Convocation of Anglicans in North America

Convocation of Anglicans in North America
Name	Convocation of Anglicans in North America
Abbreviation	CANA
Formation	2005
Headquarters	Naples, Florida
Leader title	Presiding Bishop
Leader name	Andy Lines
Parent organization	Church of Nigeria
Region served	United States, Canada

Convocation of Anglicans in North America is an Anglican jurisdiction formed in the mid-2000s as part of a transatlantic realignment within global Anglicanism. It was established by the Church of Nigeria to provide oversight for congregations in United States, Canada, and other parts of North America that sought alternative episcopal authority during disputes within the Anglican Communion. CANA has engaged with bodies such as Anglican Church in North America, Common Cause Partnership, and Global Anglican Future Conference participants while maintaining canonical ties to the Church of Nigeria.

History

CANA originated in 2005 when the Church of Nigeria responded to conflicts involving the Episcopal Church (United States), Anglican Church of Canada, and controversies arising from decisions at the Lambeth Conference and judicial rulings within the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Early leaders included Peter Akinola and Bishop Martyn Minns, who facilitated oversight for conservative parishes leaving the Diocese of Virginia, Diocese of Pittsburgh (Episcopal Church), and other American dioceses. The 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and subsequent primates' meetings influenced CANA’s development, leading to closer coordination with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) during ACNA’s formation in 2009. Tensions arose between CANA, the Church of Nigeria, and ACNA over jurisdictional boundaries, involving figures such as Nicholas Okoh and Eric Menees, and debates at meetings of the Primates' Meeting and the National Church Institutions of various provinces. Later years saw reorganization, episcopal elections, and the appointment of bishops aligned with GAFCON networks and partners like Anglican Mission in the Americas.

Structure and Governance

CANA operates under the canonical authority of the Church of Nigeria while functioning on the ground in United States and Canada. Its governance model includes a Presiding Bishop, a council of bishops, and diocesan structures mirroring those of other Anglican provinces, with parishes organized into dioceses such as CANA East and CANA West in earlier configurations. Ecclesiastical administration involves synods, standing committees, and episcopal oversight consistent with the Book of Common Prayer (1662) tradition adapted alongside contemporary liturgical resources. Leadership selection has featured nominations and elections involving Nigerian provincial bodies, with oversight interactions involving the House of Bishops (Church of Nigeria) and consultations with ACNA bodies like the College of Bishops (Anglican Church in North America).

Doctrine and Worship

Doctrinally, CANA adheres to historic Anglican formularies, affirming the Thirty-Nine Articles, the Book of Common Prayer (1979) in North American use, and creedal statements such as the Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed. CANA's theological orientation is conservative and evangelical-leaning, emphasizing scriptural authority reflected in readings from the King James Version and contemporary translations used by parishes. Worship practices range from low-church evangelical services to more liturgical expressions influenced by the Anglican Use and Anglo-Catholic traditions present within North American Anglicanism. Pastoral positions on issues such as human sexuality, ordination standards, and marriage have mirrored those of GAFCON provinces, resulting in distinctive stances compared with Episcopal Church (United States) policies and decisions of the Anglican Church of Canada.

Relationship with the Anglican Communion and Other Anglican Bodies

CANA maintains its formal linkage to the Church of Nigeria, a province recognized among conservative primates at gatherings like the Global South meetings. Its relationships with the Anglican Communion have been complex: while not a separate province within the communion, CANA has functioned as a cross-border mission creating tension with canonical norms upheld by bodies such as the Anglican Consultative Council and the Lambeth Conference. CANA has cooperated with ACNA on ecclesiastical initiatives, ecumenical dialogues with Orthodox Church in America affiliates, and mission partnerships with Anglican Mission in the Americas and Reformed Episcopal Church elements. Disputes over jurisdiction prompted interventions and negotiations involving leaders such as Katharine Jefferts Schori and Justin Welby in broader communion discussions.

Membership and Demographics

Membership in CANA comprises clergy and laity drawn from former Episcopal Church (United States) and Anglican Church of Canada congregations as well as newly planted churches. Congregational size varies from small church plants to large parish communities formerly part of dioceses like Diocese of San Joaquin and Diocese of Fort Worth (Anglican Diocese of the Southern Cone) predecessors. Demographically, CANA attracted clergy influenced by evangelical networks, Nigerian diaspora communities, and congregations aligned with Anglican realignment movements. Geographic distribution includes urban centers in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and regional hubs where Nigerian Anglican migrant populations are significant.

Activities and Ministries

CANA engages in church planting, theological education, pastoral care, and mission work, often partnering with seminaries and training centers such as Moore Theological College-linked programs and Reformed Theological Seminary initiatives. It supports international relief and development projects through partnerships with organizations like Anglican Relief and Development Fund counterparts, and runs local ministries including youth programs, hospital chaplaincies, and campus outreach in collaboration with groups akin to Fellowship of Christian Athletes-style ministries. CANA hosts synods, conferences, and clergy retreats that convene leaders connected to GAFCON and the Global South network, promoting conservative theological education and evangelism strategies.

Category:Anglican realignment Category:Anglican Church in North America