wfn.org | ACNS3652 Anglican Communion - Commission announced

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3652     |     LAMBETH PALACE     |     28 OCTOBER 2003 

Anglican Communion - Commission announced

[ACNS source: Lambeth Palace] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan
Williams, has announced the makeup and the terms of reference for a
Commission to look at life in the Anglican Communion in the light of
recent events. It is to be made up of members appointed by the
Archbishop of Canterbury and will be chaired by the Most Revd Robin
Eames, Archbishop of Armagh.

The Commission, which is expected to begin its work early in the New
Year, was formed as a result of a request from the recent Primates
meeting at Lambeth Palace to the Archbishop of Canterbury. It will take
particular account of the decision to authorise a service for use in
connection with same sex unions in the Diocese of New Westminster,
Canada, and the expected Consecration of the Revd Canon V Gene Robinson
as Bishop Co-adjutor of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church (USA) on
Sunday, November 2nd.

Membership of the Commission has been drawn up by Dr Williams in
consultation and reflects the breadth and diversity of the Anglican
Communion as well as providing substantial canonical, theological and
ecclesiological expertise. The Commission was requested by the Primates
to report within twelve months (that is, by October 2004) to the
Archbishop of Canterbury in preparation for ensuing meetings of the
Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council.

Dr Williams said that the Commission's main task would be to offer
advice on finding a way through the situation which currently threatens
to divide the Communion:

"The Primates were clear that the Anglican Communion could be
approaching a crucial and critical point in its life. The responses of
Provinces to developing events will determine the future life of our
Communion in a profound way and we need to take time for careful prayer,
reflection and consideration to discern God's will for the whole
Communion. This Commission, under the Communion's longest serving
Primate, is intended to contribute to our finding a way forward."

Dr Eames said he was deeply conscious of the challenge: "I am conscious
of the importance and the delicacy of the work the Commission will have
to undertake. It is important to see the whole of the task - we have not
been charged with finding the answers to the questions of sexuality, but
with assisting the Communion to respond to recent developments in our
churches in North America in a way which is fully faithful to Christ's
call for the Unity of his Church." 

The full mandate and membership list follows:

The mandate

The Archbishop of Canterbury requests the Commission:

1. To examine and report to him by 30th September 2004, in preparation
for the ensuing meetings of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative
Council, on the legal and theological implications flowing from the
decisions of the Episcopal Church (USA) to appoint a priest in a
committed same sex relationship as one of its bishops, and of the
Diocese of New Westminster to authorise services for use in connection
with same sex unions, and specifically on the canonical understandings
of communion, impaired and broken communion, and the ways in which
provinces of the Anglican Communion may relate to one another in
situations where the ecclesiastical authorities of one province feel
unable to maintain the fullness of communion with another part of the
Anglican Communion.

2. Within their report, to include practical recommendations (including
reflection on emerging patterns of provision for episcopal oversight for
those Anglicans within a particular jurisdiction, where full communion
within a province is under threat) for maintaining the highest degree of
communion that may be possible in the circumstances resulting from these
decisions, both within and between the churches of the Anglican
Communion.

3. Thereafter, as soon as practicable, and with particular reference to
the issues raised in Section IV of the Report of the Lambeth Conference
1998, to make recommendations to the Primates and the Anglican
Consultative Council, as to the exceptional circumstances and conditions
under which, and the means by which, it would be appropriate for the
Archbishop of Canterbury to exercise an extraordinary ministry of
episcope (pastoral oversight), support and reconciliation with regard to
the internal affairs of a province other than his own for the sake of
maintaining communion with the said province and between the said
province and the rest of the Anglican Communion.

4. In its deliberations, to take due account of the work already
undertaken on issues of communion by the Lambeth Conferences of 1988 and
1998, as well as the views expressed by the Primates of the Anglican
Communion in the communiquis and pastoral letters arising from their
meetings since 2000.

The members of the Commission are:

* Archbishop Robin Eames, Primate of All Ireland, Chairman,
* The Revd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Director of Faith, Worship and
Ministry, the Anglican Church of Canada,
* Bishop David Beetge, Dean of the Church of the Province of Southern
Africa,
* Professor Norman Doe, Director of the Centre for Law and Religion,
Cardiff University, Wales,
* Bishop Mark Dyer, Director of Spiritual Formation, Virginia
Theological Seminary, USA,
* Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies,
* Archbishop Josiah Iduwo-Fearon, Archbishop of Kaduna, the Anglican
Church of Nigeria,
* The Revd Dorothy Lau, Director of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare
Council,
* Ms Anne McGavin, Advocate, formerly Legal Adviser to the College of
Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church,
* Archbishop Bernard Malango, Primate of Central Africa,
* Dr Esther Mombo, Academic Dean of St Paul's United Theological
Seminary, Limuru, Kenya,
* Archbishop Barry Morgan, Primate of Wales,
* Chancellor Rubie Nottage, Chancellor of the West Indies,
* Bishop John Paterson, Primate of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia,
and Chairman of the Anglican Consultative Council,
* Dr Jenny Te Paa,  Principal of College of Saint John the Evangelist,
Auckland, New Zealand,
* Bishop James Terom, Moderator, the Church of North India,
* Bishop N Thomas Wright, Bishop of Durham, the Church of England.

The Revd Canon John Rees, Legal Adviser to the Anglican Consultative
Council, will act as Legal Consultant to the Commission.

The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron, Director of Ecumenical Affairs and
Studies, Anglican Communion Office, will act as Secretary to the
Commission.

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