Anglican Communion Institute (ACI)

ACC-14: Did the Members Know What They Were Voting On?

A transcript of the proceedings at ACC-14 on May 8, 2009, when the Council voted in conflicting ways on key votes, raises the important question of how many of its members, including officers and proponents of key amendments, understood what they were actually voting on when they narrowly passed an amendment intended to open Section 4 of the Anglican Communion Covenant to "possible revision." The source of the confusion arose from multiple attempts by a minority of members generally opposed to the covenant to derail Section 4, a key section.

ACC-14: Did the Clauses on Section 4 Ever Pass?

Much of the criticism of the Anglican Consultative Council's deliberations concerning the Anglican Communion Covenant has centered on control of the resolutions committee by those opposed to a covenant with real accountability, confusing and inadequately explained procedures during the debate and intervention by the Archbishop of Canterbury said to have had the effect of diminishing chances for adoption of the intact Ridley Cambridge draft. As forceful as those criticisms may be, there is still more to the story. The bottom line is that it appears the deliberative process did not produc

The Wisdom of the Cross: Some reflections on ACC-14 and the Anglican Covenant

A number of persons from around the Communion have asked me for my perspective on the recent ACC meeting's treatment of the proposed Anglican Covenant. There are at least two reasons, I suppose, why my opinion might be solicited. First, I have been a member of the Covenant Design Group that, over the past two and half years has worked at the drafting of this document. Obviously, I have a particular stake in what happens to the work we have spent over 30 full days in prayer, study, and labor producing.

ACI Statement on the Anglican Consultative Council

Friday's session of the Anglican Consultative Council is an embarrassment to Anglicans everywhere, and a sad display of procedural confusion. Members were given complex resolutions right before the vote without sufficient time to study them and understand their consequences. Resolutions that had been distributed earlier were replaced by resolutions drafted by a committee largely composed of members from provinces known to be opposed to the Ridley Cambridge Draft.

CP:Rectors' Declaration of Support for the Bishops' Statement on the Polity of the Episcopal Church

Originally posted at CommunionPartners.org. A group of Bishops of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion have issued a statement on the polity of the Episcopal Church with which we as Rectors of churches in the Episcopal Church are in full agreement. Our understanding of the seat of authority in the Episcopal Church, as elaborated by the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, is consistent with that elaborated in the Bishops' statement.

Unanswered Questions

The posting of a stream of private emails that came from an unnamed source, including the correspondence of senior Bishops of this church and their lawyer, has added considerable heat to the debate that has followed publication on the ACI Website of the Bishops' Statement on the Polity of The Episcopal Church. To date, the discussion that has taken place on the Web has served more to cloud than clarify the significant issues now faced both by The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

Statement in Response to Father Mark Harris

Fr. Mark Harris has published today a further article on his blog, "Preludium," concerning the "Bishops' Statement on the Polity of The Episcopal Church," published yesterday by the Anglican Communion Institute, Inc. Fr. Harris is a member of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. Fr. Harris had previously disclosed on his blog obviously confidential communications, including material protected by the attorney-client privilege, concerning the Bishops' Statement. Today, in addition to defending his publication of the privileged communications, Fr.

Statement from the Anglican Communion Institute

The Rev'd Mr Harris has released via his blog confidential emails not addressed to him. We assume him to be a man of civility and honor, in view of his role as a member of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. The Anglican Communion Institute has long been on record as supportive of the Anglican Communion, the Covenant process, and the flourishing of the Episcopal Church and the defense of its Constitution.

Bishops' Statement on the Polity of the Episcopal Church

We write as Bishops of The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion and the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We are joined by distinguished theologians known for their long service throughout the Anglican Communion.