A VISION TO SHARE AND BRING TO FRUITION
The Continuing Anglicans & the Anglican Mission in America grow together

In its authentic 21st century form, the Anglican Way of Christianity is a
comprehensive form. That is Anglicanism is a viable form of reformed
Catholic Faith, which, while holding to the central verities and basic
divine order/polity, embraces people of differing churchmanship and of
differing theological emphases.

Leaving aside the ECUSA which seems totally incapable of reform and renewal
as a Province, what we see in general terms in the USA in 2001 is (a) the
new mission-minded and growing AMiA as an expression primarily of
charismatic evangelical emphases and churchmanship, and (b) the continuing
Anglican churches as an expression of various degrees of anglo-catholic
emphases and churchmanship.

Both these bodies have emerged from the ECUSA as reform and renewal
movements and thus have much in common in terms of origins and purpose.

I submit that these two movements belong together (and with them the
Reformed Episcopal Church and such other congregations as are Anglican in
name and intent) for each of them existing alone is missing something of the
fullness of the Anglican Way.

The Anglo-Catholics in the Continuum will benefit greatly from the warmth
and enthusiasm for the Gospel displayed in the AMiA; and the AMiA
constituency will benefit greatly from the dedication to solid liturgy and
sound order displayed by the Continuum. Each group needs the other in order
to experience the reality of the Anglican Way as it has evolved in modern
times as a comprehensive yet orthodox Way.

It is selfish for either of these groups [or subdivisions of either one] to
go it alone and pretend that as a separated small movement they truly
represent the Anglican/Episcopal Name in the USA.

Of course there will be problems to surmount and suspicions to set aside in
the coming together, but the Lord our God is on the side of those who seek
holiness and desire to worship the Blessed Trinity in spirit and in truth.
American Anglicanism since the 1970s has seen too many spits and divisions
and not enough coming together and healing. Let a true coming together in
koinonia (fellowship in the Gospel) begin.

To start this progress of growing together towards unity I believe that
there needs to be a meeting of the bishops of the AMiA together with six
bishops from the larger of the Continuing Churches. This could lead on to
larger meetings for worship, study and dialogue, culminating in a Congress
of all parties [with laity in the majority] to make decisions concerning the
path of growing together into unity. [Dr Tarsitano & Dr Toon have written
carefully and constructively of what such a Congress would seek to achieve.]

[I see this growing together of AMiA & the Continuers as not being connected
in any practical way with the recent “Congress Movement” of which the Revd
Mr Kew is the organizer and which plans a major conference in June 2002 in
Dallas, TX. I think that this conference will be basically a major rallying
point for those who desire to stay in the ECUSA or closely allied to it and
fight for what they believe can be redeemed from the disorder and apostasy
of this diminishing province. But I suspect that it will not advance the
cause of an orthodox province of the Anglican Way for the USA for the 21st
century.]

The Rev’d Dr. Peter Toon July 6, 2002