Anglican Communion Covenant – final version

The final version of the Anglican Communion Covenant has now been issued. Click here to read it online or download a pdf copy.

There is also a message from the Archbishop of Canterbury available (text follows):

After several years of work, the proposed covenant for the Anglican Communion has now reached its final form and is being distributed to the provinces for discussion, and I hope it will be adopted by as many provinces as possible.

It’s quite important in this process to remember what the Covenant is and what it isn’t, what it’s meant to achieve, and what it’s not going to achieve. It’s not going to solve all our problems, it’s not going to be a constitution, and it’s certainly not going to be a penal code for punishing people who don’t comply. But what it does represent is this: in recent years in the Anglican family, we’ve discovered that our relations with each other as local churches have often been strained, that we haven’t learned to trust one another as perhaps we should, that we really need to build relationships, and we need to have a sense that we are responsible to one another and responsible for each other. In other words, what we need is something that will help us know where we stand together, and help us also intensify our fellowship and our trust.

The covenant text sets out the basis on which the Anglican family works and prays and lives and hopes. The bulk of the text identifies what we hold in common, the ground on which we stand as Anglicans. It’s about the gift we’ve been given as a Church and the gift we’ve been given specifically as the Anglican Communion. All those things we give thanks for, we affirm together, and we resolve together to safeguard and to honour.

The last bit of the Covenant text is the one thats perhaps been the most controversial, because that’s where we spell out what happens if relationships fail or break down. It doesn’t set out, as I’ve already said, a procedure for punishments and sanctions. It does try and sort out how we will discern the nature of our disagreement, how important is it? How divisive does it have to be? Is it a Communion breaking issue that’s in question – or is it something we can learn to live with? And so in these sections of the covenant what we’re trying to do is simply to give a practical, sensible and Christian way of dealing with our conflicts, recognising that they’re always going to be there.

So what happens next? This Covenant is being sent to all the member Churches of the Anglican Communion. Each church will, within its own processes, decide how to handle it, and by the next meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in three years time we hope that many provinces will already have said yes to this and adopted it into their own understanding and identity. Clearly the process won’t all be over by then, but we’re hoping to see some enthusiasm, some general adoption of the principles. We hope to see a new kind of relationship emerging. We hope to see people agreeing to these ways of resolving our conflicts.

Beyond that, what’s going to happen? It’s hard to say as yet, but the Covenant text itself does make it clear that at some point it’ll be open to other bodies, other Ecclesial bodies as they’re called, other Churches and communities to adopt this Covenant, and be considered for incorporation into the Anglican Communion. Meanwhile, it’s open to anybody that wishes to affirm the principles of the Covenant – to say that this is what they wish to live with.

So in the next few years we expect to see quite a bit of activity around this. We hope, as I’ve said, that many provinces will feel able to adopt this. We hope that many other bodies will affirm the vision that’s set out here, and that in the long run this will actually help us to become more of a communion – more responsible for each other, presenting to the world a face of mutual understanding, patience, charity and gratitude for one another. In other words, we hope and pray that the Covenant for the Anglican Communion will be a truly effective tool for witness and mission in our world.

The Covenant Working Party Commentary on Revisions to Section 4 contains an explanation of what they have done.

An official comparison of the texts is now here in another PDF.

A cover letter from Kenneth Kearon to Primates, Moderators and Provincial Secretaries is here.

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Christianity

John & Henry Venn, Evangelical Divines

Henry Venn the Younger

John Venn was born at Clapham in March 1759, where his father, Henry Venn Senior, was a curate. John eventually returned to Clapham as Vicar in 1792. He was one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society in 1797. His work with it in establishing eight overseas bishoprics changed the character of the Anglican Church for ever. It was here that he also became a central figure in the group of religious philanthropists known as the Clapham Sect. John was also an active participator in the movement for the abolition of the slave trade.

John’s son, Henry Venn the younger, was born at Clapham in 1796. He was also ordained and from1846 devoted himself entirely to CMS.  In his later years, he was recognised as a leader of the evangelical body of the Church of England. As an important mission theorist he sought to clarify the main goal of mission and the most effective means of realizing it and developed the key theme of  the indigenous church: self-propagating, self-financing, and self-governing.

In many ways the issues the Venns wrestled with are still with us: the place of the gospel at the centre of gravity of the church and its unity – or not; the relationship between local churches – and what constitutes ‘local’; the need for both inculturisation of the gospel and church – and the dangers of division in so doing. Perhaps its time to dust down some of those pamphlets?

