A SHOWDOWN has been requested by the head of the Anglican Church of Canada with other bishops over cross-province interference.The primate of the Canadian Church, the Most Rev Fred Hiltz, has asked the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to host a face-to-face meeting with the Primate of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, the Most Rev Gregory Venables, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil Archbishop, the Most Rev Mauricio de Andrade.
Archbishop Venables claimed jurisdiction over 10 Canadian congregations this year following fractures in the Canadian Church over same-sex marriage blessings.
US and Brazilian churches have also turned to the Southern Cone.
This has been deemed wholly inappropriate by Archbishop Hiltz, who argues that bishops can not claim jurisdiction over congregations in another part of the worldwide communion.
Following the Lambeth Conference, a moratorium on such arrangements was asked for by the Communion, to balance the request for a moratorium on appointing homosexuals to the episcopate.
Canadian bishops are scheduled to meet next month to consider their reaction to Lambeth’s request.
Archbishop Hiltz said he wants a chance for both sides to listen to each other properly.
Describing what he would say to Archbishop Venables, he said: “Let me try and hear why it is you feel you need to continue to work to intervene in the life of the Anglican Church of Canada.”
The Southern Cone has about 22,000 members and encompasses Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Its provincial synod, meeting in Valpariso, Chile, November 5-7, 2007, agreed to welcome into the province “on an emergency and pastoral basis” Episcopal Church dioceses “taking appropriate action to separate from the Episcopal Church.”
Archbishop Venables now finds himself in a difficult position. He said: “We had been talking about a private meeting, and it rather surprises me that it is now public. This makes it even more difficult for me to attend.”
He will shortly make a formal response about the proposed meeting to Dr Williams.
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(Source: RI)