U.S. Episcopal Church to consider coalition’s resolution

An international coalition of Anglicans hopes a model resolution to reject the Anglican Communion Covenant will be accepted by The U.S. Episcopal Church at its General Convention in Indianapolis in July.

The covenant was intended to be an agreement to bind the global Anglican Communion together despite differences about the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of bishops in same-sex relationships.

The coalition’s resolution declines to approve the covenant and claims there are better ways to unify the Anglican Communion. It calls on the church to “at every level to seek opportunities to reach out to strengthen and restore relationships between this church and sister churches of the Communion.”

The Rev. Malcolm French, the coalition’s new Canadian moderator, told the Anglican Journal that 13 volunteers from the House of Deputies [clergy and laity] of the U.S. Episcopal Church now have submitted a resolution based on the coalition’s text. The coalition will also provide information about its views to delegates during the convention.

In March, the coalition applauded the defeat of the covenant in England when a majority of dioceses voted against adopting it. “The situation in England really raises some questions about the viability of the entire project…,” says French, the incumbent priest at St. James the Apostle in Regina. “It was clearly, in England, not the unifying document that its advocates claim,” says French.

The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is also holding its General Synod in July. It will consider the covenant, but French points out that the order representing the Maori has said they will vote against it. In addition, four of seven dioceses have already rejected the covenant.

In Canada, General Synod has asked Anglicans to study and consider the covenant.