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Comments, complaints, broken links, disappointed hopes - please contact the caretaker. 31/07/2009 |
Paul's Personal Pages [My Comments on the report] [Responses to the report] The Windsor Report - Summary (The Lambeth Commission on Communion)
The task of the Commission was not to sort out views on homosexuality [Comment] but to examine and make recommendations on the structure of the Anglican Communion. Their task has been made harder by the depth of feeling, the degree of vehemence, and precipitate statements of condemnation and dissociation by individuals and church bodies. The report sets out a test or framework for evaluating what constitutes legitimate change in the Anglican Communion: (1) there should be clear theological justification for what is proposed; (2) agreed ecclesiastical procedure should be followed; (3) a distinction is to be made between what is trivial (adiaphora) and what is not; (4) subsidiarity by which they mean that matters should be determined as close to the local level as is consistent with their significance; (5) the Communion is grounded in a relationship of trust and responsibility; (6) all these elements are held together in and by authority (paras. 31-42). The present conflict reflects breaches of all these conditions. [Comment] 'Communion' is understood in different ways (paras. 45-51). What binds us together is (1) the authority of scripture at the heart of worship and carefully interpreted (interpretation is a task that needs re-evaluation) (paras. 53-62). (2) the episcopate, with an especial emphasis on the responsibility of the primates for the global communion (paras, 63-66). The task is the discernment of the will of God through communal procedures and tested by the reception of the faithful (paras. 67-70). The diversity of the communion is both its strength and a significant source of tension (paras. 71-95). The formal 'Instruments of Unity' of the Anglican Communion are (1) the Archbishop of Canterbury; (2) the Lambeth Conference; (3) the Anglican Consultative Council; (4) the Primates’ Meeting. The report complains that the views of these bodies have too often been ignored and sidelined (para. 97).Instruments of Unity. The Commission recommends that "the moral authority of the Instruments of Unity could be more clearly articulated.", but without increasing their powers (para. 105). As well as recommending clarification of the relative roles and responsibilities of the 'Instruments of Unity', the Commission also recommends a Council of Advice as a mechanism that would support and enhance the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury in relation to the Anglican Communion (paras. 111-112). The Commission also recommends a Covenant setting out "common identity; the relationships of communion; the commitments of communion; the exercise of autonomy in communion; and the management of communion affairs (including disputes)" (para. 118). While the Covenant would have no legislative force it might be referred to in the laws of each Anglican jurisdiction. They regard the case for such a Covenant as "overwhelming" (para. 119). (A draft Covenant is printed in Appendix Two.) In their conclusions they criticise the Church in Canada, ECUSA, and also those Anglican Bishops who have accepted oversight of dissenting parishes in another bishop's bailiwick. All are accused of acting without due regard to the principle of interdependence within the Communion (para. 122). On the ordination of people in same-sex relationships, which the Lambeth Conference said it 'cannot advise', they assert that all future episcopal appointments, at whatever level, should pay due regard to the acceptability of the person concerned to other provinces of the Anglican Communion. But what is needed is a change of heart, not of procedures (paras. 131, 132). The Commission proposes a process of repentance and reconciliation. As a first step they recommend that ECUSA express its regret for breaching the proper bonds of affection in the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, and for the consequences of that decision. Pending a statement of regret those who participated in the consecration should withdraw themselves from representative functions within the Anglican Communion. There should be a moratorium on future similar consecrations (para. 134). They also call for more listening and more reasoned debate on the question of gender relations (para. 135). The authorisation and use of liturgies of blessing of same-sex unions in Diocese of New Westminster, Canada, is also criticised for its failure to weigh the opposition from the rest of the Anglican communion. It too is a breach of the bonds of affection (paras 136-143). They call for a moratorium on all such public rites, and again call for regret leading to reconciliation (para. 144), and for more study and debate (paras. 145-146). They add: "Moreover, any demonising of homosexual persons, or their ill treatment, is totally against Christian charity and basic principles of pastoral care. We urge provinces to be pro-active in support of the call of Lambeth Resolution 64 (1988) for them to “reassess, in the light of … study and because of our concern for human rights, its care for and attitude toward persons of homosexual orientation”. (para. 146) Intrusion by one bishop into another province to oversee a dissenting parish or group. The Commission wants to avoid this situation altogether, but says "In only those situations where there has been an extreme breach of trust, and as a last resort, we commend a conditional and temporary provision of delegated pastoral oversight for those who are dissenting." (para. 151). Each word is significant: the 'incoming' bishop would only work subject to the formal agreement of the diocesan, and the Commission does not recommend 'parallel' jurisdictions (para. 154). As above, statements of regret and a moratorium on further intrusion are called for. |
