Company of the Cross
Encyclopedia
The Company of the Cross was a lay religious order
which was affiliated with the Anglican Church of Canada
when founded. It operated under the authority of the Anglican bishops in Winnipeg (diocese of Rupert's Land
), the diocese of Edmonton
and the diocese of Toronto
It was founded in 1962 by Frank Weins and Ted Byfield
who later also published magazines, and was originally named the Dynevor Society . The name Company of the Cross came from Byfield's reading of some of C.S. Lewis' works. It ran three boys' boarding schools: Saint John's School of Alberta
near Stony Plain, Alberta
(closed in 2008), Saint John's School of Ontario
(closed in 1989) and Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School
(closed in 1990). It also operated St. John's Edmonton Report until it was renamed the Alberta Report
(defunct). Originally, the staff of the schools and the magazine were paid $1.00 per day, plus living expenses.
The religious and social viewpoints of the Company of the Cross were conservative. Its principles and ideas have been controversial, e.g., advocating physical discipline of the school boys with wooden paddles for minor infractions and for not meeting standards on assignments and exams.
, a belief that young boys should be pushed to their psychological breaking points, writing articles that attracted the attention of Alberta Human Rights , lawsuits
regarding abuse of students at its schools, and improper preparation for arduous wilderness excursions. One child died at Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School
while on a lengthy snowshoe march and 12 boys and one teacher from its Saint John's School of Ontario
died while canoeing on Lake Temiskaming in 1978. Its formal operation appears to have run its course, having ended its magazine publishing operations and closed the three schools. Its affiliation with the Anglican Church of Canada
may have been reduced over time, with the last school describing itself as "nondenominational" before it closed in 2008. The Company of the Cross was unincorporated in Manitoba on 17 Nov 1990. but individual members in Alberta still meet and renew their vows .
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
which was affiliated with the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
when founded. It operated under the authority of the Anglican bishops in Winnipeg (diocese of Rupert's Land
Anglican Diocese of Rupert's Land
The Diocese of Rupert's Land is a diocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land of the Anglican Church of Canada. It is named for the historical British North American territory of Rupert's Land, which was contained within the original diocesan boundaries.The diocese comprises 72,500...
), the diocese of Edmonton
Anglican Diocese of Edmonton
The Diocese of Edmonton is a diocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land of the Anglican Church of Canada. The diocese comprises almost 78,000 square kilometres of the civil Province of Alberta, consisting of a band across the central part of the province, extending to the borders of...
and the diocese of Toronto
Anglican Diocese of Toronto
The Diocese of Toronto is an administrative division of the Anglican Church of Canada covering the central part of southern Ontario. It has the most members of any Anglican diocese in Canada. It is also one of the biggest Anglican dioceses in the Americas in terms of numbers of parishioners, clergy...
It was founded in 1962 by Frank Weins and Ted Byfield
Ted Byfield
Edward Bartlett "Ted" Byfield is a conservative Canadian journalist, publisher and editor. He founded the Alberta Report and Western Report newsmagazines.Born in Toronto, Byfield moved with his parents to Washington, D.C. at the age of 17...
who later also published magazines, and was originally named the Dynevor Society . The name Company of the Cross came from Byfield's reading of some of C.S. Lewis' works. It ran three boys' boarding schools: Saint John's School of Alberta
Saint John's School of Alberta
Saint John's School of Alberta was a small private boys' boarding school in Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada which operated from 1967 to 2008, the last of three such schools founded on conservative Anglican ideas and the notion that children were not challenged by present-day society. It closed in...
near Stony Plain, Alberta
Stony Plain, Alberta
Stony Plain is a large town in rural Alberta, Canada, just west of Edmonton.Stony Plain is a rapidly growing town with strong historical roots. It is located west of Spruce Grove and surrounded by Parkland County. The town is governed by one mayor and six councillors. The region is dominated by...
(closed in 2008), Saint John's School of Ontario
Saint John's School of Ontario
Saint John's School of Ontario was the third of three private Anglican boys' boarding schools in Toronto founded on conservative Anglican ideas and the notion that children were not challenged by present-day society. The two other defunct schools are Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School , and Saint...
(closed in 1989) and Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School
Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School
Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School was founded in Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada in the early 1960s by Ted Byfield and Frank Wiens, who believed that boys were not challenged by the education system or by society in general. The two started an Anglican lay order called the Company of the Cross,...
(closed in 1990). It also operated St. John's Edmonton Report until it was renamed the Alberta Report
Alberta Report
Alberta Report was a right-wing weekly newsmagazine based in Edmonton. It was founded and edited by Ted Byfield, now the editor and president of the Society to Explore and Record Christian History , and later run by his son, Link Byfield, and ceased publication in 2003.The magazine began as St....
(defunct). Originally, the staff of the schools and the magazine were paid $1.00 per day, plus living expenses.
The religious and social viewpoints of the Company of the Cross were conservative. Its principles and ideas have been controversial, e.g., advocating physical discipline of the school boys with wooden paddles for minor infractions and for not meeting standards on assignments and exams.
, a belief that young boys should be pushed to their psychological breaking points, writing articles that attracted the attention of Alberta Human Rights , lawsuits
Saint John's School of Alberta
Saint John's School of Alberta was a small private boys' boarding school in Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada which operated from 1967 to 2008, the last of three such schools founded on conservative Anglican ideas and the notion that children were not challenged by present-day society. It closed in...
regarding abuse of students at its schools, and improper preparation for arduous wilderness excursions. One child died at Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School
Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School
Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School was founded in Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada in the early 1960s by Ted Byfield and Frank Wiens, who believed that boys were not challenged by the education system or by society in general. The two started an Anglican lay order called the Company of the Cross,...
while on a lengthy snowshoe march and 12 boys and one teacher from its Saint John's School of Ontario
Saint John's School of Ontario
Saint John's School of Ontario was the third of three private Anglican boys' boarding schools in Toronto founded on conservative Anglican ideas and the notion that children were not challenged by present-day society. The two other defunct schools are Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School , and Saint...
died while canoeing on Lake Temiskaming in 1978. Its formal operation appears to have run its course, having ended its magazine publishing operations and closed the three schools. Its affiliation with the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
may have been reduced over time, with the last school describing itself as "nondenominational" before it closed in 2008. The Company of the Cross was unincorporated in Manitoba on 17 Nov 1990. but individual members in Alberta still meet and renew their vows .