Saturday, February 28, 2009

Anglican Foundation of Canada objects to similarly named foundation

Although not incorporated as a non-profit organization yet, the newly created Canadian Anglican Foundation (CAF) and its Web site are causing concern for the Anglican Foundation of Canada, an independent body that awards grants and loans to Anglican churches in Canada, provides bursaries to theology students and supports other projects.

Because the names are similar, the Anglican Foundation of Canada fears that the public will be confused and mistake one for the other.

Michael Daley, one of seven directors of the CAF, said that the new foundation is intended to be “primarily a philanthropic organization” and that its focus will be on supporting “traditional” Anglican ministries.

He defined traditional as “Anglicans who are committed to the classic formulary of the Prayer Book, the 39 Articles (statements of Anglican belief approved by the British parliament in 1571), who practice traditional Anglican liturgy and therefore believe traditional Anglican doctrine.”

Mr. Daley added that the CAF will consider applications for funding from “Anglicans who believe the traditional Anglican and Catholic views on human sexuality.”

The CAF is not officially affiliated with the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC), a group of churches that have left the Anglican Church of Canada largely over blessing same-sex unions, or any other body, Mr. Daley said.

Traditional ministries within the Anglican Church of Canada, ANiC ministries and others could apply for funding.

Dean John vanNostrand Wright, executive director of the Anglican Foundation of Canada, expressed his concerns about the name of the new organization: “I think it will be very confusing because we’ve got two different missions going on here,” he said. “We are in business to support the whole of the Canadian church and they’re obviously in business to support the conservative wing of the Canadian church, or at least anyone who joins with the guy who set it up…. I’m not sure who he is representing.”

The Anglican Foundation of Canada is seeking advice from legal counsel.

“The Anglican Foundation of Canada is working with the Anglican Church of Canada to provide trust services and that kind of thing, and if it becomes confusing to people that we’ve got two different groups coming, then it sounds to me as if they are sliding along on our coattails, and that shouldn’t be allowed,” said Mr. Wright.

Mr. Daley said he had not spoken to anyone at the Anglican Foundation of Canada yet, but said, “We’re not trying cause confusion and we’re certainly not trying to compete.”

The CAF is awaiting government approval for its incorporation as the Canadian Anglican Foundation. If the name is deemed to be too similar and an agreement cannot be reached with the Anglican Foundation of Canada, Mr. Daley said his group will have to change its name.

Mr. Daley said he would not name the other six directors of the CAF until the organization was incorporated.

Mr. Wright is also concerned that the content of Mr. Daley’s Web site, Anglican Comment, which is also titled “The News Service of the Canadian Anglican Foundation,” could be mistakenly associated with the Anglican Foundation of Canada.

“He’s made some rather inflammatory statements, which I don’t think any of us would make,” said Mr. Wright, noting that Mr. Daley’s appeal for donations to his Web site and to the CAF is not something the Anglican Foundation of Canada would want to be associated with either.

Mr. Daley’s appeal for donations to the site reads: “All monies go toward the editor's discretionary fund. What does this mean? Well, it means the editor may use it as donations toward the Canadian Anglican Foundation (once that entity is up and running), or for his own personal use (chicken dinners, pizza, new underpants, etc.). Once the CAF is set up and legally registered as a not-for-profit organization, a separate link will be placed on this page clearly marked as the donations area for the CAF and not the editor's discretionary fund.”
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(Source: AJ)