wfn.org | Anglican Consultative Council says no to Lambeth

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

ACNS 1885 · 17 September 1999 · Dundee [ACC-11/19]
ACC SAYS NO TO LAMBETH
In a close vote (33 for, 28 against) on the make-up of the Anglican
Consultative Council, members decided not to make any changes to present
arrangements. Although the resolution identified budget limitations as the
primary rationale, the decision implicitly repudiated Lambeth efforts to
increase primatial presence on the Council.
The call to examine the nature of Council membership originated in two
different gatherings. At the last meeting of the ACC in Panama, 1996, the
Council referred to the Standing Committee of the ACC and the Primates their
desire to increase the size of the Standing Committee. They further asked
for an examination of the possibility of youth members of the ACC as well as
equal representation of all provinces on the Council. At the 1998 Lambeth
Conference, the bishops asked the ACC to be made up of every primate as well
as one presbyter and person from each province.
A report on these proposals was made by members of the Standing Committee,
Mrs Maureen Sithole of Southern Africa and Mr Ghazi Musharbash of Jerusalem
and the Middle East, to the Council in its first business session on Friday
afternoon, 17 September. The report included significant data, with respect
to gender and ordination status, comparing current makeup of the ACC and
options drafted by the Standing Committee and Lambeth. After much
discussion, the vote taken affirmed the resolution offered in the report to
do nothing at this time thus turning back the Lambeth resolution.
In other business before the Council, members agreed to minor changes in the
constitution and by-laws of the ACC to: provide for a closer connection
between ACC membership and decision making bodies in the churches
represented, correct inconsistencies on the Standing Committee and
Inter-Anglican Finance Committee, and address liability concerns for the
Council. In an earlier session, the ACC agreed to change procedural
guidelines to increase participation and discussion in the gathering.
Communications Team
ACC-11
Ian Douglas, Margaret Rodgers, Jim Rosenthal, Manasseh Zindo