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The Anglican
Communion Primates’ Meeting
Communiqué, February 2005
25
February 2005
From
the Anglican Communion News Service
1. As Primates of the Anglican
Communion and Moderators of the United Churches, we gathered at the
Dromantine Retreat and Conference Centre, Newry, in Northern Ireland,
between 20th and 25th February, 2005, at the invitation of the Archbishop
of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. Thirty-five of us were present at
this meeting (i). We are extremely grateful for the warmth of the welcome
to Dromantine that we have received from members of the Roman Catholic
Society of African Missions who run the Retreat Centre, and from the
Church of Ireland, and especially the Primate of All Ireland, the Most
Revd Robin Eames and Lady Eames, who have been our hosts.
2. Our meeting was held within the context of common prayer and worship,
including Evensong at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, when we
were formally welcomed to the Church of Ireland. On the Monday and
Tuesday mornings, we spent time in Bible Study, prayer and silent retreat,
led by the Archbishop of Canterbury on the Lenten theme of the Three
Temptations of Christ. He reminded us that it was our duty as Christian
leaders to begin by listening to God, before going on to listen to
one another. We thank God that our meeting has been characterised by
generosity of spirit, and a readiness to respect one another’s
integrity, with Christian charity and abundant goodwill.
3. The meeting opened with reports from the Provinces most affected
by the recent tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean and the works of
relief undertaken by Anglican churches. We offered prayers for the
victims, and for the ongoing work of reconstruction and relief being
undertaken across the entire rim of the Indian Ocean, particularly
in the Province of South East Asia, East Africa, the Indian Ocean,
and South India and in the Church of Ceylon.
4. The most pressing business facing the Primates’ Meeting was
consideration of the Windsor Report 2004, in which the Lambeth Commission
on Communion (ii) had offered its recommendations on the future life
of the Anglican Communion in the light of developments in Anglican
life in North America (iii).
5. We reflected for many hours on the recommendations of the Windsor
Report; listening first to Archbishop Robin Eames, who introduced the
work of the Lambeth Commission, which he had chaired, and then to Primus
Bruce Cameron of the Scottish Episcopal Church, who took up the work
that Archbishop Peter Kwong had begun with the Reception Reference
Group (iv). We considered a careful analysis of the 322 responses which
this group had received from around the Anglican Communion, and which
offered a high measure of general support for the recommendations of
the Windsor Report, despite some expressions of concern in relation
to matters of detail (v).
6. We then proceeded to our own reflections on these responses. There
are a number of things which are quite clear. Many primates have been
deeply alarmed that the standard of Christian teaching on matters of
human sexuality expressed in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10, which
should command respect as the position overwhelmingly adopted by the
bishops of the Anglican Communion, has been seriously undermined by
the recent developments in North America. At the same time, it is acknowledged
that these developments within the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican
Church of Canada have proceeded entirely in accordance with their constitutional
processes and requirements (vi). We also wish to make it quite clear
that in our discussion and assessment of the moral appropriateness
of specific human behaviours, we continue unreservedly to be committed
to the pastoral support and care of homosexual people. The victimisation
or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered
towards people of the same sex is anathema to us. We assure homosexual
people that they are children of God, loved and valued by him, and
deserving of the best we can give of pastoral care and friendship (vii).
7. We welcome the general thrust of the Windsor Report as offering
a way forward for the mutual life of our Communion, and commend the
following conclusions for dealing with the differences of opinion which
have opened up amongst us.
8. We believe that the Windsor Report offers in its Sections A & B
an authentic description of the life of the Anglican Communion, and
the principles by which its life is governed and sustained. While we
believe that many elements of this account offer a picture of what
is ideal, rather than what is currently actually experienced, we accept
the description offered in Sections A & B of the Windsor Report
as the way in which we would like to see the life of the Anglican Communion
developed, as we respond in faithful discipleship to Christ. These
sections speak of the central place Anglicans accord to the authority
of scripture, and of “autonomy-in-communion” as the balanced
exercise of the inter-dependence between the thirty-eight Provinces
and their legitimate provincial autonomy. We therefore request all
provinces to consider whether they are willing to be committed to the
inter-dependent life of the Anglican Communion understood in the terms
set out in these sections of the report.
