Anglican Province of the Southern Cone

The Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America ( _es. Provincia Anglicana del Cono Sur de América) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion that covers the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. In addition, the province currently claims that it also includes one diocese in the United States of America, the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin. The Province also claims one diocese in Brazil, the Diocese of Recife ("Dioceso do Recife") under Bishop Cavalcanti [ http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=47396/ Church Times 16 November 2007, "Southern Cone offers haven to disaffected US dioceses" ] which is not to be confused with the "Diocese Anglicana do Recife" which is a member of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil. Also, nineteen parishes in Canada have formed the Anglican Network in Canada which describe themselves as an "ecclesial body under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone". AniC parishes have an average Sunday attendance of 2,625 [http://www.anglicannetwork.ca/about.htm/ Anglican Network 'About Us'] ; among whom the prestigious theologian J. I. Packer.

The ecclesial status of all the dioceses and ecclesial bodies outside Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay is disputed; the irregular situation of the Southern Cone province claiming extra-territorial jurisdiction stems from the current unrest in the Episcopal Church, USA and the Anglican Church of Canada over the introduction of what conservatives have seen as untoward novelties, such as the ordination of openly homosexual, non-celibate men as Bishops, blessing of same-sex relationships and, in some cases, the ordination of women to the priesthood.

As of 30 November 2007, the province reports 22,000 members [ [http://www.anglicanjournal.com/100/article/quick-facts-the-anglican-church-of-the-southern-cone-of-america/ Anglican Journal: Quick facts: The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America Nov 30, 2007] ] not including the dioceses San Joaquin, the Anglican Network in Canada, or Recife. Were these to be included, its membership would tally around 38,000. Its members in South-America are thinly spread across the nations of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Brazil and Uruguay, which makes it one of the smaller provinces in the Anglican Communion in terms of numbers, although one of the largest in geographical extent. It claims eight bishops - about one bishop per 4,500 people.

History

During the 19th century, immigrants to South America brought Anglicanism with them. The South American Missionary Society (SAMS) was formed to develop Anglican mission throughout South America, and it still has an important place in the life of the church. As the church and its mission grew, missionary bishops were appointed and dioceses were formed. Until 1974, these missionary dioceses were under the metropolitical oversight of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1981, the dioceses came together to form the Province of the Southern Cone. Originally, there were six diocese in the province, one for every sovereign country covered by the province, but the Diocese of Northern Argentina was soon formed out of the larger Diocese of Argentina. The province retains and celebrates its mission-focused, evangelical and charismatic roots.

The province consists of eight dioceses under the authority of a Presiding Bishop, currently British-born the Most Reverend Gregory James Venables, who represents the province to the rest of the Anglican Communion as its primate.

Archbishop Venables has been outspoken in support of a conservative position on homosexuality and other issueswhat .

Dioceses

Diócesis de Argentina (Diocese of Argentina)

* Diocesan bishop — The Most Reverend Gregory James Venables (Presiding Bishop):appointed 2002, born 1949
* Link dioceses — Diocese of Sheffield and Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Diócesis de Argentina Norte (Diocese of Northern Argentina)

* Diocesan bishop — vacant at present, under the primate Bishop Gregory Venables
* Assistant bishop — Reverend Hugo Vergara
* Link dioceses — Episcopal Diocese of Albany, Diocese of Carlisle and Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina

Diócesis de Bolivia (Diocese of Bolivia)

* Diocesan bishop — The Right Reverend Frank LyonsA 1976 graduate of Wheaton College, Wheaton IL USA; a conservative evangelical Christian college in the near Chicago and a 1980 graduate of Nashotah House, a seminary of the Episcopal Church located near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As Bishop of Bolivia, Bishop Lyons oversees some 35 churches in the United States who have left the Episcopal Church USA. Bishop Lyons was sent to Bolivia as a missionary by South American Missions Society. He was consecrated bishop in 2001.
* Link dioceses — Sabah and Singapore (Church of the Province of South East Asia)

Diócesis de Chile (Diocese of Chile)

