News for Week Ending 5/16/2011

Two provinces approve Covenant with different understandings

The Anglican churches in South East Asia and Ireland both signed on to the Anglican Covenant this past week, but the provinces issued statements suggesting that their understanding of their actions were quite different.

South East Asia “acceded” to the Covenant, but, in its statement, it expanded the meaning of the Covenant beyond any possible objective reading, insisting, for example, that 1998 Lambeth Resolution I.10 must not be “violated” by signatories.

The Church of Ireland, on the other hand, “subscribed” to the Covenant, a move it distinguished, in a press release, from “adopting” the Covenant. Whereas South East Asia attempted to expand the meaning of the pact, Ireland intended to carefully circumscribe its significance so as to preserve the church’s autonomy. (The working group that recommended subscription to the Church of Ireland General Synod provided an explanation that can be read here.)

Anglican Communion News Service reported on the South East Asia action here on May 8, 2011, (see story here) and on the Church of Ireland move here on May 13. Episcopal News service ran a story reporting both approvals.

GAFCON announces new offices, events

GAFCON leaders met April 25–28, 2011, in Nairobi and released information about their meeting on May 11. The group announced plans for a leadership conference in New York in 2012, to be followed by a broader conference, tentatively designated GAFCON 2, in 2013. A “Chairman’s office” is to be opened in Nairobi. (The Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala, Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya, is now Chairman of the Primates’ Council.) Additionally, a “Global Coordination office” is to be opened in London under the direction of the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, who is Deputy Secretary and Executive Director. Minns, a former Episcopal priest, is often credited with developing the Global South strategy.

Diocese releases property Q&A

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh posted a collection of questions and answers related to property issues on its Web site on May 13, 2011. The information is intended to clarify issues for Episcopalians and others interested in property matters. The post can be found here.