9. We welcome the proposals in Section C for the future development
of the Instruments of Unity (viii), although we recognise that serious
questions about the content of the proposal for an Anglican Covenant
(ix) and the practicalities of its implementation mean that this is
a longer term process. We were glad to be reminded of the extensive
precedents for covenants that many Anglican churches have established
with ecumenical partners, and that even within our Communion the Chicago/Lambeth
Quadrilateral has already been effectively operating as a form of covenant
that secures our basic commitment to scripture, the Nicene Creed, the
two Sacraments of the Gospel and the Historic Episcopate. We therefore
commend this proposal as a project that should be given further consideration
in the Provinces of the Communion between now and the Lambeth Conference
2008. In addition, we ask the Archbishop of Canterbury to explore ways
of implementing this.
10. We also have further questions concerning the development of the
role of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and of a Council of Advice (x).
While we welcome the ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury as that
of one who can speak to us as primus inter pares about the realities
we face as a Communion, we are cautious of any development which would
seem to imply the creation of an international jurisdiction which could
override our proper provincial autonomy. We ask the Archbishop of Canterbury
to explore ways of consulting further on these matters.
11. We accept the principle articulated in Section D of the Windsor
Report concerning the universal nature of the ministry of a bishop
within Anglican polity (xi). Although formidable practical problems
would attend any formal process of wider consultation in the election
and confirmation of bishops, we request that Provinces should themselves
find an appropriate place for the proper consideration of the principle
of inter-dependence in any process of election or confirmation.
12. We as a body continue to address the situations which have arisen
in North America with the utmost seriousness. Whilst there remains
a very real question about whether the North American churches are
willing to accept the same teaching on matters of sexual morality as
is generally accepted elsewhere in the Communion, the underlying reality
of our communion in God the Holy Trinity is obscured, and the effectiveness
of our common mission severely hindered.
13. We are persuaded however that in order for the recommendations
of the Windsor Report to be properly addressed, time needs to be given
to the Episcopal Church (USA) and to the Anglican Church of Canada
for consideration of these recommendations according to their constitutional
processes.
14. Within the ambit of the issues discussed in the Windsor Report
and in order to recognise the integrity of all parties, we request
that the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada voluntarily
withdraw their members from the Anglican Consultative Council for the
period leading up to the next Lambeth Conference. During that same
period we request that both churches respond through their relevant
constitutional bodies to the questions specifically addressed to them
in the Windsor Report as they consider their place within the Anglican
Communion. (cf. paragraph 8)
15. In order to protect the integrity and legitimate needs of groups
in serious theological dispute with their diocesan bishop, or dioceses
in dispute with their Provinces, we recommend that the Archbishop of
Canterbury appoint, as a matter of urgency, a panel of reference to
supervise the adequacy of pastoral provisions made by any churches
for such members in line with the recommendation in the Primates’ Statement
of October 2003 (xii). Equally, during this period we commit ourselves
neither to encourage nor to initiate cross-boundary interventions.
16. Notwithstanding the request of paragraph 14 of this communiqué,
we encourage the Anglican Consultative Council to organise a hearing
at its meeting in Nottingham, England, in June 2005 at which representatives
of the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada, invited
for that specific purpose, may have an opportunity to set out the thinking
behind the recent actions of their Provinces, in accordance with paragraph
141 of the Windsor Report.
17. In reaffirming the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution 1.10 as
the present position of the Anglican Communion, we pledge ourselves
afresh to that resolution in its entirety, and request the Anglican
Consultative Council in June 2005 to take positive steps to initiate
the listening and study process which has been the subject of resolutions
not only at the Lambeth Conference in 1998, but in earlier Conferences
as well.
18. In the meantime, we ask our fellow primates to use their best
influence to persuade their brothers and sisters to exercise a moratorium
on public Rites of Blessing for Same-sex unions and on the consecration
of any bishop living in a sexual relationship outside Christian marriage.
19. These strategies are intended to restore the full trust of our
bonds of affection across the Communion.
