A
Clear Choice
Decisions taken at the 2003
General Convention of the Episcopal Church (ECUSA)[i]
have created a crisis in the Anglican Communion and in our own denomination.
The Primates of the Communion met in
They expressed deep alarm that this teaching had been
seriously undermined by the actions of ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada.[iii]
They called on the North American churches to reaffirm Lambeth Resolution 1.10[iv]
and to embrace the recommendations of the Windsor Report[v]
through their constitutional processes so that full communion might be
restored. In the meantime, they asked that ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada
remove themselves from participation in the Anglican Consultative Council.[vi]
A clear choice has been squarely presented to these two
provinces and to their dioceses and congregations: accept the
same teaching on matters of sexual morality as is generally accepted elsewhere
in the Communion,[vii]
or
walk apart from the Communion.[viii]
While the ECUSA House of Bishops has expressed regret for
the crisis, it has not agreed to the actions recommended by the Windsor Report,
nor has it indicated a willingness to return to scriptural teaching on sexual
morality as presented in Lambeth Resolution 1.10.[ix]
Therefore, absent a dramatic change of belief and action, formal
separation from the Communion appears inevitable for ECUSA.
In the event that separation occurs, we will choose to remain within the Anglican Communion.
We look forward to working with all those who will make a similar choice. [i] These
decisions include: (a) the passage of Resolution C051 that affirmed it was
acceptable for local congregations to “explore and experience liturgies
celebrating and blessing same-sex unions,” (b) the vote to confirm the election
of Gene Robinson as the next diocesan bishop of New Hampshire, and (c) the
defeat of Resolution B001 that would have reaffirmed Holy Scripture as the
foundation of authority in the Church, reaffirmed historic positions adopted by
previous General Conventions, and affirmed that no member of the Church shall
be forced to practice anything contrary to the clear meaning of Holy Scripture;
[ii] 1998
Lambeth Resolution 1.10, paragraphs 2 and 4.
[iii] In 2002,
the Synod of the Diocese of New Westminster in
[iv] The
Communiqué notes that communion is impaired as long as there is a question
about whether the North American churches accept the teaching set out in
Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (par 12). The Primates themselves reaffirmed Lambeth
Resolution 1.10 as the position of the Communion (par 17).
[v] The
Lambeth Report is the result of a yearlong consultation requested by the
Primates in the aftermath of the North American actions. The purpose of the
report was to propose what would be needed to restore unity within the
Communion. Among its recommendations were: (a) a moratorium on election and
consecration of any practicing homosexual as bishop, (b) a moratorium on public
rites of blessing of same sex unions, and (c) pastoral oversight provided by
someone other than the diocesan bishop for dissenting congregations that feel
they need protection from their “home” bishop.
[vi] The
Anglican Consultative Council is one of four “instruments of Anglican unity,”
in addition to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conferences, and the
Primates’ Meetings. The Anglican Consultative Council is scheduled to meet in
June 2005. The next scheduled meeting of any of the instruments of unity is the
Lambeth Conference in 2008. The Primates may meet prior to that date if they
choose.
[vii] Communiqué, par 12.
[viii] This is
not because sexuality is central to Christianity, but because the
presenting issues of sexual ethics are symptomatic of much deeper differences
over the authority of Holy Scripture, the content of the gospel message, and
the meaning of Christian mission.
[ix] The ECUSA
House of Bishops met in March 2005 and issued a “Covenant Statement” as a
response to the Primates’ Communiqué. While the Covenant Statement purports to
address the concerns of the Windsor Report and Communiqué, it does not reflect
the spirit or letter of those documents. Rather than agreeing to a moratorium
on election and consecration as Bishop of practicing homosexuals, the Bishops
pledge to block the consecration of all new Bishops until July 2006.
Rather than effecting a moratorium on public rites of blessing of same sex
unions, they agree only that they will not personally conduct such blessings.
(Indeed, in the aftermath of the March meeting, some have authorized their
clergy to conduct same sex blessings.) Finally, rather than asking the
Executive Committee to honor the Primates’ request and send no ECUSA
representatives to the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in June, they
merely refer the matter to that body without recommendation.
Maintainer: Ted McMichael
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