Church of England Diocese Votes "No" on Covenant

Ecclesia, a liberal church organization in the UK, reports that the first diocese in the Church of England to take an advisory vote on the Anglican Covenant has rejected it. The organization Anglicans United reprinted the Ecclesia news report on the Diocese of Wakefield's decision.  The Anglicans United editor, Cheryl M. Wetzel, noted that the Church of England Synod next fall will take a 'preliminary' vote on whether to endorse the covenant.  Here is the report:

March 16, 2011

Groups working for an open Church of England have welcomed the first vote by an English diocese on the Anglican Covenant – which rejects the plan.

Both clergy and laity (the latter overwhelmingly) rejected the Covenant at the Wakefield Diocesan Synod meeting on Saturday 12 March 2011.

Modern Church, Inclusive Church and the No Anglican Covenant Coalition (Anglicans for Comprehensive Unity) have issued a statement welcoming the outcome.

“While recognising the need to avoid the bitter controversies of recent years, we are glad that this Synod does not believe the Covenant is the way to do it,” they say.

“We believe we should retain the traditional Anglican openness in which provinces govern themselves and disagreements are resolved by openly debating the issues free from threats of sanctions or schism,” the groups continue in a joint press release.

“The proposed Anglican Covenant offers instead a process for suppressing disagreements by establishing a central authority, with power to pass judgements and penalise dissident provinces by excluding them from international structures.

“We trust that other Church of England Dioceses will have the courage to follow Wakefield’s example.”

Whatever the CoE Synod decides -- to approve, disapprove or postpone -- the decision will be crucial to the nature of the Anglican Communion.  Endorsement of the covenant by the Mother Church would seem essential if it is to have any authority.  The Archbishop of Canterbury has put his considerable weight in support of it.  And, as another Albany Via Media member observed, the term "Anglican Communion" would be rather silly if England were not part of it.

But with much of the Global South already rejecting the plan, approval by the Church of England could conceivably encourage the Third World churches to formalize their own alternative communion, which would outnumber the adherents to a Canterbury-based Anglican Communion.  These are the global churches that the covenant was arguably meant to appease.

Or, if the Church of England rejects the proposed covenant, it would represent not only a failure of the ABC's leadership, but deminish the position of the See of Canterbury as the spiritual nexus of communion.

The effect of either decision on the Diocese of Albany is problematical.  With either the Church of England "in" and TEC "out", or with both Provinces rejecting the covenant, there will be increased pressure within our diocese to secede from TEC.  Under New York State law such a move would not be allowed, but either scenario would make it difficult for our bishop to maintain his resolve to keep our diocese under the Episcopal tent.

Comments

[Allison de Kanel]

Science fiction fans often say that "the golden age of science fiction is 12" (or 13 or 14). The "golden age" of science fiction is not a particular span of dates, or the years a particular author was most productive, but the age at which each fan first read science fiction and fell in love with it.

So it is with ecclesiology. For me, the Anglican Communion will always be what I learned in Confirmation Class, back in (ahem) 1965. Pull out your 1928 prayerbook or your copy of "The Ways and Teaching of the Church" and you will be reminded that The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America is part of the Anglican Communion by virtue of being in commuinion with the See of Canterbury and the Church of England.

Regardless of who signs on to the Covenant or who does not, I have no doubt that The Episcopal Church will remain in communion with the See of Canterbury and the Church of England. So I expect that we in Albany will continue to remain members of the Anglican Communion as well as being members of The Episcopal Church and of our own diocese.

Of course I know that I have brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. Would they all allow me to walk into their church and receive communion? No. Does that diminish our connection? Yes, but only on this side of the grave. I trust that, under God's mercy, we will all sit down together at the wedding banquet of the Lamb. I would like to be allowed to be a servant at that banquet, but I doubt I deserve it - perhaps the Host will allow all the guests to share that honor.

[Robert T Dodd]

Lichfield voted "yea," and Herefordshire passed the ball to its deaneries for further discussion. It's still early times for the CoE!

Bob Dodd