wfn.org | Synod in Sydney, Australia, asks for closer look at the role of confirmation

[ENS@ecunet.org]

2000-160

Synod in Sydney, Australia, asks for closer look at the role of confirmation
http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens

by James Solheim

     (ENS) The Synod of the Diocese of Sydney in Australia passed a motion at its 
recent meeting that calls for a reexamination of the role of confirmation, 
raising the possibility that clergy and laity might administer the rite.

     After a lively debate, the synod asked the Standing Committee to appoint a 
committee "to examine from a theological, historical, ecumenical, pastoral and 
legal point of view the possibility of confirmation no longer being required 
after baptism as an adult; and confirmation in the Anglican Church being 
administered by presbyters or appropriate laypersons as well as bishops…"

     The appointed committee will also be asked to examine whether clergy and 
laity could "receive into the fellowship of he Anglican Church people who are 
communicant members of other Christian denominations."

     During the discussion, participants pointed out that allowing someone other 
than a bishop to confirm people was contrary to Anglican order and counter to the 
Book of Common Prayer.

     Bishops Ray Smith and Reg Piper agreed that a review of confirmation might 
be a good idea but expressed concerns that a change in policy might hamper their 
ministry and lead to bishops losing contact with their people. 

     "Some places don't want bishops," said Smith. "Some parts of the church are 
anti-episcopal."

     The synod also affirmed its support for the ministry of two American priests 
who were consecrated in Singapore as "missionary bishops" to the Episcopal 
Church. The author of the resolution, the Rev. Phillip Jensen, said that it was 
important that the synod encourage faithful Anglicans struggling to live under 
difficult circumstances. He charged that "persecution is becoming 
institutionalized against faithful Anglicans within ECUSA.

     Yet he said that it was important that any new group be broad-based, 
faithful to Anglicanism and acceptable to the Anglican community, and not just 
another "splinter group" that would only serve to widen the division in the 
church.

     In August Archbishop Harry Goodhew said that a broad coalition of "orthodox 
Episcopalians within the U.S. and with Primates worldwide" might gain "the full 
recognition of the Primates and the archbishop of Canterbury."

--James Solheim is director of the Episcopal Church's Office of News and 
Information.