Conservative Anglicans hope crisis brings transformation

The situation may look bleak for Anglicans divided over Scripture and traditional Anglicanism, but a breakaway bishop has found his hope in the cross and resurrection of Jesus, saying it is not the end of the story.

The Rt Rev Martyn Minns, missionary bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), is leading a growing group of congregations that have split from The Episcopal Church's liberal direction. Some of those congregations from northern Virginia are currently entangled in a court battle with the national body over church property.

"As a Christian, I approach these [difficult] situations realising that ... they are not the end of the story," Minns said ahead of Easter Sunday.

During times when it seems like there is no hope, Bishop Minns said he sees opportunity for transformation.

"There's a God that I serve, there's a God who's able to take even the very worst circumstances and produce new life, new hope and new possibilities," he said.

In his Easter message, Minns compared the situation he and other conservative Anglicans are facing with that faced by the disciples when Jesus Christ died on the cross and was buried.

"For those first disciples it seemed as if their world had come to an end in the days leading up to that first Easter Sunday," Bishop Minns stated in his message. "But that wasn't the end of the story. The stone was rolled away and their nightmare came to an end. Jesus was gloriously raised from the dead.

"He didn't simply survive it, he overcame it."

For the divided Anglicans, Bishop Minns believes they will overcome and experience transformation.

Rather than using the popular language of "schism", Bishop Minns believes the Anglican Communion is reforming and realigning relationships rather than experiencing clean breaks.

The Episcopal Church, the US branch of Anglicanism, widened rifts in the global communion when it consecrated openly gay bishop V Gene Robinson in 2003.

Bishop Minns' message comes as Anglican leaders worldwide prepare for the ten-yearly Lambeth conference which opens in July at the University of Kent in England. Bishops Minns and Robinson were not invited to attend as full participants at Lambeth.

Bishop Minns will, however, be attending a separate alternative conference with conservative Anglicans in June. At the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), attendants will aim to develop a "renewed understanding" of their identity as Anglican Christians and to "prepare for an Anglican future in which the Gospel is uncompromised and Christ-centered mission [is] a top priority".

Giving advice to those attending Lambeth, Bishop Minns said they should stay true to what they believe and ask tough questions.

CANA is the missionary arm of the Anglican Church of Nigeria and serves as a spiritual home for Anglicans in the United States who feel they can no longer be faithful Anglicans in The Episcopal Church.