Bishop Matthew's withdrawal from the election, which will take place on May 31 during the meeting of General Synod in St. Catharine's, Ontario, reduces the number of primatial candidates to three. The other candidates are Bishop Ronald Ferris of Algoma, Archbishop Andrew Hutchison of Montreal, and Bishop Caleb Lawrence of Moosonee.

However, under Canadian ecclesiastical law (Canon III of the General Synod Handbook), delegates to General Synod (either lay or clergy) may, "at any time after the second vote is taken," request the bishops to provide further candidates.

Bishop Matthews is an “affirming Catholic” cut somewhat in the same mold as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, but a person not unsympathetic to evangelical concerns.

My own dealings with her over the years reveal a person concerned deeply for mission and evangelism, but one who is also sympathetic towards same sex blessings, though she is hard to read on the subject, as she has not been very specific.

Had she been elected, she would have been the first female Primate, which would have raised issues with the all male Primates, most of whom have not signed on to women’s ordination let alone a woman bishop or primate. Her election would have raised a number of red flags, but not nearly as critical as having V. Gene Robinson, an openly avowed non-celibate homosexual bishop show up at Lambeth 2008.

Furthermore she would not have been seen or viewed in quite the same light as Frank Griswold, the US Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop, who is now viewed as a man who has abandoned the doctrine and discipline of the church. Matthews has not done that whatever her sympathies might be.

This leaves three candidates. Who are they and what can we expect from them?

Andrew Hutchison is Bishop of the Diocese of Montreal and Archbishop of the ecclesiastical province of Canada. Hutchison has been Bishop of Montreal since 1990 and Bishop Ordinary to the Forces since 1997. His list of ecclesiastical offices reads like a Who’s Who. He has been engaged in Jewish-Christian, Christian-Muslim dialogue and has been a five generation Anglican. He has done all the right social things and his “vision” of the job is embracive and he talks about being a “servant.” He doesn’t want “internal division” to distract “from the proclamation of the good news in Jesus Christ, and our commitment to God’s kingdom of justice and peace.”

But sources who know Hutchison tell Virtuosity that the bishop is an out and out liberal, very suave and smooth and very close to the revisionist Michael Ingham, Bishop of New Westminster, but just more 'subtle'. “He is in the same camp, make no mistake about it. He will be no friend to the orthodox in the church, and he will not cut them any slack. He will take Ingham’s side over the blessing of same-sex unions.”

The second candidate is Caleb Lawrence, Bishop of Moosonee. He has been diocesan bishop since 1980, making him one of the longest reigning bishops in Canadian Church history.

He says of the role of Primate that he would be expected to be more than a “functionary” and he is called to “leadership”. He makes an enlightening observation that “the Primate is always a limited, fallible being – a sinner in the midst of sinners” – a conclusion that comes as no surprise to this writer who knows a thing or two about bishops.

He says of the crisis in the Canadian Church, “that one of the most painful divisions is when people of faith are isolated by interpretations of doctrine and the authority which is given to Holy Scripture.” He then puts a plug in for “diversity”.

“The Church community is not a group of people who have reached a certain level of faith, understanding or commitment, but a band of pilgrims on an exciting journey of hope and discovery moving into in as yet undisclosed future, while carrying with them treasures and identity from the past.”

St. Paul would not agree with this statement.

He has been described to Virtuosity as an “ex-evangelical, who has had a liberal conversion.” Sources close to the bishop see him as a very angry, controlling person behind the scenes. “You would not want to cross him as a local priest in his diocese,” Virtuosity was told. So much for diversity.

The last candidate, and in the opinion of this writer, the best of the primatial bunch is the Bishop of Algoma, the Rt. Rev. Ronald C. Ferris.

Bishop Ferris is solidly evangelical, understands the issues and will, I believe, hold the theological ground in a church that is rolling rapidly towards extinction.

He has been Bishop of Algoma since 1995 and was before that Bishop of the Yukon from 1981 to 1995 and has parishes in London, Ontario and Old Crow, Yukon.

Ferris almost won the New Westminster election for bishop 10 years ago and got strong
support from the New Westminster lay people. However he lacked sufficient support from the clergy. He was unfairly painted as a far-right extremist, while Ingham was presented as a moderate.

His personal information reads like someone who has actually encountered Jesus Christ. “Through Evening Prayer, I became awakened to God in a deeper way. I became excited by the truth of Christ as I heard the epistles preached. I committed my life to Christ and that commitment grew through taking an active part in the Anglican Young People’s Association.” Ferris said he felt the call of God to the ministry at the age of 15.

He has done “time” in the Yukon where he worked for the Yukon Frontier Service Team organized by General Synod. He has spear-headed the development of Cursillo and started a school for native ministry with ordinations of people growing out of that.

But it his statement of vision that sets him apart from the other candidates. He says that “the Primate is first and foremost an Ambassador of Christ.” Hard to argue with that.

While he would maintain strong ecumenical ties, he also lauds and praises Anglican movements, organizations within Canada like the Anglican Church Women, ALPHA, Cursillo, and Church Army, who he says, “need to be honoured and encouraged.”

These are all solid organizations emphasizing gospel redemption, which none of the other candidates deigned to mention.

Ferris concludes with this line, “the Primate undertakes the tending of our connectedness in Christ.”

If Bishop Ferris is elected he will have his work cut out for him. If the issue of same sex blessings is voted down at Synod his work will still not be easy, he will have to deal with bishops like Ingham who are determined to have their own way on this issue. Ingham has already allowed a same-sex blessing to take place in one of his parishes.

The issue for Bishop Ferris is if he is strong enough to withstand the pressures from the liberals and bureaucrats, or whether he will be silenced or neutralized by them. Those who have followed the debates say he has talked a good line over the past number of years concerning orthodoxy, but can he walk the walk in the face of bishops like Ingham?

The Canadian House of Bishops like the ECUSA House of Bishops consists of people who lack the ability to take decisive action, the New Westminster situation over the past 23 months being a case in point.

If the bishops as a whole cave in with a "local option" for same sex blessings, as a means of getting the issue off of their backs, this will deal a blow to dissenting parishes like those in New Westminster.

Will Bishop Ferris stand up to Michael Ingham?

The motion before synod acknowledges that there are deep disagreements among church members over the issue, but asks Anglicans to commit themselves to “strive for that communion into which Christ calls us.”

In the final analysis, it might well be that the judgment of God is upon the church and nothing will stop its gadarene slide. True, God is still in charge, no matter how sly its politicians or crafty its religious leaders. Anything is possible including renewal and revival.

If Bishop Ferris is elected it could herald a new day for the Canadian Anglican Church which has not seen someone of orthodox persuasion since prior to Archbishop “Ted” W. Scott who was Primate (1971-1986).

If a non-Evangelical is elected then the church will continue on its suicidal path, so ably documented by Dr. Marney Patterson in his book SUICIDE: The Decline and Fall of the Anglican Church of Canada.

One can but hope and pray.

END