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Celebrating the Saints, mission

Dream baby dream

The Anglican Church in Canada is holding a Vision Day tomorrow.

All parishes are encouraged to think about the future of the Anglican Church of Canada by joining in on Vision 2019, a church-wide exercise to discern, dream, and decide where God wants the church to be by the year 2019. Everyone is invited to answer the two-part question “Where is your church now, and where do you want the Anglican Church of Canada to be by 2019?”

Perhaps the graphic is encouraging a radical new option in the ‘How Many Bishops?’ debate: consecrate everyone at baptism … Nice mitre, though.

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Bishops

Anglican Covenant Third Draft

Being rather slow, I’ve only just caught up with the latest (third) draft of the Anglican Communion Covenant text, produced by the Covenant Design Group meeting between 29th March and 2nd April just down the road from me in Ridley Hall, Cambridge.

You can find the texts on-line here or read them in a less fully formatted version below. I have highlighted in red a passage from the commentary that I think will be of interest in summarising how this draft of the Covenant proposes that matters of dispute are handled.

Filed under: Anglican Communion

Selwyn Bicentenary

This years brings the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Augustus Selwyn, the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand, and later  Bishop of Lichfield from 1868 to 1878.

The C of E usually remembers him on April 11th, his birthday, but this year he was bumped out of the calendar because that was Easter Eve.

But it would be remiss of us not to mark the anniversary, so a number of folk in Cambridge, where Selwyn College bears his name,  took the initiative and called a Symposium yesterday on Visions of the Anglican Communion: past, present and future. The Archbishop of Canterbury broke his Easter hols to join the 70 or so of us there, preaching at evensong as well as starting off and summing up. Other speakers were Warren Limbrick, Allan Davidson, Bill Jacob, Colin Podmore and Gregory Cameron.

Does all this matter? Well, Selwyn cut a serious swathe as a missionary bishop, being the first ‘colonial bishop’ for instance to challenge the wording of his Letters Patent, which purported to derive his spiritual authority from the Crown as well as his jurisdiction. He struggled with Henry Venn of CMS to discern whether the society’s aim of missionary dioceses based on indigenous clergy, alongside expatriate provision, or his own preferred model of a single diocese for all races, committed to mission together, was better. He was instrumental in the founding of the Lambeth Conference, and in building better relationships with the Anglican Church in America. (Don’t imagine it was ever an easy relationship…) All these are still live issues – and it is good to have a frame to see them through.

And oh yes, Selwyn also wrote a pamphlet Are Cathedral Institutions useless ? A Practical Answer to this Question, addressed to W. E. Gladstone, Esq., M.P., (Gladstone was a lifelong friend). It’s a wonderful title; and the actual content is in a way better, because it was an early exploration of how cathedrals could be centres of education – still a live issue again today.

Filed under: Anglican Communion, George Augustus Selwyn

The God who doesn’t go away

It’s good to be able to add my own link to another excellent Youtube video by Archbishop Rowan Williams, this time on Easter. He compares the simplicity of Christmas when we receive, as it were, a gift, to the multi-layered stories of Easter through which we need to journey, as we do in the Holy Week services. And in that journey, even in that in each of us tries to push God away, we discover the God who does not depart.

His point reminds me of the teenager so often rejected who pushes his would-be carer to the very edge, to see if she will go too. But she doesn’t; and the slow work of transformation begins. Only now we are not the carer, but the child.

Even if the Archbishop’s written style can sometimes be demanding, those who have heard him speak (as at our Ely 900 service) or who watch this video see another side to the man, communicating simply, effectively and with feeling in a way we can all follow. Sadly, though, Robbin Williams’ allegedly humorous Easter monologue still outranks Rowan Williams on a Google “youtube williams easter” search. Maybe we can turn that round if enough people watch Rowan!

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Christianity, Church of England, Media Matters, Thoughts for the Day, Easter, Rowan Williams, Youtube

Lambeth Walk follow-up

On the 2 April 2009 world leaders will gather in London to address the  global financial crisis.

The Summit aims to reach international agreement on:

• coordinated actions to revive the global economy – to stimulate growth and employment
• reforming and improving financial sectors and systems – to deliver progress on the Washington Action Plan to build better financial systems
• principles for reform of international financial institutions (IFIs) – the International Monetary Fund, Financial Stability Forum and World Bank.

Our governments, national and international financial institutions need to agree coordinated actions to address the current crisis, achieve stability and restore growth.

But this global conversation must go beyond how advanced and emerging economies will work together to stabilise the global economy. Plans for economic recovery cannot be at the expense of the environment or the world’s poor.

