Covenant would change how to select ABC
The Bishop of Cork in the Church of Ireland says new proposals designed to prevent the Anglican Communion falling apart will necessitate changes in the way that the Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed, according to Christian Today.
Speaking at his Diocesan Synod for Cork, Cloyne and Ross on Saturday, Bishop Paul Colton referred to discussions taking place throughout the Communion on the proposed Anglican Covenant, due to be discussed at next month’s Lambeth Conference, the 10-yearly gathering of bishops within the Communion.The Anglican Covenant has been put together in an effort to prevent a split in the Anglican Communion of churches, primarily over the issue of homosexual ordinations and blessings. The Covenant seeks to balance the autonomy of the 38 provinces with the unity of the Communion and asks provinces for their voluntary commitment to a process of joined-up deliberation whenever disputes occur over contentious issues.
Bishop Colton warned, however, that the proposed Anglican Covenant gives the Archbishop of Canterbury significant new powers outside the Church of England and within other Churches.
Although the Covenant goes some way to assure that Churches would be able to maintain some independence, Bishop Colton said he felt that agreeing to it “would result in compromising the autonomy of the Church of Ireland and other parts of the Anglican Communion”.
Bishop Colton acknowledged that the Covenant’s proposals may be necessary to preserve the unity of Anglicanism, but expressed concern that the proposal to enhance the powers of the Archbishop of Canterbury represented a partial move “...towards universal primacy at the expense of local conciliarity”.
He argued that if this were to happen, the Communion would need to consider a new approach to the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
“If the Covenant proposals and the framework for resolution of conflict are to be adopted internationally, a new approach to the appointment of future Archbishops of Canterbury will be needed as well as international involvement in those appointments,” he said.
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Would a change in the process of selecting the ABC require an act of Parliament?
Posted by Kevin Montgomery![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 10, 2008 8:30 AM
I see the logic. And yet, I prefer the current way of choosing the ABC to some of the alternatives I can imagine.
Posted by John B. Chilton![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 10, 2008 10:09 AM
Lock all the Primates in a chapel, and then when they elect a new Archbishop of Canterbury, they burn the ballots with wet straw to produce white smoke!
Or not.
The Dog and Pony Show method is looking better and better.
Seriously, Kevin: Yes. And the chances that Parliament would allow the ABC to be appointed by any process beyond England are none and none. What is it that folks don't seem to understand about "Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England"? That means the ABC is not Primate of anywhere else. The ABC gets to host the Lambeth Conference. The ABC even gets to chair the ACC. If the ABC wants to come over and visit us, we are happy to offer our best hospitality, and are delighted to get our books signed.
But the ABC isn't the Pope. There's a reason for that.
Bill
Posted by Bill Moorhead![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 10, 2008 9:49 PM