20. In the second half of our meeting we addressed some issues of
practical ministry which have been on our agenda now for the last couple
of years. We received a report of the present situation in relation
to the ministry of African churches in particular amongst people living
with HIV/AIDS; the dying, the bereaved, and orphaned children. We noted
that this serious challenge is faced by all of our churches. We now
accept, however, that our concerns must be broadened to include those
suffering from TB and malaria. We know that this year 3 million people
will die of AIDS, 2 million of TB, and 1 million of malaria. We have
also been called to support the General Secretary of the United Nations,
Kofi Annan, and world leaders in developing effective strategies for
achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 (xiii). In
addition to the commitment to combat HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, these
MDGs include reducing absolute poverty by half and reducing hunger
by half by 2015. In the longer term we must eradicate both. Other MDGs
include lowering child mortality and improving maternal health, universal
primary education, access to clear drinking water, and the building
of sustainable development partnerships between rich and poor. Accordingly
we call upon the people of God in all the Provinces of our Communion
to encourage leaders of government to pursue these goals with vigour,
and to pray for the strengthening of their resolve to achieve the MDGs
by 2015.
21. Two whole sessions of our meeting were devoted to the important
work of the discernment of theological truth and the development and
improvement of theological education through the sharing of resources
across the Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury has identified this
as a priority concern during the period of his leadership. The work
of TEAC (Theological Education for the Anglican Communion) which was
established at our meeting in Kanuga in 2001 was reviewed, including
the four separate Target Groups which are now engaged with the development
of specific education and training programmes for bishops; for priests
and transitional deacons; for vocational deacons, catechists and licensed
lay readers; and for the laity. In all this particular attention is
being paid to the distinctively Anglican component in theological education.
This mandate is of concern because some theological education across
the Communion needs to take more account of Anglican history, formularies
or spirituality. The discernment and definition of the “Anglican
Way” is being intentionally pursued by a dedicated Target Group.
It is planned to hold a Consultation for theological educators later
this year in Canterbury, and it is anticipated that this work will
be a significant item of consideration at the Lambeth Conference in
2008.
22. Our common commitment to the pursuit of projects such as these,
together with our recent very positive experience of close practical
co-operation in response to the tsunami disaster, convince us of the
enormous importance of our shared work together as Provinces of the
Anglican Communion. Indeed, in the course of our meeting, we have become
even more mindful of the indissoluble link between Christian unity
and Christian mission, as this is expressed in Jesus’ own prayer
that his disciples should be one that the world may believe (John 17.21).
Accordingly, we pray for the continuing blessing of God’s unity
and peace as we recommit ourselves to the mission of the Anglican Communion,
which we share with the whole people of God, in the transformation
of our troubled world.
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal
of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good
and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12.2)
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5.18)
i) Absent from the meeting were the primate of Burundi, following
a family bereavement, of Hong Kong, following health problems, and
the Moderator of United Church of North India, because of unavoidable
business.
ii) This Commission was established by the Archbishop of Canterbury
at the request of the Primates at their meeting in Lambeth Palace in
October 2003.
iii) Namely, the authorisation of a Public Rite of Blessing for Same-sex
Unions within a diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada in May 2003,
and the Consecration of a Bishop in a committed same-sex relationship
in the Episcopal Church (USA) in November later that year.
iv) This group had been established by the Primates’ Standing
Committee on publication of the Windsor Report in October 2004 to receive
and review responses and reactions to the Windsor Report from within
the Anglican Communion and from our ecumenical partners.
v) The presentations by Archbishop Robin and Primus Bruce, together
with the submissions to the Reception Reference Group may be found
at www.aco.org/windsor2004/presentation.cfm [for the Eames presentation]
and www.aco.org/commission/reception/report.cfm [for the Cameron presentation]
and associated documents.
vi) In the statement of October 2003, we wrote “The Presiding
Bishop of the Episcopal Church (USA) has explained to us the constitutional
framework within which the election and confirmation of a new bishop
in the Episcopal Church (USA) takes place. As Primates, it is not for
us to pass judgement on the constitutional processes of another province.
We recognise the sensitive balance between provincial autonomy and
the expression of critical opinion by others on the internal actions
of a province.”
vii) See the Windsor Report, paragraph 146.
viii) The Windsor Report, paragraphs 105 – 107.
ix) The Windsor Report, paragraphs 113 – 120.
x) The Windsor Report, paragraphs 108 – 112.
xi) The Windsor Report, paragraphs 124 – 132.
xii) “ … we call on the provinces concerned to make adequate
provision for episcopal oversight of dissenting minorities within their
own area of pastoral care in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury
on behalf of the Primates.”
xiii) These Millennium Development Goals may be found at www.developmentgoals.org
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