You may be curious as to why I am intensely interested and involved in the PAC. What I foresee coming out of GC of the Episcopal Church in July is some type of resolution for 'further study' of the document, so why worry? (Not that we should take anyhing for granted!) A good many of our sisters and brothers in other churches in the communion do not favor adoption of the covenant. Especially now in England with diocesan synods voting, my intention with my numerous posts is to help my English friends and others around the communion as much as possible to achieve their goal. My poor efforts may not help at all, but I have to try to put out information to assist anyone involved in voting to make informed decisions about whether to vote for or against the PAC.
The heavy hitters amongst the proponents of the Anglican Covenant are fighting for the life of the covenant in the Church of England. The vote now stands at 13 diocesan synods voting against the covenant and 9 voting in favor. This coming Saturday, six diocesan synods will vote.
Ripon and Leeds
Bath and Wells
Southwark
Carlisle
Coventry
Worcester
Below is a round-up of links to posts around and about the internet giving reasons why the covenant should be defeated.
Ann Fontaine at What the Tide Brings In responds to Gregory Cameron's defense of the covenant at Fulcrum.
Benny Hazlehurst at Benny's Blog:
For example, I live in an area of Salisbury diocese where our local Bishop, Graham Kings, is vociferously in favour of the Covenant. He has devoted much time and effort in writing, speaking and arguing for it - yet in this same diocese our new Diocesan Bishop voted against the Covenant in Diocesan Synod, as did Graham Kings predecessor, Bishop Tim Thornton in his diocese of Truro.Laura at Lay Anglicana:
But I have another suggestion. The most exciting spectator sport on offer this Saturday, 10 March 2012, is the Pro Anglican Covenant v Anti Anglican Covenant encounter being played out in another six diocesan synods across the land. These are exceptional times we live in – it has been said (rather rudely) that a deanery synod is a collection of people waiting to go home, and I have not heard that diocesan synods are any more gripping. But, if you have any imagination at all, this contest should have you on the edge of your seats with excitement.Tobias Haller at In a Godward Direction:
KovenuntyYou know you want to read the rest.
with apologies to Lewis Carroll. I mean, serious apologies...
'Twas britigg, and the slithy coves
Did gyre and wimple in the nave;
All mimsy were the piscophobes
As the Pre-Lates misbehave.
The No Anglican Covenant Coalition website provides a wealth of material advocating for rejection of the PAC, but, for the sake of balance, provides quotes and links for material in favor of the PAC. which is more than I can say for the ACO.
My suggestions to any involved in the process are:
Read the text of the PAC.
Read both pro and con arguments.
Make up your own mind as to whether the covenant is the solution to the disagreements in the Anglican Communion.
Vote accordingly.
Not having been able to attend church in seven years now, to a certain degree this all seems very far off to me, though I know it is a very present concern to many folks, pro and con.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is, we seceded from the British Empire and Church of England once already. Although a lifelong Anglophile, I reckon we can do it again if need be, don't you? And do just fine on our own, the same as last time.
Where else can this go? As near as I can make out, Abp Rowan is determined to placate the murderous, hate-spewing African bishops - and their fellow travelers in other lands - and spurn the homos, as the Pharisees did the lepers - so where else can this go, I ask you?
(Russ whistles Yankee Doodle while he types . . . )
Russ, I have friends in England who would be very sorry if I gave up the fight. I carry on for their sake. I don't care about Rowan, except that he can bring hurt to my friends.
ReplyDeleteOh Mimi, I didn't mean to question your good efforts, not at all. By all means, fight the good fight, and more power to you: the line between right and injustice is clear to all who have eyes to see.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I am just speaking from frustration with intractable ignorance and animus. The local diocese left me in the lurch some years ago, alone and homeless out here on the prairie, spiritually speaking. So though I remain Anglican in spirit, it matters less and less to me as years go by what happens to the visible church.
But for you, and many others, it's a very different matter, about something still a very near and dear part of your lives: so onward, Christian soldiers! I applaud you from the sidelines, here in the Free State of Manley.
