The Washington Times of June 17 under the banner of 'New Anglican Church poses dilemma' commented that the inauguration of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) posed a “dilemma for the worldwide Anglican Communion over who represents Anglicanism in the United States and Canada”.

The formation of ACNA is a direct challenge to the legitimacy of The Episcopal Church (TEC). Four dioceses have left TEC: San Joaquin in California, Quincy in Illinois; Fort Worth in Texas and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. The new Province includes 11 Northern Virginia parishes, some of which pre-date the American War of Independence. It is no surprise then that TEC is litigating over millions of dollars worth of property.

Reaction to the election of Gene Robinson and the authorising of same-sex blessings forced the commissioning of the Windsor Report and the establishment of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Panel of Reference. Two of the Panel's references were the Church of the Redeemer in Florida Diocese and St John’s Shaughnessy in the Diocese of New Westminster, Canada. Despite visits from panel members and week-long conversations, both references failed to provide any meaningful help to the congregations. The Florida congregation and some 20 other Florida clergy ejected by the bishop have now found a new home in the new province. St John's, with other Canadian churches grouped as the Anglican Network in Canada, has also found lodging in the new province.

The ACNA has an average attendance of 100,000, which is more than the number of Anglicans in 13 of the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion. So far seven provinces recognise ACNA in place of TEC. There is no formal process of recognition in the Anglican Communion by any of the so-called 'instruments of communion'.

The GAFCON Primates' Council has welcomed ACNA as fulfilling the Jerusalem Declaration aspiration, 'we believe the time is now ripe for the formation of a province in North America for the federation currently known as Common Cause Partnership to be recognised by the Primates' Council'.

This new Province in North America provides a constitutional framework for the exercise of Christian ministry in accordance with Anglican principles and doctrines.

Can we pray that, under God's providential hand, the new province will be one where the Scriptures are studied with true understanding, false doctrines are driven out, and good works abound?