Updated Friday
The CANA website has been slightly updated with the news reports already published elsewhere of the Nigerian consecration service.
However, there is more information on the Truro Church website which has published this letter from Martyn Minns. He writes:
…I am also involved in ongoing discussions with Bishop Lee and his chancellor to find a way forward that responds to the various jurisdictional and pastoral challenges that are presented by my consecration. I remain confident that we will be able to do so…
And the Bishop of Virginia, Peter Lee, has sent this letter, which I interpret to mean that he has not met his own deadline for publishing an agreed statement as he had indicated previously. He writes:
Since the election of the Rev. Martyn Minns, rector of Truro Church, Fairfax, as a Bishop in the Church of Nigeria, Martyn, the Truro vestry, the Standing Committee and I have had several discussions concerning the challenges this situation posed to the Diocese of Virginia and Truro Church.
Our discussions are continuing. And while I could wish for a more timely resolution to this situation, I am mindful that the Holy Spirit requires much of us, including patience.
As your Bishop, I have sought wise and godly counsel in this matter. In all of this, I have acted with the highest degree of pastoral concern for the congregation of Truro Church while also considering the needs of the entire Diocese.
At this time, I earnestly seek your prayers and support as we continue to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to discern a way forward that glorifies God and honors our Church.
Friday Update
The Washington Times has Virginia bishops hit impasse.
Why on earth would +Peter Lee stand by and allow Mr. Minns+ a place in Truro Church let alone the Diocese of Virginia? What Minns+ and ++Akinola are doing is an affront to TEC and does the church nothing but harm in the long run. If Bishop Lee doesn’t inhibit and depose Minns+ he’s making a foolish mistake, IMHO.
There is no ‘middle way’ for Bishop Peter Lee. Martyn Minns has no regard for the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, nor for Anglican polity. If he had any personal integrity, he would not have accepted episcopal consecration from the Arch-meddler-bishop in TEC/ECUSA’s internal affairs and ‘queer hate-monger’, ++Peter Abuja. Martyn Minns has chosen to defy his own godly Bishop, +Peter Lee, and now needs to face the consequences of his actions – deposition from the ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.
It looks like we have another Bishop Murphy in the making. He wants to have a hand in his old parish while he goes about mucking about in other dioceses. We definitely had a clearer statement from Abp. Carey on Murphy then we’ve gotten so far from Williams on Minns.
There is already a precedent for this. Many regular posters here will recall the consecration of two bishops for the Traditional Anglican Church last year, one of whom was David Chislett, then Rector of All Saints Whickham Ter. in Brisbane. He was subsequently removed from this position. The Archbishop of Brisbane determined that he had effectively left the Anglican Church of Australia by accepting the call to be a bishop in the TEC. FiF have claimed that the process was stacked against Chislett, although this is coming from people who clearly did not accept the ‘rules of the game’ from… Read more »
Kieran meant “TAC” not “TEC” I am fairly certain.
Obadiah – many thanks, I did indeed mean TAC. Ironically, to an Australian, the TAC is both the Traditional Anglican Communion and the Traffic Accident Commission. The latter is a statutory body charged with compensating and caring for the victims of accidents on public roads. They also sponsor some rather gruesome ads aimed at raising awareness of the consequences of unsafe driving. I feel that there is some salutory aspect to the coincidence of shorthand between the TAC’s…
I am severely disappointed in the latest from my bishop. I suppose he has been busy also in planning for the Sept NY meeting with the PB and the PB elect and the conservative bishops. I agree that enough palaver has gone on. Why does +Peter or anyone else still think that people like Martyn and Duncan have any intention of compromise or playing by the rules?
I think +Lee is being very wise here. There’s no sense in making public ultimatums you can’t enforce. Truro has been looking for an excuse to ditch TEC for a while now. If +Lee tries to force them to choose TEC or CANA, I don’t think anyone doubts the outcome.
TAC – Traffic Accident Corporation. If I am not mistaken, Kieran, you have just outed yourself as a Victorian