Something just hit me about this topic.
During my first visit to the UK, I went to Westminster Cathedral (the central cathedral for the Roman Catholic Church in the UK.) I think it was there I read the lists of the main archbishops who presided over the “holy Catholic and Apostolic Church” in England, at least. It starts out with the same Archbishops of Canterbury that any Anglican would count. Then, at the time of Henry VIII, the list stops. After a break, it resumes and eventually picks up with the Archbishops of Westminster.
Meanwhile, any Anglican church would continue the succession of Archbishops of Canterbury up to the present occupant (Lord have mercy upon us!)
TEC can whine all it wants about those who want to leave, but the truth of the matter is that bailing out is in the DNA of Anglicanism. When it came time to separate, the Church of England had the advantage of state support (coercion is more accurate.) TEC is using the state to prevent schism, a state which itself is a product of a violent separation from “Mother England.”
Leaving aside the issue of parishes seceding, if dioceses like Pittsburgh and San Joaquin succeed in making the break (and I hope they do) there will be yet another two sets of lists of bishops for these dioceses.
And, unless the cops show up, TEC’s will doubtless be short.
Positive Infinity 