Anglican rift deepens

By Peter T. Chattaway

YUKON BISHOP Terry Buckle may face disciplinary measures for offering alternative episcopal oversight to nine Anglican parishes in B.C. that are protesting Vancouver Bishop Michael Ingham's decision to authorize the blessing of same-sex unions.

A brief report on the website for these nine parishes, who call themselves the Anglican Communion in New Westminster (ACiNW), asserted that Archbishop David Crawley, Metropolitan of British Columbia and Yukon and the soon-to-be acting Primate of Canada, would try to suspend Bishop Buckle for providing pastoral care to the ACiNW parishes.

Neither ACiNW spokesmen nor Archbishop Crawley would comment further on this report. "Any disciplinary proceedings against any bishop are confidential until such time as they are made public, so I don't know where they are getting their information from," Crawley told BC Christian News.

However, Crawley did say it was "public knowledge" that Buckle had continued to "interfere" in Ingham's diocese even after Ingham wrote Buckle a letter of inhibition earlier this year. Asked for an example of what Buckle had done that may have crossed the line, Crawley replied, "He has authorized a priest to function in the Diocese of New Westminster. He cannot do that."

He was referring to Paul Carter, the ACiNW's former executive director - and head of a Vancouver church plant called Immanuel Westside, which began meeting at Dunbar Heights Baptist Church September 14.

Carter said Buckle did license him to preach in the Diocese of the Yukon during his visits there, and he said Immanuel Westside is considered a "tenth congregation" within the ACiNW, but he insisted his church plant is not officially connected to any diocese or bishop. Carter described his new congregation as "an independent church in the Anglican style."

Even so, Crawley said the planting of Carter's church violates canon law. "If he's an Anglican priest, then he cannot start a congregation in a diocese in which he is not licensed."

News of the possible disciplinary proceedings came to light just two weeks after Bishop Ingham stunned conservative Anglicans by dismissing most of the trustees and wardens at St. Martin's in North Vancouver, which is one of the ACiNW parishes.

The bishop replaced these officials with wardens of his own on September 7, the same day that several Anglican primates and bishops from around the world led a gathering of some 1,600 people at South Delta Baptist Church, to express their solidarity with the ACiNW parishes.

Two days later, the diocese also laid off St. Martin's youth minister Jeff Moffett, ostensibly due to financial difficulties. But Moffett said his job with the parish should have been secure, since his salary came from a fund that had been specially earmarked for youth ministry. He expressed suspicions about diocesan officials, stating: "Either [they] are misrepresenting the truth, because I know the money is there in the bank, or they are expecting a major financial crisis, and they are hoping to tap money that was earmarked for youth ministry and put that into the general operational expenses."

Moffett happened to be at the church the day before the wardens were dismissed, when a locksmith and an official from the diocese came by to change the locks on the church building. "Ironically enough, we were having a youth meeting, planning an event to try and bring some unity to the church," he said.

St. Martin's parish has been without a permanent priest ever since Timothy Cooke left in January to protest Bishop Ingham's same-sex decision.At the time, St. Martin's, like the other ACiNW parishes, was asking for a full alternative bishop who would have power to appoint or remove clergy. Since then, nearly 60 percent of the parish has voted to accept Buckle's offer of full alternative episcopal oversight.

But Ingham has insisted the parish can only find a new priest by working in conjunction with him.

In his statement to the parish, Ingham said he was replacing the elected wardens with wardens of his own choosing because the search for a new permanent priest must be done through the "normal diocesan process."

Moffett said many parishioners at St. Martin's were shocked, and cried when they heard the news. "I just think this is a clear example of the bishop going after the weakest members," he said.

At the gathering in South Delta later that afternoon, the visiting primates prayed for the parishioners from St. Martin's. Two primates also laid hands on Buckle and commissioned him to provide pastoral care to the ACiNW.

Moffett said Buckle, who met with St. Martin's parishioners September 8, told the members there to rejoice always and to wait and see what God would have them do next. "Unlike Bishop Michael, Bishop Buckle is not going to respond in a militant way or seize control of a parish or crush the opponent," he said.

While Buckle did not authorize the ACiNW's recent church plant, Carter said the coalition of parishes supported it because they did not want to be always taking stands against things, but wanted to take a stand in favour of something.

Meanwhile, the controversy over same-sex blessings may be spreading across Canada. The Anglican Journal reports that two lesbian deacons had their relationship blessed at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity September 6, even though the local archbishop had withheld his permission for such a blessing.

Alison Kemper and Joyce Barnett had already been married in a civil ceremony at Toronto City Hall in June. They have two children and have been together for nearly 20 years.

The incumbent at Holy Trinity, Sara Boyles, asked Archbishop Terry Finlay for permission to bless the couple but her request was declined.

"I certainly did not give permission for this blessing to take place," Finlay told the Anglican Journal. "Now that I know this has happened, I will be asking the incumbent to have a conversation with me."

The growing acceptance of homosexuality - in some of Canada's Anglican churches and liberal Episcopalian churches in the U.S. - is having repercussions around the world.

The situation is expected to reach a turning point this month, after the American Anglican Council meets in Texas and primates from around the world gather in London the following week to discuss the growing split in their church.