Sydney votes to allow diaconal and lay presidency at the Eucharist

The Archdiocese of Sydney in Australia has broken with Anglican tradition and voted to accept a report which calls for allowing lay people and deacons to celebrate the Holy Eucharist without a priest present.

The Church Times reports in their article:

"In a motion moved by a Sydney regional bishop, Dr Glenn Davies, the synod accepted arguments that there was no legal impediment to deacons’ presiding, given that, under a 1985 General Synod canon, deacons are authorised to assist the priest in the administration of the sacraments.

A report accompanying the motion argued that, because deacons can administer the sacrament of baptism ‘in its entirety’, and because ‘no hierarchy of sacraments is expressed in describing the deacon’s role of assisting the presbyter,’ deacons are therefore authorised to ‘administer the Lord’s Supper in its entirety’.

Bishop Davies told the Synod that the Archbishop could not prevent a deacon’s ‘administering the Lord’s Supper’. But the motion, though it also affirmed lay presidency, could not approve lay people’s presiding at Sunday services, as the Archbishop would need to license them, Bishop Davies said. ‘The Archbishop will not license a lay person at this time.’"

Read the full article here.

The article speculates that the reason for Archbishop Jensen's reluctance to license lay people to preside at the Eucharist is that he is concerned about the reaction of the GAFCON leadership. But licensing deacons is, by itself, a departure from the Ordinal and the traditions of Anglicanism.

Here is some background information to the controversy.

Posted by Nicholas Knisely on October 25, 2008 12:35 PM | |
Comments (5)

Hmm. Being picked by one's local community and licensed by the Archbishop is, it seems, rather like "the process". I'm betting there will also be a parallel rite like our blessing of altar servers (etc) where we pray God to bless these folks in their ministry, etc. Sounds like ordination.

Posted by Huw Richardson [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 25, 2008 8:54 PM

It will be interesting to see whether the Archbishop of Canterbury calls an emergency meeting of the Primates to deal with this new development, or whether that only happens if the development involves homosexuality and upsets Peter Akinola. Allowing lay people to celebrate the Eucharist is a much more significant break from Anglican tradition than allowing gay bishops to admit that they are gay.

Posted by Jim Naughton [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 26, 2008 7:54 AM

Jim,

I agree with your thoughts..., and I am waiting to see whether there is some reaction from Lambeth Palace. Perhaps a quicker reaction would come if Sydney said that gay laypeople could preside!

Very interesting times, I had heard that this "innovation" was on its way (even in England!), but I still am so surprised by it.

Peter Carey+
http://santospopsicles.blogspot.com/

Posted by Peter Carey [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 26, 2008 7:08 PM

Huw, it sounds like ordination, but isn't.

Greg Jones

Posted by anglicancentrist [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 27, 2008 9:52 PM

The argument included deacons can baptise. But non-Christians can baptise! I'm waiting for the logic: Sydney has non-Christians presiding at the eucharist!

http://www.liturgy.co.nz/blog/sydney/167

Posted by Liturgy [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 7, 2008 9:15 PM

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