Archbishop sees covenant not contract as Anglican way forward
-27/06/06
The Archbishop
Archbishop sees covenant not contract as Anglican way forward
-27/06/06
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has set out his thinking on the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of the deliberations in the United States on the Windsor Report and the Anglican Communion at the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA).
He argues that covenantal relationships, patience, balance and a correspondingly different polity are needed to negotiate a way through the crisis. This is already being characterized as ësemi-schismí among commentators who are impatient of nuance ñ and who believe that the churchís warring factions are spoiling for victory not reconciliation.
Dr Williamsí detailed document, ëThe Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today: A Reflection for the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communioní, has been sent to Primates with a covering letter, published more widely and made available as audio on the internet (6.4 megabytes, MP3 format).
In it, he says that the strength of the Anglican tradition has been in maintaining a balance between the foundational texts of the Bible, a catholic loyalty to the sacraments and a habit of cultural sensitivity and intellectual flexibility.
ìThere is no way in which the Anglican Communion can remain unchanged by what is happening at the moment,î the Archbishop writes to the Anglican Communion’s 38 key leaders.
ìNeither the liberal nor the conservative can simply appeal to a historic identity that doesn’t correspond with where we now are,î he adds.
Speaking of scripture, tradition and reason, he says in his reflection: ìTo accept that each of these has a place in the churchís life and that they need each other means that the enthusiasts for each aspect have to be prepared to live with certain tensions or even sacrifices. The only reason for being an Anglican is that this balance seems to you to be healthy for the Church Catholicî
Dr Williams acknowledges that the debate following the consecration of a gay bishop in a committed relationship, the Rt Rev Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, consecrated in 2003, has posed challenges for the unity of the church.
The spiritual head of the worldís 77 million Anglicans stresses that the dividing issue for the church now is not about the human rights of homosexual people (which he has argued need to be affirmed), but about how the church makes decisions in a responsible and collegial way.
ìIt is imperative to give the strongest support to the defence of homosexual people against violence, bigotry and legal disadvantage, to appreciate the role played in the life of the church by people of homosexual orientation,î declares Dr Williams ñ who has nevertheless been criticized for failing to denounce a new law in Nigeria which criminalizes lesbian and gay people, and has received the backing of church leaders.
The debate in the Anglican Communion had for many, the Archbishop says, become much harder after the consecration in 2003, which could be seen to have pre-empted the outcome. The structures of the Communion had struggled to cope with the resulting effects:
ì[W]hatever the presenting issue, no member Church can make significant decisions unilaterally and still expect this to make no difference to how it is regarded in the fellowship; this would be uncomfortably like saying that every member could redefine the terms of belonging as and when it suited them. Some actions – and sacramental actions in particular – just do have the effect of putting a Church outside or even across the central stream of the life they have shared with other Churches.î
Dr Williams says that the divisions run through as well as between the different Provinces of the Anglican Communion and this would make a solution difficult. He favours the exploration of a formal Covenant agreement between the Provinces of the Anglican Communion as providing a possible way forward. Under such a scheme, member provinces that chose to would make a formal but voluntary commitment to each other.
Says the new document: ìThose churches that were prepared to take this on as an expression of their responsibility to each other would limit their local freedoms for the sake of a wider witness: some might not be willing to do this. We could arrive at a situation where there were ëconstituentí Churches in the Anglican Communion and other ëchurches in associationí, which were bound by historic and perhaps personal links, fed from many of the same sources but not bound in a single and unrestricted sacramental communion and not sharing the same constitutional structuresî.
Different views within a province might mean that local churches had to consider what kind of relationship they wanted with each other. This, though, might lead to a more positive understanding of unity:
ìIt could mean the need for local Churches to work at ordered and mutually respectful separation between constituent and associated elements; but it could also mean a positive challenge for churches to work out what they believed to be involved in belonging in a global sacramental fellowship, a chance to rediscover a positive common obedience to the mystery of Godís gift that was not a matter of coercion from above but that of ëwaiting for each otherí that St Paul commends to the Corinthians.î
Already sections of the media are reporting this approach as ëpreparing for a split, but it is clear that the Archbishopís intentions are otherwise ñ that he is trying to use the theological models of filiality and covenant as a way forward to maintain some family bonds and communication in a situation of deep disagreement.
