ACNA and other "Anglican" Chaplains...not an Army, but a crowd.

The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) pages include a news item, " An Army of Anglican Chaplains" about the growing number of ACNA / Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) and Reformed Episcopal Church chaplains.  The article is clear that chaplaincies under the supervision of the ACNA Bishop for Chaplaincies covers not only military chaplains but others as well - in hospitals and other settings where endorsement by a denomination is necessary, and others where it is not. In this ACNA is somewhat paralleling The Episcopal Church's Suffragan Bishop for Federal Ministries. But ACNA's chaplaincy program seems to reach into areas where denominational endorsement is not necessary. "

Anglican Church chaplains hold posts in the armed services, in hospitals, with police, fire and other emergency responders and in a number of other settings, said Bishop Jones.  “Chaplaincy is its own distinct call with its own distinct set of ministry obligations and opportunities,” he continued."

"According to Bishop Jones, it is hard to keep up with interest in Anglican chaplaincy, particularly among ministers coming from other traditions.  By his count, about half of the Anglican Church’s chaplains have come from other Christian groups.  Bishop Jones believes this trend is driven by the “unique convergence in the chaplain of the three historical streams of worship, sacramental and liturgical, evangelical, and charismatic.”  Anglicanism brings these streams together into a whole."

ACNA then is claiming that this 100 strong "Army of Chaplains" is not about the armed forces, is not necessarily about Anglicans related to ACNA or CANA or REC, but rather an effort to bring under one umbrella a wide array of people who find "Anglicanism" to be a title worth having on the door. "Anglican Chaplain," has a nice ring.  The photo accompanying the article, however, like the title, certainly stresses the military chaplaincy.  CANA's website also makes the point - this is really about military chaplaincy - by its use of an Oliver North speech to an NRA group on Veterans. 

So, ACNA has an "army of Anglican Chaplains," over a hundred in number.

One interesting note: the ACNA news item states, "According to Bishop Jones, it is hard to keep up with interest in Anglican chaplaincy, particularly among ministers coming from other traditions.  By his count, about half of the Anglican Church’s chaplains have come from other Christian groups.  Bishop Jones believes this trend is driven by the “unique convergence in the chaplain of the three historical streams of worship, sacramental and liturgical, evangelical, and charismatic.”  Anglicanism brings these streams together into a whole."

It starts getting confusing at this point:

Not all ACNA / CANA / REC Chaplains are "federal" chaplaincies, much less military.

Bishop Jones refers to "the Anglican Church" (meaning I suppose the ACNA umbrella of member churches and "partners") and says about half of the "Anglican Church's" chaplains have come from "other Christian groups."  It is hard to know if they must become part of ACNA / CANA / REC or not.

So Bishop Jones is the referent of note for ACNA's Chaplaincy program. God bless him in his work.

But, just for a moment, let's understand there are not 100 military chaplains arising from the ranks of ACNA, at least as far as one can tell from all this.  There are 100 people in chaplaincy positions of all sorts, from at least three distinct sources, and with others coming in from outside and being endorsed by ACNA.

Just for the fun of it I looked up the Armed Forces military chaplaincy list of endorsing bodies. That list includes the following "Anglican" or "Episcopal" bodies:

Bishop Sanjay Thakore
ANGLICAN CHURCH, THE

The Rt. Rev. D. Presley Hutchens
ANGLICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE

The Rt. Reverend David L. Moyer
ANGLICAN CHURCH IN AMERICA, THE

Archbishop Michael B. Simmons
ANGLICAN CHURCH OF THE AMERICAS, THE

The Very Rev. David B. Fucci
ANGLICAN MISSION IN AMERICA CHAPLAINCY

The Most Reverend Douglas S. Woodall
CHARISMATIC EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA

The Rt. Reverend George E. Packard
EPISCOPAL CHURCH, THE

Rt. Reverend William W. Millsaps
EPISCOPAL MISSIONARY CHURCH, THE

Rt. Reverend Royal U. Grote, Jr.
REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Venerable Reverend George E. McClellan, Archdeacon
UNITED EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA, THE

The Right Reverend Derek S. Jones
CONVOCATION OF ANGLICANS IN NORTH AMERICA

I am sure the names have changed a bit since this was posted by the Armed Forces Chaplaincies folk. Our own Bishop Packard has retired and the Bishop is now James Magness. 

So... I want to be very clear in what I now wish to say:

(i) I believe Military, Hospital and other chaplaincies are of vital importance and I am very pleased that ACNA / CANA / REC have mounted an effort to provide chaplains. 

(ii) I believe The Episcopal Church is very clear in its effort to both recruit and endorse well qualified people for such ministries.

(iii) I have no knowledge of or particular interest in challenging any person endorsed by any of the many "Anglican" or "Episcopal" entities listed above.

(iv)  I know that military chaplains serve not for their denominations but for the whole of the force and are trained to provide pastoral and sacramental services as their own disciplines will allow.

Having said that, I have some real concerns that a number of the bodies listed above drawn in wandering clergy and find a place to put them that both expands their own clergy rolls and provides a living not dependent on their denomination's own resources.  

I rejoice that Anglican clergy - however they came by the title on the door - find their way into military and other chaplaincy.  I am less delighted if chaplaincy becomes a way to recruit clergy into small denominations in order to swell the "Anglican" ranks and make it appear that the true, red, white and blue, REAL Anglicans are to be found there and not in The Episcopal Church.  

And I resent the ACNA model of wanting to gather in the Army of Anglican Chaplains as their own, further making "Anglican" their title, as in "the Anglican Church..." (Without "in North America").  

For those who are interested in the fact of the matter:  The Episcopal Church is the province of the Anglican Communion in the United States of America and several other countries. It is then "the Anglican Church" hereabouts. The fact that none of the other "Anglican" or "Episcopal" bodies on that list are part of the Anglican Communion takes a bit of the shine off the "Anglican" title on their door, and frays the rug on the floor.