Draft Anglican Covenant tries to balance autonomy and unity
The second draft Anglican Covenant stresses autonomy, but asks the Anglican Communion's provinces to commit to a process of deliberation over contentious issues.
by Maria Mackay
Thursday, February 7, 2008

The group tasked with drawing up a covenant that 70 million members of the Anglican Communion can unite under has issued its second draft for consideration in the months running up to the Lambeth Conference.

The St Andrew’s draft was drawn up by members of the Covenant Design Group when it met at St Andrew’s House in London at the end of last month.

It attempts to uphold the autonomy of the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion whilst at the same time asking for their voluntary commitment to a process of joined-up deliberation whenever disputes occur over contentious issues.

This is particularly the case where actions “either proposed or enacted… are deemed to threaten the unity of the Communion and the effectiveness or credibility of its mission, and to consent to the following principles and procedural elements”, the draft covenant states. the rest

An Anglican Covenant - St Andrew’s Draft

An Anglican Covenant - Commentary to the St Andrew’s Draft

An Anglican Covenant - Draft Appendix