ALIGNMENT & RE-ALIGNMENT in American Episcopalianism.

There is much talk amongst conservative Episcopalians of re-alignment. Let us consider it briefly.

To align is to bring into line with another/others; or it is to be in a precise adjustment or correct relative position to another/others. Therefore to re-align is to conform to a different line or to be in a precise adjustment to that different line.

Right now within the Episcopal Church those of radical liberal, liberal, liberal evangelical and conservative views in parishes and dioceses are lined up together in one Province, one Denomination with one Presiding Bishop, one Formulary (1979 Prayer Book), one Canon Law, one General Convention & one Pension Fund. However, some of those who are conservative want to withdraw from this bond and arrangement and line-up. They want to re-align as “the remnant of the ECUSA” with conservative Anglican Provinces overseas and perhaps also with extra-mural Anglicans [i.e., non-ECUSA Anglicans such as “Continuing Anglicans” and “Reformed Episcopalians”] in the USA. So talk of Re-alignment is in the air. Yet these conservative Episcopalians (who tend to support the American Anglican Council) have been told by the leaders of the ECUSA that if they wish to leave the ECUSA line, and get into line with others, they must not expect to take their church property with them. So if and when they get into the new line, it will be only with the clothing on their bodies and cash in their pockets, not with their properties in tow.

I make a suggestion. What the conservative Episcopalians who are planning on re-alignment must be careful about – indeed very careful about – is thinking that they can get into the new line, that they can realign, taking with them the Episcopal Church as they know it, but minus the LesBiGay agenda and its successes. That is, they will make a very major mistake unless they decide with clarity and firmness of mind that it is only worthwhile to take with them the Episcopal Church as it was prior to 1976, the year when the innovations seriously began. That is, they need to form the new line, the re-alignment, bringing with them the Faith, Order and Worship of the ECUSA as they were before the radical changes of the late 1970s. If they move away carrying with them as part of their heritage the radical innovations adopted by the radical ECUSA Convention since 1976, then they will soon discover that they are very little different from the ECUSA that they have sought to get out of line with. That is, they need to be prepared to get into line with the Classic Formularies of the Anglican Way (as they are found in the 1662, 1789, 1892 and 1928 Prayer Books), with versions of the Bible that are not infected with inclusive language, without women priests and bishops, and with a belief in heaven and hell – that is in the Gospel of Christ Jesus. If they must bring the 1979 Prayer Book into the new line let it be as “The Book of Alternative Services” of 1979. No doubt such re-alignment will be extremely painful -- as others who have already left the ECUSA since 1976 can testify.

To summaries. It seems pointless to talk of re-alignment unless (a) the new line is going to be substantially different from the one that is discarded, and (b) the new line is in harmony with the basis and essentials of the classic, historic Anglican Way.

www.american-anglican.fsnet.co.uk

The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon.)