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

1st 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 mediaOrders 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 - Organizationecclesia Anglicana =Anglican

CommunionAn 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 - Unityecclesia 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 - Beliefcontinued

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 = ECUSAThe 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 ProvincesRoughly 7000 congregationsElected Bishops (at diocesan convention);

confirmed by the HoBPresiding Bishop (Katherine Jefferts-Shori)

elected at general Convention held every three years

National Canons govern the conduct of the Body

6th Context – Church IdentityEpiscopalians: Practice & Belief

The Book of Common Prayer The Practice of our Liturgy The Reforms of the 1979 Prayer Book

Baptismal MinistryThe Lessons of the Early ChurchThe Incarnational Aspect of a Faith

Community Hospitality in the 20th Century American

Reforms Pluralism in the Church in America

7th Context - NationChurch 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