“This is not a Communion-breaking issue.” Repeat after me, “This is not a Communion-breaking issue.”

Well, much to the chagrin of those hoping to keep the Anglican Church together, these past weeks have seen some Communion-breaking activity. South of the border the Diocese of San Joaquin voted Dec. 8 to withdraw from The Episcopal Church and also realign under the authority of Archbishop Gregory Venables in the Southern Cone. And at home in November, the Anglican Network in

Canada announced at a conference in Burlington that it was realigning with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, and invited any Anglicans (especially parishes, church plants and house groups) who wished to join its newly formed church structure. It was also revealed at this conference that Bishop Malcolm Harding has joined Bishop Don Harvey in transferring his orders to the Southern Cone.

This has, of course, been denounced by many Church officials. Our Primate, rightfully protecting the visible unity of the Church, cited the 4th century Canons which insist upon the primacy of protecting diocesan boundaries. In fact the Primate in his Epistle to the Canadians cited the Windsor Report, the St. Michael Report, the Canons of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Dar es Salaam Primates’ Communiqué and unnamed Lambeth Statements--all of them are used for just this reason: to rebuff any incursion of “invalid”

ministry within our borders.  The Primate is well within his purview to argue these points.

However, if you followed mainstream media, the clergy and parishes which were most frequently mentioned came from the dioceses of New Westminster, Ottawa, and Niagara. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put these pieces together. These are three of the four dioceses that have determined to move forward with the blessing of same-sex unions contra the Windsor Report, the St. Michael Report (in any plain reading), the Canons of the Anglican Church of Canada, the latest Primate’s Communiqué and various unnamed Lambeth Statements. Niagara brought their decision in even after the most recent House of Bishops’ meeting confirmed that they would uphold the moratorium on same-sex unions. Where is the Primate’s Letter concerning the grievous error of these dioceses moving forward?

The fact is, our hopes (and we had plenty) that the new Primate would approach the crisis in our Church with an even hand were disappointed with the publishing of his first letter. Power politics and mass manipulation might be what dominates Anglican life for the next few years--but we hope not. The lack of equanimity in the Primate’s letter is so blatant that perhaps he - and the Metropolitans who signed - will come to see it.

We are not necessarily endorsing the Network; they are admittedly a work in progress and have many kinks to work out. But we must place the greater responsibility of the increasing division amongst God’s children at the door of the Primate and the bishops of New Westminster, Ottawa, Montreal and Niagara for driving their agenda through the church and breaking the Communion we share in the Anglican Church of Canada and the global Communion beyond.

A peaceful Epiphany to all.