Friday, June 8, 2012

SCOTLAND SAYS NO TO ANGLICAN COVENANT

Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost at St Mary's Cathedral in Glasgow, says on Facebook:
Scotland says firm and clear No to Anglican Covenant.  Yes to Communion.  No to the Covenant.
The news warms my heart.  In a sense, the Scottish Episcopal Church is our mother church, because she gave us our first bishops.

The SEC joins House of Bishops in The Episcopal Church in the Philippines and the dioceses in the Church of England in rejecting the Anglican Covenant.  I wonder if the  Anglican Communion Office will report the rejection of the Covenant by the Scottish Episcopal Church.  Thus far, we don't hear negative news on the Covenant from the ACO.

The rejection by the Scottish church will help the campaign at next month's General Convention of The Episcopal Church by those of us who favor a vote to reject the Covenant by TEC.


UPDATE:
The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church today voted against the adoption of the Anglican Covenant.  Following a variety of views expressed by members of General Synod, the Motion that Synod agree in principle to adopt the Anglican Covenant was put to vote - 112 votes against; 6 votes in favour; 13 abstentions.  The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane then presented a resolution on the Anglican Communionin support of Motion 27, saying “The Anglican Communion matters deeply to us in the Scottish Episcopal Church.  We invoke the history of Samuel Seabury, consecrated in 1784 by the Scottish bishops as the first bishop of the church in the United States of America. We want to be part of the re-founding - the bringing to birth of a new phase of Communion life.” 
Yes!  I love the mention of Bishop Samuel Seabury.

UPDATE 2: From the ACO:
The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church today voted against the adoption of the Anglican Covenant.
Primus David Chillingworth's address to Synod is here.

16 comments:

  1. The Very Rev. Ronald H. ClingenpeelJune 8, 2012 at 10:09 AM

    I'm just glad that other provinces are saying no. It doesn't look like we're leading something, but simply part of a greater movement for communion without covenant.

    Covenant -- read as, Articles of Confederation -- are so foreign to Anglicanism one would think this had to legs from the get-go. Unfortunately, there are those who are more into legalism than Grace.

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  2. The Very Rev. Ronald H. ClingenpeelJune 8, 2012 at 10:10 AM

    That should read: "no legs from the get-go." Sorry about that.

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  3. Ron, if the Anglican Covenant fails, it will still be TEC's fault, according to certain folks in high places in the Church of England.

    Imagine! The covenant sets up a scheme in which any church in the Communion can make a formal complaint about anything another church does. It's a recipe for worse squabbling and division than we have now.

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    1. Mimi, How can anyone in the CofE blame USEC for the failure of the Covenant? It was debated at Deanery and Diocesan Synods and rejected by a majority. Democracy at work for once, despite the best efforts of the hierarchy to sell it as a done deal.

      The NO TO COVENANT campaign (which I know you were part off) fought a tactical battle and did their best to reach those in the thrall of the Bishops who were for the Covenant and used their public position to try to influence the vote.

      My own diocese said yes, only the result you'd expect as ++Rowan is our Diocesan - but I was never consulted by our Synod Reps and at the Diocesan Synod the rep's were basically given an ultimatum about passing it out of loyalty.

      I hope and pray that the USEC gets a grip and says a resounding NO TO THE COVENANT.

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    2. UKViewer, what I said was a bit of a joke, but one with truth in it. Rowan blames the Episcopal Church for starting the ruckus in the AC with the consecration of +Gene Robinson and steps forward to allow same-sex blessings. He went to Anaheim before GC09 to try to persuade the members of the convention not to allow same-sex blessings, after refraining from the blessings since GC06 at his behest, and not to consecrate another partnered gay or lesbian bishop. Then, Rowan attended the House of Bishops meeting in New Orleans and told our bishops, in so many words, that they did not know how to run a church, that they did not exercise their authority properly. So far as I can see, he demonstrates nothing but disdain for TEC, so that's where I see the truth in what I said.

      The US may throw its weight around on the world scene, but TEC has not followed the pattern of the politicians and has been careful not to exert undue influence on other churches in the Communion, so he ought not to paint our church with the same brush as US politicians.

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  4. Scotland the Brave. Well done! Now let us follow suit.

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  5. Amen! Let it be done.

    Bishop David's eloquent address served the SEC well, and I hope his words will be noted by other churches in the Communion, including ours.

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  6. Mimi ++David is to be at GC this summer. I don't think he will have to twist arms, but a wise word well placed will not be out of order!

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  7. Oooh, Tobias, I'm glad to hear it.

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  8. This is welcome news indeed. Our parish is celebrating its 275th anniversary this year and our third church building was consecrated by Samuel Seabury in 1786, the first Episcopal church he consecrated in this country. We have had several other connections to the Scottish church over the years, so it's good that they agree with us. ; )

    http://www.facebook.com/StPaulsontheGreen?ref=ts

    (Actually, I don't recall the Covenant ever being discussed at our church, and if it was, most people just wouldn't believe that such a thing could happen, as it is so far from our experience of what "church" should be.)

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  9. C.W.S., there was no discussion in our church, and, so far as I know, there was only one clergy meeting on the covenant in the diocese, and the report I heard is that there was little strong feeling either way. I don't know if that would indicate go along with it, or reject it. Perhaps some of both, but no strong sentiments expressed either way.

    Congratulations on your big 275th anniversary! Have a lovely party.

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  10. Perhaps what we really need is a Caledonian Communion. Rowan Who will never take our FREEDOM!

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  11. Good to know ++David will be at our GC. His witness will be a good one. I am just pleased as punch.

    I plan to write about it too but I am still on O.R. waiting room-lag. I will wake up tomorrow. J is doing well.

    Nice post, Mimi.

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  12. Wade, a Caledonian Communion works for me.

    Muthah, I was pleased to see your post on Facebook saying that J is doing well. Prayers that she continues with a speedy recovery.

    ++David is a mensch.

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