Russ, I'm sorry our church treated you badly, and I don't blame you for for not caring about the visible church. The visible church is headed for change, and I doubt that we're ready for what's coming. Whatever is in the future, the church that is the Body of Christ will continue for all of us, including those like you, of Anglican spirit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great roundup of stories.
ReplyDeleteDe nada, Ann.
ReplyDeleteI strongly dislike the GUILT-TRIPPING Rowan and his henchmen have been doing about the Covenant. "Rowan has staked his entire reputation on this!" {pearl-clutch}
ReplyDeleteAs a 12Stepper, our 12 Traditions conclude "Principles Before Personalities": I do wish Rowan & Co would remember this. [i.e., "It's not about YOU, dear heart!"]
Its a sad commentary on those 9 who've voted in favour. Basically they were bulldozed into it by their Bishops, who see loyalty to the ABC as higher on the scale to the Pastoral Care of their diocese. Not all of the votes were resounding majorities, so they can't really claim that they even had 100% support in their dioceses.
ReplyDeleteThe lobby for the Covenant has set up its own Pro-covenant group to fight back. Not heard a lot from them so far, but expect them to ratchet up the pressure in the next few weeks as the vote gets critical.
Even if the Covenant is defeated in the Diocesan Synods, I wouldn't put it past the powers for it, raising it again at General Synod under some different pretext.
It would be a breach of the rules, but rules are there for guidance, not adherence as the House of Bishops has demonstrated in the past.
Ripon and Leeds, Bath and Wells and Carlisle will vote in favour. Southwark and Worcester will vote against. As for Coventry, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mimi. I've also been accused of being obsessive about this, but no obsession is involved. This is a political battle at this point, and the full court press from the Covenant supporters in England has to be countered by someone -- and the leaders of our church seem unwilling to do so (they don't want to be seen taking sides, alas, as if speaking truthfully is "taking sides"), so the foot-solders need to step up to the plate.
ReplyDeleteBut I am far from obsessed. The hour or so I spent blogging yesterday (my day off) is no more an obsession than the three hours I spent working on a painting of St John the Baptist for the Cathedral in Belize City; the hour I spent on a project of file conversion using a lovely new software I downloaded; having meals, saying the daily office, and enjoying the first "Doc Martin" film on the local PBS last night. I am far from obsessed, and I think you are no more obsessed than I. We are both concerned, and hopeful that England voting the damn thing down will mean less time taken up this summer at General Convention -- so we can get on with the work of the church!
JCF, the guilt-tripping, besides making me bristle, displays for all to see the dysfunctionality of Rowan's service as leader of both the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. Since he's made adoption of the covenant 'about him', he puts himself at great risk.
ReplyDeleteUKViewer, until just recently, most of the diocesan synod members were sent only pro-PAC material and probably saw the covenant as a good thing, or at least as harmless. Of course, if one has a vote, one should make a point of being informed and begin by reading the text itself.
As I understand, the covenant cannot be put before GS again during the quinquennium until new elections for synod are held.
MadPriest, thank you for your prognostications. Have you put money on your bets?
Tobias, I started to say obsession with PAC, but I knew that was not the case, since, like you, I have too many other things to do. But when something new on the PAC comes up, I write about it if I have time. And certain of the efforts to ram the covenant through on the part of those in favor seem unfair, which keeps me stirred up.
I'd bet with him Grandmère except that I agree with his run-down, although I'd only go evens on Coventry, too hard to call.
ReplyDeleteThanks, theme. If we went three and three, squeaking by in Coventry with a 'no', I'd say we'd had a good Saturday.
ReplyDeleteI'm more concerned about it getting too close and coming down to the last two diocese to vote, York & Newcastle.
ReplyDeleteWe know how York would go, don't we? What about Newcastle? Even if the 'yes' votes win by a small margin, Rowan can hardly claim a great victory.
ReplyDeleteNewcastle is a difficult one to call. There are not many evangelicals. The bishop is a control freak who has to always get his own way (which are not my words but those of a respected retired general synod member) so he probably likes the idea of giving bishops more power. But he is also so theologically liberal as to have no recognisable faith as such and I can't see him wanting to be pushed around by people who do believe in God.
ReplyDeleteThen we'll wait and see.
ReplyDelete