It says a great deal about the Anglican Church of Canada that it long ago enshrined the concept of editorial independence in the charter of the Anglican Journal (and its predecessor, the Canadian Churchman). Editorial independence means the Journal is not only free to hold up a mirror to the church and reflect it, warts and all, it is duty-bound to do so.
What an awesome responsibility.
This independence is not spelled out or defined in the newspaper’s founding documents; rather, each successive editor has interpreted and defended it differently. Regardless of whose name is on the masthead and who is in leadership, though, editorial independence means that readers should be able to trust that what they read in the Journal is an accurate account of the church’s happenings.
There will always be readers who disagree with some of the content of the Journal. If that content, though, is accurate and fair, it will shed light on an issue. And isn’t that what Scripture tells the church to do with our lighted lamp?
Leanne Larmondin is a former editor of the Anglican Journal.