The recent consecrations by the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) [TLC, July 15] have provoked recrimination and consternation within and without the Episcopal Church. The Presiding Bishop has decried these consecrations as "schismatic," as he did the original Singapore consecrations. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. George Carey, has stated these consecrations are "irregular at best and schismatic at worse."

Of all the many opinions and pronouncements offered over the past year and a half, I have found those offered by the Bishop of Texas to be the most illuminating and helpful. To paraphrase Bishop Claude Payne, these consecrations represent a 25-year trend of a lack of due process, which deepen the divisions among us. What is apparent, though some are unwilling to acknowledge it, is that evangelical clergy are now engaging in practices pioneered by their liberal sisters and brothers.

I believe most Anglicans do not want to see further rupture of our Communion. I also believe many of our leaders (both liberal and conservative, American and international) are looking for ways beyond our current impasse. In the spirit of Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold, who has taught us that conversation precedes conversion, I offer the present proposal in hopes of inviting and accelerating a conversation that reconciles AMiA (and its representative provinces) to the Episcopal Church.

This proposal does not address all the issues and controversies before us. Nor does it claim to be superior to any other proposal. Rather, as an act of hopeful imagination arising from reflecting on the history of Christian mission, it is offered as a means by which we can begin to think and act in new ways about these recent developments. I will number each proposal and give a brief rationale for each.

1. Create a new Anglican missionary order: The Roman Catholic Church has often created missionary societies to complement the more conventional parochial structures of the day. These missionary orders have usually appealed to certain people and needs that existing structures failed to engage. One thinks of the Roman orders of Franciscans and Jesuits, neither of which has been free of controversy and scandal within the wider church, but both of which have effectively furthered the unity and mission of the Roman Church. The various missionary orders within the Church of England, such as the SPG, CMS and SAMS, served similar functions to the one envisioned for AMiA. Of course, such an arrangement would invariably raise issues of accountability and order, which leads to my second proposal.

2. Be accountable to the Archbishop of Canterbury (and/or primates): Such a new missionary society would require both internal ordering and external accountability. The superior (or bishops) of AMiA must be accountable to the wider church, if there is to be such a thing as an Anglican "Communion." As a missionary order, it must be calibrated and coordinated for optimum effectiveness within a wider network of parochial structures. Once we acknowledge this, we begin to ask questions such as, "Who would be the governing personnel to oversee the work of this new order? And who would make strategic decisions concerning its internal work and external relationships?" If the mission is to serve and be accountable to the Anglican Communion, why not include the primates in this conversation?

3. Harness AMiA for the missionary objectives of the Episcopal Church: Perhaps we can get beyond the current impasse if we think "outside the box." For example, why not use AMiA as a missionary church-planting order? If it were so ordered and accountable to a neutral body (such as Canterbury) it would function as a parallel entity within and alongside the Episcopal Church, much as the Jesuits do in the Roman Church. Not to put too fine a point on it, if we are serious about doubling our membership in the next 20 years, the way to go about it is not by creating another Methodist Church. Instead of spawning another missionary movement on North American soil, the Episcopal Church should either become one or (at least) facilitate new missionary orders.

Finally, I appeal to our Presiding Bishop and the missionary bishops of AMiA. Bishop Griswold has taught and modeled for the church the power of graceful conversation. Because unity and mission are central to his primacy, he could continue to model his characteristic grace by meeting with Bishops Chuck Murphy and John Rodgers upon this (or some better) proposal. And because the integrity and effectiveness of the church's mission is central to the ministries of Bishops Rodgers and Murphy, as they have claimed and demonstrated, then they should continue to demonstrate that commitment by submitting to the common mind of the primates. Many who love the Lord, his mission and this church, pray, for grace for us all to find a way forward in unity and mission.

The Rev. Tory Baucum is a priest of the Diocese of West Missouri doing graduate studies at Asbury Seminary, Wilmore, Ky.