Eames & Akinola: The old boys network & the new upstarts

Archbishop Eames of Ireland, and an elder statesman of Anglican Communion affairs, recently gave three lectures on the present state and the future of the Anglican Communion in two liberal Seminaries of the ECUSA. One of these also gave him the D.D. degree. The lectures have been circulated by both the Anglican Communion Office and the Episcopal Church news-service. Their content seems most acceptable to the ECUSA leadership and worrying to more conservative Anglicans.

In one lecture he criticized the recent action of the Synod of the Church in Nigeria when it made commitment to the classic Anglican Formularies (BCP, Ordinal & Articles of Religion) the basis of its common life and of its fellowship with other Anglican Churches. Previously, its fellowship had been based on the See of Canterbury and with all who were in communion with the Archbishop there.

[What many people do not know about the Church of Ireland is that in 2004 it took the same path as the ECUSA did in 1979 and the West Indies did in the 1990s. It made a “Book of Alternative Services” into its formulary, “The Book of Common Prayer,” and it abandoned its edition of the classic Book of Common Prayer (derived from the English edition of 1662). Thus the Irish Church has lost its nature as Reformed Catholic and has become whatever succeeding Synods determine it shall be. Further, it relies on its fellowship with the See of Canterbury to assure its Anglican standing. What it has rejected in terms of Standard it seek to replace by association.]

Rightly, Archbishop Akinola has responded and protested to the Eames criticisms, pointing out that neither he nor his Church were consulted before, or informed of, the attack by Eames. Further, he has justified the commitment of his Church to the classic Anglican Formularies (wherein of course the full authority of Scripture, the full doctrine of Christ as Lord, and the rich nature of Reformed Catholicism is set forth). Well done, Akinola, say thousands around the world.

Questions arising:

• Does Archbishop Akinola realize that the Church of Ireland and Dr Eames have abandoned the classic Formularies and followed the example of ECUSA? This may in part explain the outburst of Eames against the going back to old standards by Nigeria.
• When will the Network and the American Anglican Council commit themselves unreservedly to the received classic Formularies and wholly forsake their present commitment to the false formularies of the ECUSA (those in the 1979 prayer book)?
• Is not Akinola a hero for them?
• Do they share his Faith?

The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon MA., D.Phil (Oxford)