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General Synod to vote on pro-same-sex union resolution
The Anglican Church of Canada's Council of General Synod (CoGS) has voted to bring the following resolution to General Synod in June:
“That this General Synod resolves that the blessing of same-sex unions is consistent with the core doctrine of the Anglican Church of Canada.”
General Synod will also grapple with a second CoGS resolution advocating a revision of Canon 21 (On Marriage) to allow marriage of all legally qualified persons. Both resolutions will require 60% support in order to pass. ... more
CoGS is elected during General Synod and meets twice a year to plan and to coordinate the work of General Synod between the triennial meetings.
Our prayer is that General Synod will choose instead to follow the path laid out by the Primates of the Anglican Communion - in the Windsor Report and the Dromantine and Dar Es Salaam Communiqués. In a March 12th National Post article, Bishop Donald Harvey, Network moderator, expressed his concern about the possibility of the ACC choosing to walk away from the global Anglican Communion, saying, "The primates have made it quite clear that they're not going to tolerate this.” ... more
See also this blog - not associated with the Network - which occasionally comments on Anglican news.
The ACC's response to the Windsor Report for General Synod
You can see the ACC's response to the Windsor Report prepared for General Synod at www.anglican.ca. Essentially the report reiterates the ACC's desire to remain in the Communion, but on its own terms. In our view, this report lacks the clarity called for by the Primates in their Dar es Salaam Communiqué.
“Bishop Ingham demands 'better theology' of sex”
A March 8th Globe & Mail article with the above title reports that the Right Rev. Michael Ingham, bishop of New Westminster (Greater Vancouver) told a conference in Ottawa that the Church's understanding of sex has been wrong for centuries. Valpy also reports Bishop Ingham as saying the Church's objections to abortion and homosexuality - among other things - is morally groundless.
Bishop Ingham authorized the blessing of same-sex unions in his diocese in 2002, which precipitated the current crisis and led to the Canadian church (together with the Episcopal Church in the US) being asked to withdraw from participation in the Anglican Consultative Council until 2008. This Council is one of the three “instruments of communion” in the worldwide Anglican Communion. During that period, the ACC and US church were asked to “respond through their relevant constitutional bodies to the questions specifically addressed to them in the Windsor Report” and indicate “whether they were willing to be committed to the inter-dependent life of the Anglican Communion” as defined by the terms of the Windsor Report. (See the Primates February 2005 Communiqué from Dromantine)
See +Ingham's address at: www.anglican.ca; See a Michael Cohen column at: www.torontosun.com
Network website launch
If you haven't had a chance to check out the Network's new website, please do so today! See www.anglicannetwork.ca.
Archbishop of Canterbury issues pastoral letter to the Primates
In a recent letter to the Primates, the Archbishop of Canterbury confirmed the Windsor Report and the proposed Covenant as the way forward for healing in the Communion and Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) as the standard of teaching in the Anglican Communion on matters of sexual morality. He also called for a clear and speedy response from the Episcopal Church (TEC). Finally, he urged TEC to provide adequate pastoral care for dissenting orthodox congregations. And to that end, began the process of appointing a Pastoral Council (as proposed by the Primates in their Dar es Salaam Communique) to monitor activities within the TEC and advance the work of healing and reconciliation.
Source: www.archbishopofcanterbury.org
Episcopal Church delays decision, appoints task force
The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church (TEC) has postponed formal response to both the Primates' Communiqué (of February 19, 2007) and to the proposed Anglican Covenant. Instead, the TEC Council authorized a work group “to consider the role, responsibilities and potential response of the Executive Council to the issues raised by the primates' communiqué”. A task force will also work on the proposed Anglican Covenant.
US House of Bishops rebuffs Primates and Archbishop of Canterbury
From their meeting, Bishops of the Episcopal Church (TEC) issued a series of resolutions on March 20, 2007 which effectively rejects the pastoral solution for dissenting biblically-faithful TEC congregations proposed in the Primates Communiqué from Tanzania in February.
The House of Bishops' resolutions included the following:
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Resolved, the House of Bishops affirms its desire that The Episcopal Church remain a part of the councils of the Anglican Communion; and |
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Resolved, the House of Bishops believes the proposed Pastoral Scheme of the Dar es Salaam Communiqué of February 19, 2007 would be injurious to The Episcopal Church and urges that the Executive Council decline to participate in it; and |
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Resolved, the House of Bishops pledges itself to continue to work to find ways of meeting the pastoral concerns of the Primates that are compatible with our own polity and canons. |
US conservative bishop's election invalidated by Jefferts Schori
The election of the Very Rev. Mark Lawrence, bishop-elect for the Diocese of South Carolina, has been declared null and void by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, on the basis of “canonical deficiencies”. Although his election was consented to by more than the required majority of dioceses, some of these consents were provided electronically - and were not accepted. Lawrence had been elected bishop on the first ballot. According to Associated Press, it has been seven decades since the election of a US bishop was overturned. Jefferts Schori's announcement came as the almost 296 Episcopal bishops gathered for retreat in Texas.
The Diocese of South Carolina had earlier requested alternative primatial oversight (by someone other than the Presiding Bishop). It is part of the Anglican Communion Network which espouses an orthodox, biblically-faithful theology. Lawrence's orthodox stand is well known.
Sources: www.dioceseofsc.org; www.episcopalchurch.org;
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