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Anglican Communion official website
Section A
The report begins by describing the nature of the relationship into which all Christians believe that they are called by God called “communion” (§1-11), and the way in which this relates to the Mission of the Church. It describes how the life of communion works when it is operating well, with a specific example relating to the ordination of women (§12-21), before turning to a description of the current difficulties which the Anglican Communion is experiencing (§22-30). This is followed by a description of the underlying tensions which give rise to the current difficulties (§31-42).
Section B
This section examines the principles which underlie the way in which the Anglican Communion lives its life. It looks more deeply at the importance of communion as a principle of church life (§43-51), before looking at specific elements of church life and ministry as understood in Anglicanism: Scripture (§53-62), the ministry of bishops (§63-66), and the way in which Anglican/Episcopal churches discern God’s will together, and in their own context (§67-96).
Section C
The discussion in the first two sections is important, because it is the basis from which the Commission moves to its recommendations on the future life of the Communion. After a segment which gives the history of the central councils or Instruments of Unity of the Anglican Communion (§97-104), the report offers its recommendations on the future working of the Instruments (§105-112), and especially the ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury (§108-110), to be supported by a Council of Advice (§111-112). It goes on to consider the legal and constitutional bonds which underpin the communion and recommends the creation and adoption of an Anglican Covenant (§113-120).
Section D
The report then turns to the matters which have disturbed the life of the Communion. It identifies the central issues (§121-123), and offers its recommendations on elections to the episcopate (§124-135), on public Rites of Blessing of same sex unions (§136-146), and on the care of dissenting minorities (§147-155). In its conclusions, the Commission sets its work within the wider mission of the Church (§156-157).
Appendices
A vital part of the report are its appendices. Appendix One sets out reflections on the operation of the conciliar Instruments of Unity and the Anglican Communion Office. Appendix Two sets out a possible draft of an Anglican Covenant to illustrate what such a document might look like. Appendix Three sets out the documentation behind many of the recent debates and decisions of the Communion, and a select bibliography is offered in Appendix Four.
At the end of the publication, readers will find a selected thematic index, by which the paragraphs relating to a range of topics may be identified.
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