Dr Williams stresses that the matter cannot be resolved by fiat. He declares: ì[T]he idea of an Archbishop of Canterbury resolving any of this by decree is misplaced, however tempting for many. The Archbishop of Canterbury presides and convenes in the Communion, and may Ö outline the theological framework in which a problem should be addressed; but he must always act collegially, with the bishops of his own local Church and with the primates and the other instruments of communion.î
Continues the Archbishop: ìThat is why the process currently going forward of assessing our situation in the wake of the General Convention is a shared one. But it is nonetheless possible for the Churches of the Communion to decide that this is indeed the identity, the living tradition – and by Godís grace, the gift – we want to share with the rest of the Christian world in the coming generation; more importantly still, that this is a valid and vital way of presenting the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.î
He says: ìMy hope is that the period ahead – of detailed response to the work of [the US Episcopal Church] General Convention, exploration of new structures, and further refinement of the covenant model – will renew our positive appreciation of the possibilities of our heritage so that we can pursue our mission with deeper confidence and harmony.î
The Primates of the Anglican Communion will meet early in 2007 to consider the matter. In the meantime, a group appointed by the Joint Standing Committee of the ACC and the Primates will be assisting Dr Williams in considering the resolutions of the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA) in response to the questions posed by the Windsor Report.
[Also on Ekklesia: Epicopalians hold to stretched thread of unity 24/06/06; Ecumenism not hit by woman presiding bishop, say observers 23/06/06; US Episcopal Church turns down ban on gay bishops 21/06/06; Joy greets the first-ever Anglican woman leader 19/06/06; Don’t practice divisive religion, UN man tells Episcopalians 18/06/06; Worrying new Anglican dispute about David Beckham 19/06/06 Inclusive Church reports on key US Episcopal gathering 16/06/06; Episcopal Church USA faces pressure on Anglican gay split; Lord Carey says ordaining a gay bishop verges on heresy; Conservative Episcopalians break away ahead of Eames report; African bishops say Windsor Report is offensive; Windsor Report does not call for apology; Episcopal bishop rejects Nigerian criticism on gays; Episcopal leader calls for aid focus on Palestine-Israel; Church in Haiti keeps hope alive amid violence and poverty; US Anglicans seek to end Cuban isolation]
Archbishop sees covenant not contract as Anglican way forward
-27/06/06
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has set out his thinking on the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of the deliberations in the United States on the Windsor Report and the Anglican Communion at the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA).
He argues that covenantal relationships, patience, balance and a correspondingly different polity are needed to negotiate a way through the crisis. This is already being characterized as ësemi-schismí among commentators who are impatient of nuance ñ and who believe that the churchís warring factions are spoiling for victory not reconciliation.
Dr Williamsí detailed document, ëThe Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today: A Reflection for the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communioní, has been sent to Primates with a covering letter, published more widely and made available as audio on the internet (6.4 megabytes, MP3 format).
In it, he says that the strength of the Anglican tradition has been in maintaining a balance between the foundational texts of the Bible, a catholic loyalty to the sacraments and a habit of cultural sensitivity and intellectual flexibility.
ìThere is no way in which the Anglican Communion can remain unchanged by what is happening at the moment,î the Archbishop writes to the Anglican Communion’s 38 key leaders.
ìNeither the liberal nor the conservative can simply appeal to a historic identity that doesn’t correspond with where we now are,î he adds.
Speaking of scripture, tradition and reason, he says in his reflection: ìTo accept that each of these has a place in the churchís life and that they need each other means that the enthusiasts for each aspect have to be prepared to live with certain tensions or even sacrifices. The only reason for being an Anglican is that this balance seems to you to be healthy for the Church Catholicî
Dr Williams acknowledges that the debate following the consecration of a gay bishop in a committed relationship, the Rt Rev Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, consecrated in 2003, has posed challenges for the unity of the church.
The spiritual head of the worldís 77 million Anglicans stresses that the dividing issue for the church now is not about the human rights of homosexual people (which he has argued need to be affirmed), but about how the church makes decisions in a responsible and collegial way.
ìIt is imperative to give the strongest support to the defence of homosexual people against violence, bigotry and legal disadvantage, to appreciate the role played in the life of the church by people of homosexual orientation,î declares Dr Williams ñ who has nevertheless been criticized for failing to denounce a new law in Nigeria which criminalizes lesbian and gay people, and has received the backing of church leaders.
