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.”

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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. Proceeded “unilaterally”2. Against “the formally expressed opinions of the

Instruments of Unity” 3. “Action in breach of the legitimate application of the

Christian faith as the churches of the Anglican Communion have received it”

4. In breach of the “bonds of affection in the life of the Communion”

5. In breach of “the principle of interdependence”

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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.”

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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) for1. “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.