Global Realignment
in the
Anglican Communion
A Canadian Chronology
Canadian Chronology
1893 - Solemn Declaration
“WE, the Bishops, together with the delegates
from the Clergy and Laity of the Church of
England in the Dominion of Canada, now
assembled in the first General Synod, hereby
make the following Solemn Declaration:
WE declare this Church to be, and desire that it
shall continue, in full communion with the
Church of England throughout the world, as an
integral portion of the One Body of Christ
Canadian Chronology
1893 - Solemn Declaration
composed of the Churches which, united under the One
Divine Head and in fellowship of the One Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church, hold the One Faith revealed in Holy Writ,
and defined in the Creeds as maintained by the undivided
primitive Church in the undisputed Ecumenical Councils;
receive the same Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments, as containing all things necessary to salvation;
teach the same Word of God. . .to hold and maintain the
Doctrine, Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ as the Lord
hath commanded in his Holy Word. . .and to transmit the
same unimpaired to our posterity.”
Canadian Chronology
1979 - House of Bishops Guidelines:
We do not accept the blessing of homosexual unions.
1997 - House of Bishops Pastoral Statement:
We are not ready to authorize the blessing of relationships
between persons of the same sex.”
1998 - Lambeth Resolution 1.10 states the
Communion Position: Rejects “homosexual practice
as incompatible with scripture” and “could not advise the
legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining
those involved in same gender unions”
Canadian Chronology
2002 (June) - Diocese of New Westminster
• Becomes the first Anglican diocese in the world to
formally authorize the blessing of same sex unions
2003 (May) - Primates Meeting in Brazil
• “we as a body cannot support the authorisation of
such rites.”
• Within one week of the Brazil meeting, the bishop
issues a Rite and the first official blessing takes
place in the diocese of New Westminster.
Canadian Chronology
2003 (October) - Primates meeting at Lambeth
• Reaffirm 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10
• Referring to ECUSA and Diocese of New
Westminster
“these decisions jeopardise our sacramental
fellowship with each other”
“This will tear the fabric of our Communion at
its deepest level, and may lead to further division”
Canadian Chronology
2003 (October) Primates meeting at Lambeth:
• On care for those adhering to Anglican
teaching:
“. . . we call on the provinces concerned to make
adequate provision for episcopal oversight of
dissenting minorities within their own area of
pastoral care in consultation with the Archbishop of
Canterbury on behalf of the Primates.”
Canadian Chronology
2004 - Canadian General Synod
• Affirms “the integrity and sanctity of committed adult
same-sex relationships”
• Primate’s Theological Commission to report by GS
2007 on whether same sex blessings are a matter
of doctrine
• No attempt to stop the diocese of New Westminster,
nor to make provision for “Adequate Episcopal
Oversight” for dissenting minorities (per October
2003 Primates’ Communiqué)
Canadian Chronology
2004 (November) - The Windsor Report
§ 143 - 5 charges against New Westminster
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Proceeded “unilaterally”
Against “the formally expressed opinions of the
Instruments of Unity”
“Action in breach of the legitimate application of the
Christian faith as the churches of the Anglican
Communion have received it”
In breach of the “bonds of affection in the life of the
Communion”
In breach of “the principle of interdependence”
Canadian Chronology
The Windsor Report (cont)
§ 144 Called for:
• A moratorium
• Provinces to take responsibility for ensuring
commitment on the part of their bishops
§ 151 Commended:
• “. .delegated pastoral oversight for those who are
dissenting. . . sufficient to provide a credible degree
of security on the part of the alienated community,
so that they do not feel at the mercy of a potentially
hostile leadership.”
Canadian Chronology
2004 - The Windsor Report (cont)
Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight
(DEPO) in the U.S. and Shared Episcopal
Ministry (SEM) in Canada clearly lack that:
“credible degree of security. . .”
The Windsor Report Concludes:
§ 157 “There remains a very real danger . .
walk apart.”
Canadian Chronology
2005 (February) Primates’ Meeting in
Dromantine, Ireland
• Asked the ACC to “voluntarily withdraw” until
2008
• Called for “a moratorium on public Rites of
Blessing”
• Re-affirmed the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10
• Called “as a matter of urgency” for “a panel of
reference”
Canadian Chronology
2005 (February) - Primates’ Meeting in Dromantine,
Ireland (cont)
• ACC to appear before the Anglican Consultative Council in
June to:“set out the thinking behind the recent actions of their
Province”.
