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Anglican Essentials Canada (AEC):
1. AEC represents a national movement of Canadian Anglicans who share a common commitment to faithful biblical orthodoxy.
2. For AEC, this orthodoxy is defined by and centered on the classic formularies
(foundational principles) of the Anglican tradition in this country, namely – the supremacy of the complete Canon of Holy Scripture, the Book of Common Prayer as the standard of doctrine and worship, the Ordinal (with its preface), the Articles of Religion (as affirmed by the Lambeth Conference of 1968) and the Solemn Declaration of 1893.
3. AEC is committed to the propagation of the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ, which
produces life giving mission, holiness of life and unity in the spirit.
4. The purpose of this movement is to:
a. provide a forum, a rallying point, and an identity for such “orthodox Anglicans”
b. provide a voice for this constituency to the leadership of the Anglican Church of Canada, to other Anglican constituencies, and to the world
c. offer an interface with the leadership of the global Anglican Communion through which the Communion can recognize a faithful Canadian Anglican constituency and can provide direction to that constituency
5. Members of AEC share the following desires:
a. to be in full spiritual communion with each other and with the global Communion.
b. to act in submission to the Primates and the other instruments of unity of the Anglican Communion.
c. to remain full members of the global Anglican Communion in the event the Anglican Church of Canada separates from the Anglican Communion by either voluntarily “walking apart” or by being excluded from the Anglican Communion by the Primates of the Anglican Communion or the Lambeth Conference
d. to maintain our Anglican orthodox Christian heritage
e. to work together and to share resources and organizational infrastructure wherever possible
6. Within this movement, there are two sub-constituencies. They are currently known as the Essentials Federation and the Anglican Network in Canada (the “Essentials Network”).
7. These sub-constituencies will focus their efforts on different but complementary responses to the current crisis facing our church.
Federation
8. The Federation represents orthodox Anglicans who (though deeply concerned about the drift away from orthodoxy within their church):
a. believe they are not in impaired or broken communion with the Anglican Church of Canada or their bishop
b. are able in conscience to participate in their diocese and the Anglican Church of Canada
c. believe it is their mission to pray for, labour and hope for repentance and renewal in the Anglican Church of Canada.
d. will continue to work for change in the Anglican Church of Canada, and in particular, will seek to persuade the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada to commit to full membership and the teaching and doctrine of the Anglican Communion.
e. will seek further clarification from the Primates and other Instruments of Unity as to the Anglican Communion membership status of the Anglican Church of Canada and its members
f. will seek to be recognized by the global Anglican Communion as full continuing members of the Anglican Communion and work in submission to the Primates and the other Instruments of Unity to remain in full communion with the Primates, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion during any suspension of the Anglican Church of Canada.
9. The Federation is not making plans or building an ecclesial structure to be used in the
event the Anglican Church of Canada should choose to walk alone
The Anglican Network in Canada (the Essentials Network)
10. The Network represents, supports and serves any Canadian Anglicans who:
a. are in a state of “serious theological dispute” and impaired or broken communion with the Anglican Church of Canada or their diocesan bishop
b. may desire Adequate Episcopal Oversight from a Network bishop
c. may determine that on theological grounds they cannot contribute financially to or participate fully in their diocese or the Anglican Church of Canada.
d. wish to be recognized by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the global Primates as full members of the Anglican Communion e. will work in submission to the Primates to remain in full communion with the Primates, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion during any suspension or removal of the Anglican Church of Canada from the Anglican Communion.
11. The Network is building an ecclesial body (a “lifeboat”) to be available in the event
the Anglican Church of Canada walks apart from the global Communion and such a structure is required by the Primates as necessary to repair the tear in the fabric of the Communion and become fully recognized members in the Anglican Communion.
12. In the event there is a formal global schism and the Anglican Communion splits into
two parts, the Network will align with the group which upholds the orthodox view of scripture.
13. In so doing, the Network:
a. is not yet an ecclesiastical body and will not launch such a body unless required by the Primates to re-establish full communion status with the “Church of England throughout the world” as set out in the Solemn Declaration of 1893.
b. has not left the ACC, but represents Canadian Anglicans who are in a state of “serious theological dispute, and broken or impaired communion with the Anglican Church of Canada or their diocesan bishop.
c. does not desire to leave the Anglican Church of Canada but insists that the true Anglican Church of Canada must be in full communion with the global Anglican Communion. Therefore, the Network denounces and stands apart from any actions or decisions of the leadership and governing
body of the Anglican Church of Canada which leads to the suspension or severing of communion between the Anglican Church of Canada and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Federation and Network leadership agree that -
a. resources of Anglican Essentials Canada will be used to support the work and mission of both the Network and Federation
b. they will hold separate meetings, congresses and gatherings and, where feasible, will meet jointly to promote orthodox Anglicanism in Canada
c. where possible, communications regarding mutual efforts and mission will be issued jointly
d. each group will honour the other’s response to the crisis and they will relate to one another with respect and graceAll members of Anglican Essentials Canada, whether Federation or Network, pray that everything we do will be for the glory of God, and that, in the words of St. Augustine, we will maintain "in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity."
Anglican Essentials Canada
June 9, 2005
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