How we manage future global prosperity should take into account making continuing progress on Millennium Development Goals, providing for low carbon-based growth and ensuring climate security, while protecting the poorest.

If we are to address financial failures, develop structures to warn early of problems, and equip international institutions to be more representative, effective and responsive to global challenges, our leaders must together start the process of setting out a long term vision for managing the world economy in the global age. Read the full story at http://www.londonsummit.gov.uk/en.

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Current affairs, London Summit

Archbishops’ Appeal for Zimbabwe

The deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe is
being accompanied by the worst humanitarian crisis
the country has seen since independence.
Many have died from cholera, starvation and HIV. A breakdown of basic civil
infrastructure has slowly been destroying a nation and causing unimaginable suffering. But while the government is failing, churches are struggling to feed the hungry and heal the sick.They are suffering alongside their communities, and they need our support.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are urging to support their
Archbishops’ Appeal for Zimbabwe, along with Anglicans worldwide. here is something we really can do together for God!

The appeal will support the Anglican dioceses and parishes in Zimbabwe
as they desperately try to witness to God’s love and address mounting
practical needs.

We make this call to you, in the Church of England, in response to the statement made by all the Anglican Archbishops from across the Communion, who spoke out on the injustice and suffering in Zimbabwe. How can any of us be silent when one part of the body is suffering?

Make a donation through USPG Registered charity number 234518

• Online: donations can be made online at www.uspg.org.uk. Select the donate tab from the main menu for details. If donating online, select ‘Archbishops’ Zimbabwe Appeal’.
• By cheque: make cheques payable to ‘USPG’, write ‘AZA’ on the back and send it to USPG: Anglicans inWorld Mission, 200 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4YB with an accompanying letter if you require a receipt.
• Bank giro credit: can be made at any UK branch of Barclays Bank plc. Account name: ‘USPG –AZ Appeal’ Account no. 73594793, Sort code 20-32-29 Barclays Bank plc, London Corporate Banking

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Church of England, Current affairs, appeal, Zimbabwe

More people are going to church!

The Church of England has just published its attendance stats for 2007.  Nationally attendance rose by 1% from 2006 (using the key ‘Weekly High’ figure which approximates to the number of folk coming at last once a month). In the Diocese of Ely the rise was 5%! Press reports will carry a bit of doom and gloom because nationally attendance by under-16s fell by 4% on the same count. But in Ely Diocese it rose by nearly 8%! In fact Ely attendances rose on every count for which separate diocesan figures were released, except electoral roll which declined slightly but much less than across the country as a whole (a new roll was drawn up for 07 which always sees numbers fall as out-of-date names are removed).

Provisional 2006 and 2007 Statistics for Mission : Diocese of Ely

Average Weekly Attendance

All age 18,300>19,000

Adults 15,000>15,100

Children & Young People 3,300>3,800

Average Sunday Attendance

All Age 15,600>16,000

Adults 13,500>13,800

Children & Young People 2,200>2,300

Highest Weekly Attendance (approximates to attenders over a month)

All age 28,400>29,900

Adults 21,300>22,300

Children & Young People 7,600>8,200

Electoral Roll 18,500>18,300

The national press release follows, and you can access the actual figures at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/2007provisionalattendance.pdf.

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Christianity, Church of England, Current affairs, Christianity, Church of England, Ely, religion

Church as Communion: Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor

I thought the Cardinal’s address to General Synod this week was both encouraging and helpful – in our Anglican issues as well as ecumenical ones. Here’s the text as circulated:

Church as Communion: the ARCIC Agreed Statement and its

Significance

An Address to the Synod of the Church of England, 9 February 2009

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ – dear Friends, I am grateful, and feel privileged, to have this opportunity of speaking to you here in Synod for the first and, most probably, for the last time. The reason for my being here this afternoon is to say to you something about the Anglican/Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), of which I had the privilege to be Co-Chairman for over sixteen years. The key word, of course, of ARCIC was koinonia – quite an unfamiliar word when ARCIC was initiated in the late ‘60’s. In fact, there were two very nice ladies who were then our secretaries, one Roman Catholic and the other Anglican and at Christmas one sent a Christmas card to the other saying, ‘Happy Christmas – and koinonia to you too!’ I have been asked today to speak to you about that key concept in ARCIC’s work, communion. It is clear that from the start ARCIC found this idea opened up fresh perspectives about the Church which seemed to make progress very possible.

Filed under: Anglican Communion, Current affairs, Wisdom from others!, ecumenical, Roman Catholic