Sydney gives its backing to American traditionalists: CEN 11.13.09 p 6.

The Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) received a boost last month from the Diocese Sydney after its synod endorsed a resolution backing the formation of the third Anglican province in North America. However, a similar motion brought before the Diocese of Melbourne’s synod narrowly failed.

On Oct 28, the Diocese of Sydney’s Synod overwhelmingly adopted a resolution welcoming the “creation of the Province of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) under the leadership of Archbishop Bob Duncan.”

It noted the GAFCON Primates’ Council’s “recognition of the ACNA as genuinely Anglican” and their recommendation that “Anglican Provinces affirm full communion with the ACNA.” It also asked its diocesan standing committee “seek to have a motion brought to the General Synod affirming that the Anglican Church of Australia be in full communion with the ACNA.”

The Bishop of North Sydney Glenn Davies explained the resolution “does not expressly state that the Diocese of Sydney is in full communion, but merely ‘expresses its desire to be in full communion’,” with the ACNA.

“Why the fudge?” he wrote on the diocese’s website. “Well the Diocese of Sydney is part of the Anglican Church of Australia, whose Constitution defines those with whom we are in communion,” he said.

At its Oct 7-10 synod a resolution backing the ACNA was brought before the Diocese of Melbourne. The resolution noted “with great sadness the divisions” that had arisen in North America, and thanked the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams for his July 27, 2009 statement on the crises.

The resolution stated that it regarded “those who have formed themselves into the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) as authentic Anglican Christians” and extended the “hand of Anglican Christian fellowship” from Melbourne to the ACNA and “longs for our fellowship with them to be renewed and formalised within the structure of the Anglican Communion; and (d) Respectfully asks the Archbishop [of Melbourne] to convey the substance of this motion to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the leaders of the ACNA.”

Following thirty minutes of debate the resolution was put to a voice vote. The chairman of the meeting was unable to determine the outcome, and a show of hands revealed the resolution failed 150 to 175.

After the Sydney vote, Archbishop Duncan said, “We welcome this recognition from the Diocese of Sydney and look forward to working with them and our other overseas Anglican partners in spreading the Gospel and building a Communion that is truly Christ centered and missional.”