LINES IN THE ANGLICAN SAND: A Sociological Analysis

Commentary
By Canon Gary L'Hommedieu
7/29/10

In a meeting late last week the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion Office ruled out the use of biblical dialogue in refusing to discipline The Episcopal Church for its flagrant violation of Lambeth 1998 Resolution 1.10, which has been cited by the Primates as the norm for defining human sexuality in the Anglican Communion.

Both the 2004 Windsor Report and the now circulating Anglican Covenant presuppose the authoritative, normative status of Resolution 1.10. By the Standing Committee's action, what appeared to be a boundary marker, albeit a disputed one, turns out to be a mirage.

Mr. Dato' Stanley Isaacs, an attorney and a Standing Committee member from the Province of Southeast Asia, proposed that TEC be "be separated from the Communion" because of "sexuality issues," most recently the consecration of a second practicing homosexual bishop, and this in the midst of announced plans by American dioceses to prepare rites of blessing for same sex unions. Both matters were specifically forbidden by a unanimous agreement of the 2007 Primates' Meeting in Dar es Salaam, even signed by the American Presiding Bishop. By the explicit language of the Windsor Report such actions constitute "walking apart" from the Anglican Communion.

St. Paul prescribed a type of dialogue when believers deviate from behaviors considered normative for the Christian community. It's called go away and come back when you've changed the behavior. Then we'll talk. In the meantime it's not clear here what we're talking about.

The Standing Committee has decided, in effect, that the boundaries of the Anglican Communion must be moved to accommodate the deviant party. Resolution 1.10 is now relegated to the archives of the Lambeth Conference and can in no way be interpreted to represent the morality of the Anglican Communion, even if a vast majority pays it lip service. This is not meant to be a provocative statement but a social fact. the rest at Virtueonline

"...The overwhelming opinion was that separation [of TEC from the Anglican Communion] would inhibit dialogue on [the sexuality issue] and other issues among Communion Provinces, dioceses and individuals and would therefore be unhelpful...." (Anglican Communion Office, minutes of the Standing Committee, July 26, 2010)

Church Times: Standing Committee blocks move to expel US