The Episcopal Church violated its own Constitution by its decisions at General Convention 2003 resulting not only in intractable divisions within the Episcopal Church, but also within the Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury first recommended formation of a network of “confessing” dioceses and congregations.

In response to that call, the Anglican Communion Network is developing as a biblically-based missionary movement dedicated to upholding a faithful expression of Anglicanism in North America. The creation of the Anglican Communion Network, quite contrary to Bp. Parsley’s assertions, has enabled many orthodox Episcopalians to justify remaining in the Episcopal Church during this time of crisis.

I am extremely confused about why Bishop Parsley expresses such hostility to a network which was conceived by Archbishop Williams and is recognized by 14 Anglican Primates, serving as the only American connection to Anglicanism in the eyes of some primates. Bishop Parsley voted against innovations in sexuality at General Convention and is on record for orthodox Christianity.

I would have expected him to embrace the Network rather than condemn it, and I invite him to have conversations with me and other ACN bishops so he can better understand the mission and ministry we offer. We would be delighted to address his concerns point by point.

In the meantime, I urge him to reconsider his Pastoral Directive prohibiting association with Anglican Communion Network as well as well any potential actions against his clergy and laity. Attempts to use Episcopal power as a means of limiting the freedoms of faithful Episcopalians have proven utterly bankrupt over the last 30 years, leaving disunity and broken fellowships wherever they have been put in place.

As a policy tool, I suspect they will serve a “basically” conservative bishop like Bishop Parsley no better than it has the radicals with whom his votes at General Convention are in such sharp disagreement.

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