Todd Atkinson
Todd Atkinson | |
|---|---|
| Bishop | |
| Church | Anglican Church in North America |
| In office | 2012–present |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | May 2012 by Ronald Kuykendall |
Todd Atkinson is a Canadian Anglican bishop. He is a bishop at the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and was the first bishop of Via Apostolica. He was consecrated a bishop on the Eve of the Ascension 2012. Atkinson was later admitted into ACNA's College of Bishops on January 10, 2019[1][2] then the next year, on June 24, 2020, Via Apostolica was accepted as a missionary district in ACNA.[2]
Education and career
Atkinson grew up in the Canadian Prairies and became a Christian in his teen years. At the age of 18 Atkinson moved to the United Kingdom to train with an evangelist. At the age of 25 Atkinson began attending the University of Oxford studying theology and philosophy. After his studies he returned to Canada and served as president of Eston College.[3] After less than two years he returned to the United Kingdom with his wife to serve as missionaries in Scotland. Atkinson returned in 2003 and began pastoral ministry in Lethbridge, Alberta. This church would eventually be the origins of Via Apostolica, which would formally begin with his consecration as a bishop in 2012.[4]
The ACNA official website reported on 5 September 2021 that bishop Todd Atkinson, amidst allegations of misconduct, was taking a leave of absence.[5] On 16 October 2021, it was announced that during this time, ACNA had appointed as Interim Bishop of Via Apostolica, Quigg Lawrence.[6] On 6 November 2021, ACNA reported that the provincial investigation had begun.[7]
In July 2022, an ACNA board of inquiry unanimously determined that "probable cause and reasonable grounds" to present Atkinson for trial for four violations of Canon IV.2.4, which prohibits bishops from "conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power."[8] Atkinson was inhibited pending trial on June 8[9] and on September 13, 2022, Atkinson pleaded not guilty to all charges.[10] Amidst this scandal, on October 6, 2022, Via Apostolica's Bishop's Council announced that all parishes formerly under Atkinson's leadership had "begun official steps of discernment for a new ecclesial home and episcopal oversight" within the ACNA.[11] By fall of 2023, the remaining Missionary District congregations in Calgary, Caronport, Langley, and Lethbridge had applied and joined ANiC.[12]
On April 3, 2024, the ACNA's Trial Court found Atkinson guilty of all four charges.[13]
References
- ^ "Bishop Todd Atkinson Welcomed into the ACNA". Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC). 11 January 2019.
- ^ a b Apostolica, V. I. A. "Via Apostolica Accepted as Missionary District in ACNA". VIA Apostolica.
- ^ "Eston College", Wikipedia, 2022-11-22, retrieved 2023-04-22
- ^ Communications, AMIA. "Meet Bishop Todd Atkinson: Speaker at the Clergy Retreat". The Anglican Mission.
- ^ Bishop Todd Atkinson Takes Leave of Absence, Via Apostolica Official Website
- ^ The ACNA Appoints Interim Bishop, Via Apostolica Official Website
- ^ Provincial Investigation Concerning Bishop Todd Atkinson Begins, Via Apostolica Official Website
- ^ Thebeau, Rachel (2022-07-07). "Statement from the Board of Inquiry in the Matter of Bishop Todd Atkinson". The Anglican Church in North America. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ Gross, Fr Andrew (2022-06-08). "Bishop Atkinson Inhibited". The Anglican Church in North America. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Bishop Atkinson pleads not guilty to misconduct charges | Anglican Ink © 2023". anglican.ink. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Update About The Future of Via Apostolica | VIA Apostolica". 2022-10-17. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ "Find an ANiC Church". Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC). Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Gross, Fr Andrew (2024-04-03). "Ecclesiastical Court Decides Atkinson Case". The Anglican Church in North America. Retrieved 2024-04-04.