The Anglican Covenant: Examination & Discussion

The Anglican Covenant: Examination & Discussion I. The Context of the Covenant Document: ecclesia, church, nation II. Examination of the Ridley - Cambridge Draft: emphasis on Part 4 III. Conflict & Controversy: Pros & Cons: implications of accepting/rejecting the draft

Starting at the Beginning Context & Covenant: Ecclesia, church, nation

1 st Context - Polity ecclesia Anglicana = Anglican ‘Polity’ apostolic succession Bishops Episcopal authority as synodical Episcopal authority as limited NO international juridical authority

ecclesia Anglicana = Anglican ‘Polity’ a ‘reformed’ denomination whose global governance is based on: apostolic succession as a tenet of our faith: The via media Orders of Baptismal Ministry Bishops are leaders of the ecclesia who - delegate to the presbyterate the “spiritual governance” - act as pastors to presbyters - and hold a teaching office for the unity of the church Episcopal authority is synodical - derived from conciliar arrangements regarding Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship

ecclesia Anglicana = Anglican ‘Polity’ Continued Episcopal authority is limited by representation: -in councils of the presbyterate and laity -in the Anglican Provinces, ecclesiastical provinces, and dioceses NO international juridical authority

2nd Context - Organization ecclesia Anglicana =Anglican Communion An institution comprising 39 provinces of the Anglican Communion : Independent Governing Structures deriving from conciliar arrangements grouped on geography/nation Independent Primates Subdivided into Ecclesiastical provinces and dioceses within nations Synodical Governance using three houses of laity, clergy, Bishops with differing canons & constitutions

3rd Context - Unity ecclesia Anglicana = Instruments of Unity Lambeth Conference (est. 1867) Anglican Consultative Council (1968) Anglican Primates’ Meeting (1978)

Instruments of Unity * All ecclesial bodies in the Communion are: consultative and collaborative * no juridical constraints upon the independent provinces Lambeth Conference (est. 1867) held every 10 years to provide a means of discussion among primates and Bishops and convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Instruments of Unity Continued Anglican Consultative Council (1968) held biennially meeting representative bishops, clergy, and laity chosen by the thirty-eight provinces, maintaining a permanent secretariat, the Anglican Communion Office, of which the Archbishop of Canterbury is president. and Anglican Primates’ Meeting (1978 ) as a forum for "leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultation."

4th Context - Belief ecclesia Anglicana = Anglican Belief a ‘non-confessing’ denomination whose doctrine is based on catholicity as the collective elements of family, nation, and church expressing God’s continuing revelation lex orandi, lex credendi as the expression of belief Chicago-Lambeth “Pillars of Faith” (after Denison)

4th Context - Belief continued scripture, reason, and tradition are joined and mediated by: the 4 theological ‘pillars’ scripture is the revealed word of God; the ancient creeds (Nicene & Apostolic) represent the sufficient statement of belief; the sacraments are uniquely Baptism and Eucharist; and the historic Episcopate

5th Context - Church = ECUSA The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America  Current Membership: 2,116,749 (2007)  Historical Membership: 1.1 mil (1925) to 3.4 mil (1960s)  NY : Highest representation (+200,000)  D.C., Rhode Island, Conn., & Va. Highest rates of adherence  110 Dioceses (USA, Latin America, Taiwan, Virgin Isl. Plus American Churches in Europe and Navajoland))  9 Provinces  Roughly 7000 congregations  Elected Bishops (at diocesan convention) ; confirmed by the HoB  Presiding Bishop (Katherine Jefferts-Shori) elected at general Convention held every three years  National Canons govern the conduct of the Body

6th Context – Church Identity Episcopalians: Practice & Belief  The Book of Common Prayer  The Practice of our Liturgy  The Reforms of the 1979 Prayer Book  Baptismal Ministry  The Lessons of the Early Church  The Incarnational Aspect of a Faith Community  Hospitality in the 20 th Century American Reforms  Pluralism in the Church in America

7th Context - Nation Church Identity in a Global World Historical and Constitutional Realities in Contemporary America  USA – a ‘federalist’ Government  USA – a Rights-based Constitution  USA – separation of Church & State  America: a culture of diversity  America: a culture of privilege  America: a culture of equality under law  Conflict Resolution in First-world vs. Post-colonial Nations  Complaint-resolution in Ecclesial Settings