ISKCON schisms look like others

Traditionalist Anglicans, mostly from developing countries, are at loggerheads with the small but wealthy Episcopal Church — the main Anglican church in the United States headed by liberal Archbishop Katharine Jefferts Schori — over whether to ordain openly gay priests.

Conservatives say Anglican provinces overseas have taken hundreds of the 7,000 Episcopal congregations under their wing, although liberals say the number is close to 70.

The Church of Rwanda started adopting conservative U.S. congregations in 2000 as part of its missionary outreach. Its Anglican Mission to the Americas group says it began with seven churches and now has 116, all under Rwandan authority.

Outspoken Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola caused a storm in May when he consecrated dissident Episcopal priest Martyn Minns as bishop of a new Nigerian church in the United States.

And now archbishops in Kenya and Uganda plan to consecrate three priests as bishops for breakaway orthodox congregations in the United States in coming weeks, creating more conservative African outposts amid the liberal American mainstream.

“In Uganda, we have provided a home for refugees from Congo, Rwanda, and Sudan,” said Ugandan Archbishop Henry Orombi, who is consecrating John Guernsey of Virginia on September 2. “Now, we are also providing a home for ecclesiastical refugees from America.”

[Rebecca Harrison, Wangui Kanina, “Africans woo conservative U.S. Anglicans in gay row”, 13 Aug 2007, Reuters, 15 Jul 2022 <Link>]