Where is the Anglican Communion going?

Barbara Gauthier is perhaps the best orthodox guide these days to happenings in the Anglican communion.  I recommend her blog, which you can sign up for by going here: [email protected]

Here are selections from today’s post, which provide a keen overview of what is going on today.

What we are seeing I think is the beginning of the formation of a global Anglican Communion for the first time.  The one that is fracturing only existed on paper for the most part, held together by a common spiritual ancestry, “bonds of affection” and (most importantly) a common history of colonialism — the Brits in Africa and South Asia; the Yanks in East Asia and the Americas. Those cherished bonds counted for little in practical terms — rather like having the Queen’s portrait in the post offices of Canada or Australia. . . .

Things changed dramatically in 1998.  The Lambeth Conference had been designed as a collegial gathering of Agnlican bishops from around the world, to have tea together, get to know one another and occasionally make a few non-binding decisions as a gentlemen’s agreement.  In 1998 all that changed. The African bishops took over the discussions, culminating in Resolution I.10 on human sexuality, which was considered binding on all provinces, having been approved by all bishops in the Anglican Communion.  The Lambeth conference was beginning to take on the authority of a global Anglican synod and the liberal provinces were not amused. . . .

By 2007 the Primates agreed unanimously on a way forward that would include discipline of errant provinces.  ++Rowan Williams was tasked with seeing that the discipline was enforced.  He attended the next scheduled Episcopal House of Bishops meeting where the moratoria were to be discussed and promptly undermined the process by telling the bishops that they would not be bound by the decision that their primate had signed. . . .

What we saw at the first GAFCON gathering was the beginning of a truly global Anglican Communion based on the conciliar model of the early Church.  The Jerusalem Declaration was written by the bishops, clergy and laity there. . . .

With the dust having settled from the January meeting, there has been ample time for reflection on what comes next.  ++Mouneer Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East) believes that TEC will use the three years to reflect on what it has done and perhaps have a change of heart.  ++Nicholas Okoh (Nigeria) is not convinced that TEC will even once look back in the rear view mirror (and PB Michael Curry has since confirmed ++Okoh’s initial intuition). . . .

Martin Davie provides some solid practical advice for the Global South in re-laying the foundations of a faithful, Scripture-centered Communion.  The noted Anglican theologian lays out in systematic order what he thinks are “the key issues facing orthodox Anglicans as we move on to the next stage of the life of the Anglican Communion.”