2005 (May) - St. Michael’s Report is released
• Blessing of same sex unions is a matter of Doctrine, but not
core doctrine “in the sense of being credal” - not “communion
breaking”
2005 (June) - Anglican Consultative Council Hearing,
Nottingham
• Upheld the “voluntary withdrawal” (“suspension”) until 2008
Canadian Chronology
October 2005
• Archbishop of Canterbury is a guest speaker
at the Egypt South to South Encounter
• ACNS 4063, Oct. 31 reports:
“On the status of the networks of
dissenting parishes in the United States
and Canada, he said that he was happy
to recognise them as part of the Anglican
Communion:
Canadian Chronology
October 2005 (cont)
• “There is no doubt in my mind that these
networks are full members of the Anglican
Communion; that is to say that their bishops,
their clergy and their people are involved with
the Communion which I share with them, which
we all share with them. Now formal ecclesial
recognition of a network as if it were a province
is not so simply in my hands or the hands of
any individual. But I do want to say quite simply
yes of course; these are part of our Anglican
fellowship and I welcome that.”
Canadian Chronology
2006 October - Panel of Reference releases
report on the Diocese of New Westminster
• Affirms SEM.
• Archbishop Drexel Gomes (West Indies)
responds: “ . . the recommendations of the
Panel do not respond adequately to the real
situation.”
• Archbishop Gregory Venables (Southern Cone):
“does not appear that it will offer solutions of
adequate or appropriate substance.”
Canadian Chronology
2007 (February) - Primates Meeting in Dar Es
Salaam
• Affirmed 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10 as the “standard
of teaching which is presupposed in the Windsor Report
and from which the Primates have worked”.
• Affirmed that actions of the ACC have “challenged the
standard of teaching on human sexuality articulated in
the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10”
• “Grateful” for the work of the Panel of Reference but did
not endorse or discuss any of their recommendations or
reports.
Canadian Chronology
2007 (February) Primates Meeting in Dar Es
Salaam
• Commended the work of the Covenant Design
Group for the Lambeth Conference (2008)
• Re: TEC’s response to the Dromantine requests:
• “lack of clarity”
• “inconsistency between the position of General
Convention and local pastoral provision”
• “ambiguous stance” causes concern
Canadian Chronology
2007 (February) Primates Meeting in Dar Es Salaam
• Acknowledged Primates have intervened in Provinces
• Not right to end those interventions until sufficient provision
for the life of those persons
• Require a robust scheme of pastoral oversight to provide. .
. adequate space to flourish within the life of that church in
the period leading up to the conclusion of the Covenant
Process”
• Recommended “a Pastoral Council to act on behalf of
the Primates”
• Acknowledged “such pastoral needs . . . are not limited
to TEC alone.”
Canadian Chronology
2007 (February) Primates Meeting in Dar Es Salaam
• Asked TEC House of Bishops (by September 30) for
1. “an unequivocal common covenant’ they will not authorize
any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions and
2. will not consent to the consecration of any bishop “living in
a same-sex union. . . unless some new consensus on
these matters emerges across the Communion”
• As of September 30, 2007, the Pastoral Council was
rejected and the unequivocal statements were not
provided
Canadian Chronology
2007 (June) General Synod of the ACC, Winnipeg
• Accepts same sex blessings are a matter of doctrine, but “not
in conflict” with the core doctrine of the ACC
• Rejects upholding “Lambeth Resolution 1.10 as the current
standard of Anglican teaching” and a moratorium on same-sex
blessings.
• Rejects a motion to affirm “local option” but fails to address
New Westminster situation
• Requests a theological rationale to be brought to GS 2010 on
the implications of the blessing of same-sex unions and/or
marriages
Canadian Chronology
2007 - Post September 30
• In an October letter to Bishop John Howe (Central
Florida), the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote:
“Any Diocese compliant with Windsor remains clearly in
communion with Canterbury and the mainstream of the
Communion, whatever may be the longer-term result for
others in The Episcopal Church. The organ of union with
the wider Church is the Bishop and the Diocese rather
than the Provincial structure as such.”
• What is Windsor compliance? Who decides?
When?
Canadian Chronology
2007 (September) Common Cause Council of Bishops
• This is another Presentation in this Conference
Canadian Chronology
2007 - (November)
• Bishop Donald Harvey comes out of retirement to
become an active bishop under Primate Gregory
Venables in the Province of the Southern Cone
• The Council of General Synod denounces his move and
claim any proposed episcopal acts are “not a valid
expression of Anglicanism and are in contravention of the ancient
and continuing tradition of the Church”
• CoGS makes no statement regarding the motions to
bless same sex marriages, passed at the recent
Synods of Ottawa, Montreal and Niagara.
Canadian Chronology
2007 - (November) ANiC Conference
• ANiC offers Adequate Episcopal Oversight and
Communion connection to biblically-faithful
Canadian Anglicans in “serious theological dispute”
with their bishop, diocese, or the ACC and who wish
to remain “in full communion with the Church of
England throughout the world” while the global
Communion seeks to “repair the tear” through the
Covenant process or other means.