The Scotian Communion?

This afternoon my boss and I were working on an outline for a new project. I was editing her latest draft, and I found that about 80% of the time she referred to Province IX she typed "Province XI." As I made the corrections, I commented to her, "On the other hand, if things keep going the way they are, we might just have more provinces. Province X, Africa. Province XI, Asia."

A month and a half ago I wrote some thoughts about the potential partition of the Anglican Communion. If the Communion fractures along ideological lines, it is quite possible that the Episcopal Church could end up with congregations in Africa and Asia, just as Nigeria, Rwanda, and the Southern Cone now have congregations here in the United States and Brazil (in the case of Southern Cone). In that scenario, a tenth and eleventh province in the Episcopal Church are a definite possibility.

Another potential realignment of the Communion might result in two (or more) separate "communions." How would we self-identify? More than likely there would be a fight over who was truly entitled to the name "Anglican Communion." If it comes to that, perhaps those provinces that decide to remain in communion with the Episcopal Church should simply let the so-called "Global South" be the Anglican Communion and choose a new name for ourselves. Since the Communion's roots are in the separation of the American Colonies from the British Empire, and since the Episcopal Church's first bishop was consecrated by the Scots non-juror bishops, maybe we could call it the "Scotian Communion."

Or maybe we will end up like the Orthodox Churches: Anglican Communion-Nigerian Rite, Anglican Communion-American Rite, Anglican Communion-Rwandan Rite, Anglican Communion-Argentine Rite, etc.

If a fracture happens, no matter what form it takes, then we will all the poorer for it.

Just some thoughts on a rainy Tuesday night.

Peace,
Jeffri