Anglican Communion Network

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The symbol of the Anglican Communion Network combines the arms of the Church of England with the compass and mitre of the global Anglican Communion.

The Anglican Communion Network (ACN) (officially the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes) is a theologically conservative network of dioceses and parishes. Most of these dioceses and parishes are members of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA), while others are under the jurisdiction of overseas Bishops from Uganda, Kenya, Bolivia and other countries. The ACN also includes a Forward in Faith convocation of churches, some of which may be in the Continuing Anglican Movement.

[edit] Origins

The ACN was officially formed in January 2004 at a conference in Plano, Texas attended by several hundred priests and lay leaders, including 12 Episcopal bishops. Its main intent is to provide a system to supply theologically conservative leadership and church oversight to Anglicans in the United States and Canada.

The ACN was formed in response to suggestions by the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, in the wake of the controversy regarding Anglican views of homosexuality. Currently approximately 15% of Anglican parishes in the United States and Canada are affiliated with the ACN.^{[verification needed]}

In the United States, the flashpoint for the controversy was the 2003 consecration of a gay man, Gene Robinson as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. At the time of his election, Robinson was openly living with a same-sex partner, the first such gay bishop. In Canada, the main trigger was the approval of same-sex unions by the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, also in 2003. Most of the work in establishing the ACN was performed by the American Anglican Council, a group of theologically-conservative congregations within the Episcopal Church. The current ACN Moderator is The Right Reverend Robert Duncan, seventh bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.

[edit] Endorsements

Fourteen Anglican primates from the developing world, representing over half of the world's Anglicans, added their names to a statement of support for the network. ^[1]

[edit] Debate on the successor to ECUSA

The group is not seeking to legally split from ECUSA or the Anglican Church of Canada.^{[citation needed]}

Moderates and progressives within ECUSA hold that the church remains true to the historic faith of the See of Canterbury.

[edit] See also

• Anglican Communion
• Anglican Coalition in Canada
• Anglican Mission in America
• Anglican views of homosexuality
• Confessing Movement
• Continuing Anglican Movement

[edit] References

1. ^ Primates' Statement at the ACN website. Retrieved on September 8, 2006.

[edit] External links

• Official ACN site
• Following the Money, article by Jim Naughton. May show some bias. Washington Window, Vol. 75, No. 6, May 2006, published by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
• Map of ACN Affiliated Churches