Network of orthodox Episcopalians and Anglicans gets attention
No doubt the creation of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes is a significant development in the battle for the soul of the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Communion worldwide. Dozens of articles on the subject are running in today's newspapers, and the orthodox Anglican web sites are cranking on all cylinders. But what does its creation, along with its founding charter and theological charter, really mean? There's little agreement.

Some news articles emphasize that this news is "not a harbinger of schism," and that the main point of the network is to "bring hope" and to be "a place to reconnect" for orthodox Episcopalians upset with the denominational leadership.

Other news articles say that those at the launching meeting in Plano, Texas, "hope [the network] will eventually replace the [Episcopal Church USA] as the authentic representative of the faith in the U.S."

Then there's the muddled middle analysis: "Rather than create a 'replacement' church in the United States, the delegates said they seek to convince the archbishop of Canterbury and 38 primates that head the 77-million member worldwide Anglican Communion that the new movement is the true Episcopal Church USA."

And the difference is? Ryan Reed, a delegate of the Ft. Worth diocese, explained to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram that the network "allows us to be a part of the Anglican Communion in the long run. If the Episcopal Church continues to be removed from the Anglican Church, we will probably be recognized by the Anglican Communion."

But network moderator Robert Duncan, bishop of the Pittsburgh diocese, says that the delegates "did not discuss, at all, replacement." However, he said, ...