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.
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