some degree of corporate identity and autonomy with regard to the bishops of the geographical dioceses of the Catholic Church and to preserve elements of their distinctive Anglican...
s for disaffected traditionalist Anglicans by saying that this provision would probably not have a great impact on its laity and clergy, who are satisfied with the current Anglican realignment
Anglican realignment
The term Anglican realignment refers to a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada...
movement. Furthermore, Bishop Don Harvey
Don Harvey (bishop)
The Rt Revd Donald Frederick Harvey DD is the Moderator Bishop and director of the Anglican Network in Canada and the Director of Anglican Essentials Canada...
stated that "Apart from being an intrusion at the very highest levels of one major church into the internal affairs of another, under the guise of being ecumenical, this invitation offers very little that is new".