Break-Away Group Leaves Church of South India
Diocesan Press Service. June 6, 1966 [44-11]
A small group of Church of South India members, all in the Madhya Kerala Diocese, recently broke away and formed what they call the "Independent Anglican Church."
Friction that had existed for many years prior to the beginning of the Church of South India is cited as the cause. The difficulty is between the so-called "backward class" Christians and Christians of Syrian origin who occupy positions of influence and authority.
Representatives of the International Council of Christian Churches, a body opposed to the World Council of Churches, assisted the breakaway group. During May, Bishop James Dees of North Carolina, head of the so-called "Anglican Orthodox Church of North America," a group not recognized by either Anglicans or Orthodox, went to India to consecrate a bishop and ordain deacons.
In commenting on the situation, the Rt. Rev. Stephen Bayne, director of the Overseas Department, said a special commission of the Church of South India tried unsuccessfully to heal the schism before it actually became final. But since the underlying tension continues (basically sociological rather than theological) it is important to keep this unhappy and divided household in our prayers. In their report, the commission made numerous suggestions as to possible new ways of dealing with the problem, concluding "The matter is now in the hands of the diocese to decide how far and in what spirit they will try to implement the recommendations, and here they undoubtedly need our most sympathetic prayers in dealing with this long-standing problem."