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Response of the Anglican Network in Canada to the Primates Communiqué from Dar Es Salaam (February 19, 2007)
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February 28, 2007
To Our Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grateful for the work of the Primates
The Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) wishes to express its deep gratitude to the Primates of the Anglican Communion, and particularly to the Primates of the Global South. Their godly effort in Dar Es Salaam before and during this historic Primates' Meeting has produced a Communiqué that is a clear answer to prayer. We thank God for this labour of love at a time of unprecedented spiritual pressure, and for our fellowship in the gospel (Philippians 1:3-5).
The Dar Es Salaam Communiqué (“the Dar Communiqué”) is a gracious document that shows the love the Primates have for the Anglican Communion and the hope they still have for a full restoration of relationships with the Provinces that have “torn the fabric of our communion at its deepest level”, specifically the Episcopal Church of the US (TEC) and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC).
Response of TEC inadequate
In 2005, the Primates gave TEC and the ACC until 2008 to work through their “constitutional processes” and “respond through their relevant constitutional bodies to the questions specifically addressed to them in the Windsor Report as they consider their place within the Anglican Communion” (§14, Dromantine Communiqué). It was clear to the Primates in Dar Es Salaam, that the General Convention of TEC in 2006 did not respond adequately to the Dromantine requests and that it was the “lack of clarity” and the “ambiguous stance of TEC” which caused them “concern” (§21 Dar Communiqué). Still, they have graciously given TEC one last chance to provide clarity. The Primates have set a deadline of September 30, 2007, for the House of Bishops to specifically:
1. “Make an unequivocal common covenant that the bishops will not authorise any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions in their dioceses or through General Convention (cf TWR, §143, 144); and
2. Confirm that the passing of Resolution B033 of the 75th General Convention means that a candidate for episcopal orders living in a same-sex union shall not receive the necessary consent (cf TWR, §134); unless some new consensus on these matters emerges across the Communion (cf TWR, §134).”
Application to the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC)
While the focus of the Dar Communiqué was on the 2006 response of TEC at their General Convention, it is clear from the issues addressed (particularly the blessing of same sex unions) that the same expectation for clarity applies to the ACC and our General Synod in June 2007.
We agree with Archbishop Hutchison when he said that the ACC “must look 'seriously' at (the) primates' request” and that should the ACC “follow the same path, which would be a radical move in the same direction as the United States, then we might look forward to a similar kind of response” (Anglican Journal, February 20, 2007). It is clear that he understood the gravity of the Communiqué he signed and we are grateful for his willingness to publicly share these concerns with the members of the ACC.
Recognition of “No Moral Equivalence” and a Need for Interventions
We are also particularly grateful that the Dar Communiqué clearly confirmed that “the Windsor Report did not see a “moral equivalence” between” the “developments in the life and ministry of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada which challenged the standard of teaching on human sexuality articulated in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10” and “interventions in the life of those Provinces which arose as reactions to the urgent pastoral needs that certain Primates perceived”(§10 Dar Communiqué). While those Primates who have intervened in other jurisdictions expressed a willingness to withdraw from such interventions, the Primates acknowledge three times in the Dar Communiqué, the need to continue these interventions until such time as “sufficient provision has been made for the life of those persons” who have required the interventions where they “find themselves at odds with the normal jurisdiction” (§26, 32 and 34). This is very encouraging for members of the Anglican Network in Canada and will have significant impact in the ACC should the General Synod fail to comply with the Dromantine and Dar Communiqué requests.
ANiC Representatives Welcomed by the Global South Primates
The Anglican Network in Canada sent four representatives to Dar Es Salaam during the meeting of the Global South Primates in advance of the Primates meeting. Our representatives, Rev. David Short, Rev. Stephen Leung, Rev. Charlie Masters, and Mrs. Cheryl Chang were warmly welcomed and greatly encouraged by the Global South Primates' gracious listening and loving commitment to stand with us and support us in our struggle to maintain our orthodox Anglican heritage and uphold Communion teaching in Canada. The group provided information to the Global South Primates about the situation in Canada and answered questions. They feel that the Dar Communiqué reflects the discussion and support they received from the global south leaders. Clearly, all the Primates now have a better understanding of the difficult situation many biblically faithful Canadian Anglicans (together with those from the U.S. and other Provinces in the Communion) find themselves in and they appreciate the need to maintain a scheme of adequate Episcopal oversight and pastoral care while the Communion attempts to repair the “tear in the fabric of our Communion”.
ANiC Welcomes the Covenant Process
The ANiC is also very grateful for the work being done by the Communion on the Covenant and we are committed to working with the Primates and the Archbishop of Canterbury on the Covenant process. In the meantime, we pray that the ACC will also choose to participate in this process and not “walk apart” from the global Communion.
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