A story that has just popped on the Church of Nigeria website (though it’s dated March 7th) repeats a February 23rd newspaper story in which it was reported that the Archbishop Okoh said CANA was no longer a missionary diocese of Nigeria. That story was first picked up on Anglican/Episcopal blogs by The Lead.
Shortly after the story got into the Anglican news-stream alarm bells sounded. CANA issued a press release saying that Okoh denied the report, and that CANA was still a missionary diocese of Nigeria. CANA subsequently reiterated the statement on its website that members of CANA hold dual passports in ACNA and the C of N.
March 7th is a few days after the end of the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria. Martyn Minns of CANA attended that meeting reportedly as a member.
To state the obvious, we await a clarification from CANA on this latest development. Why has the Church of Nigeria published a report that contradicts CANA’s press release?
The easiest answer would be a clerical error.
Previous episodes of this saga:
Abp Okoh says CANA belongs to ACNA, not CoN – The Lead 2/23/11
Dual Citizenship in CANA & ACNA – CANA News Articles 2/24/11
Minns gets reassurance from Okoh – The Lead 2/25/11