* Diocesan bishop — The Right Reverend Héctor Zavala Muñoz
* Assistant bishop — The Right Reverend Abelino Manuel Apeleo
* Link dioceses — Episcopal Diocese of Rio Grande and Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh

Diócesis de Paraguay (Diocese of Paraguay)

* Diocesan bishop — The Right Reverend John Alexander Ellison
* Link diocese — Diocese of Nelson

Diócesis de Perú (Diocese of Peru)

* Diocesan bishop — The Right Reverend Harold William Godfrey
* Link diocese — Diocese of Worcester

Diócesis de Uruguay (Diocese of Uruguay)

* Diocesan bishop — The Right Reverend Miguel Tamayo
* Link dioceses — Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and Episcopal Church of Cuba

Jurisdictions claimed elsewhere

In 2003, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America consecrated Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire. After leaders in several conservative diocese expressed their opposition to having a noncelibate gay man in such a position, Presiding Bishop Venables extended an invitation to dissidents who wished to disassociate with the Episcopal Church while remaining members of the Anglican Communion Fact|date=September 2008.

On December 8, 2007, the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin voted to accept this invitation and change its name to the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin Fact|date=September 2008, which has led to an ongoing dispute with the Episcopal Church over control of the diocese's property and other assets. The canonical jurisdiction of the Province of the Southern Cone over the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin is disputed by the Episcopal Church which stripped Bishop Schofield of his authority to exercise his ministry within the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Church [cite news
last = Schjonberg
first = Mary Frances
title = Presiding Bishop inhibits San Joaquin bishop
publisher = Episcopal News Service
date = 2008-01-11
url = http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_93559_ENG_HTM.htm
accessdate = 2008-09-13] , depose him [cite news
last = McCaughan
first = Pat
title = House of Bishops agrees to deposition of Schofield
publisher = Episcopal News Service
date = 2008-03-14
url = http://www.diosanjoaquin.org/dfc/newsdetail_2/11
accessdate = 2008-09-13] and reorganized the diocese under a new bishop, [cite news
last = Schjonberg
first = Mary Frances
title = San Joaquin Episcopalians anchor reorganization in themes of resurrection, hope
publisher = Episcopal News Service
date = 2008-03-29
url = http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_96094_ENG_HTM.htm
accessdate = 2008-09-13] . No province other than the Southern Cone acknowledges this jurisdiction Fact|date=September 2008. The Anglican Consultative Council, which promotes discussion and cooperation among the provinces of the Anglican Communion and which would need to consent to the inclusion of the San Joaquin as a diocese of this Provincefact|date=September 2008, has not yet issued any statement on this matterFact|date=September 2008.

On September 12, 2008, the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth voted to align with the Province of the Southern Cone [cite news
title = Diocese of Fort Worth council endorses realignment with Southern Cone province
publisher = Episcopal News Service
date = 2008-09-12
url = http://www.anglicanjournal.com/100/article/diocese-of-fort-worth-council-endorses-realignment-with-southern-cone-province
accessdate = 2008-09-13] . The Diocese of Fort Worth will have a final realignment vote in November 2008Fact|date=October 2008.

From November 2007, the Anglican Network in Canada, numbering nineteen parishes, has placed itself under the jurisdiction of Bishop Donald Harvey, who is a member of the Province of the Southern Cone's House of BishopsFact|date=October 2008.

On October 4, 2008, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh voted to align with the Province of the Southern Cone [ http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_101322_ENG_HTM.htm ] . Southern Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables appointed Bishop Robert Duncan "episcopal commissary" to the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

References

External links

* http://www.anglicanos.net (unofficial site approved by the Province)
* http://www.anglicanaargentina.org.ar/ (official website of the Iglesia Anglicana Argentina, Diocese of Argentina)
* [http://bolivia.anglican.org/ Iglesia Anglicana Episcopal de Bolivia (Anglican Episcopal Church in Bolivia)]
* [http://www.samsusa.org/missionaries-frames09.html South American Missionary Society]
* [http://www.iglesiaanglicana.cl/sitio/ Iglesia Anglicana de Chile (Anglican Church of Chile)]
* [http://www.uruguay.anglican.org/ Iglesia Anglicana del Uruguay (Anglican Church of Uruguay)]