The debate in the Anglican Communion had for many, the Archbishop says, become much harder after the consecration in 2003, which could be seen to have pre-empted the outcome. The structures of the Communion had struggled to cope with the resulting effects:
ì[W]hatever the presenting issue, no member Church can make significant decisions unilaterally and still expect this to make no difference to how it is regarded in the fellowship; this would be uncomfortably like saying that every member could redefine the terms of belonging as and when it suited them. Some actions – and sacramental actions in particular – just do have the effect of putting a Church outside or even across the central stream of the life they have shared with other Churches.î
Dr Williams says that the divisions run through as well as between the different Provinces of the Anglican Communion and this would make a solution difficult. He favours the exploration of a formal Covenant agreement between the Provinces of the Anglican Communion as providing a possible way forward. Under such a scheme, member provinces that chose to would make a formal but voluntary commitment to each other.
Says the new document: ìThose churches that were prepared to take this on as an expression of their responsibility to each other would limit their local freedoms for the sake of a wider witness: some might not be willing to do this. We could arrive at a situation where there were ëconstituentí Churches in the Anglican Communion and other ëchurches in associationí, which were bound by historic and perhaps personal links, fed from many of the same sources but not bound in a single and unrestricted sacramental communion and not sharing the same constitutional structuresî.
Different views within a province might mean that local churches had to consider what kind of relationship they wanted with each other. This, though, might lead to a more positive understanding of unity:
ìIt could mean the need for local Churches to work at ordered and mutually respectful separation between constituent and associated elements; but it could also mean a positive challenge for churches to work out what they believed to be involved in belonging in a global sacramental fellowship, a chance to rediscover a positive common obedience to the mystery of Godís gift that was not a matter of coercion from above but that of ëwaiting for each otherí that St Paul commends to the Corinthians.î
Already sections of the media are reporting this approach as ëpreparing for a split, but it is clear that the Archbishopís intentions are otherwise ñ that he is trying to use the theological models of filiality and covenant as a way forward to maintain some family bonds and communication in a situation of deep disagreement.
Dr Williams stresses that the matter cannot be resolved by fiat. He declares: ì[T]he idea of an Archbishop of Canterbury resolving any of this by decree is misplaced, however tempting for many. The Archbishop of Canterbury presides and convenes in the Communion, and may Ö outline the theological framework in which a problem should be addressed; but he must always act collegially, with the bishops of his own local Church and with the primates and the other instruments of communion.î
Continues the Archbishop: ìThat is why the process currently going forward of assessing our situation in the wake of the General Convention is a shared one. But it is nonetheless possible for the Churches of the Communion to decide that this is indeed the identity, the living tradition – and by Godís grace, the gift – we want to share with the rest of the Christian world in the coming generation; more importantly still, that this is a valid and vital way of presenting the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.î
He says: ìMy hope is that the period ahead – of detailed response to the work of [the US Episcopal Church] General Convention, exploration of new structures, and further refinement of the covenant model – will renew our positive appreciation of the possibilities of our heritage so that we can pursue our mission with deeper confidence and harmony.î
The Primates of the Anglican Communion will meet early in 2007 to consider the matter. In the meantime, a group appointed by the Joint Standing Committee of the ACC and the Primates will be assisting Dr Williams in considering the resolutions of the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA) in response to the questions posed by the Windsor Report.
[Also on Ekklesia: Epicopalians hold to stretched thread of unity 24/06/06; Ecumenism not hit by woman presiding bishop, say observers 23/06/06; US Episcopal Church turns down ban on gay bishops 21/06/06; Joy greets the first-ever Anglican woman leader 19/06/06; Don’t practice divisive religion, UN man tells Episcopalians 18/06/06; Worrying new Anglican dispute about David Beckham 19/06/06 Inclusive Church reports on key US Episcopal gathering 16/06/06; Episcopal Church USA faces pressure on Anglican gay split; Lord Carey says ordaining a gay bishop verges on heresy; Conservative Episcopalians break away ahead of Eames report; African bishops say Windsor Report is offensive; Windsor Report does not call for apology; Episcopal bishop rejects Nigerian criticism on gays; Episcopal leader calls for aid focus on Palestine-Israel; Church in Haiti keeps hope alive amid violence and poverty; US Anglicans seek to end Cuban isolation]