Carrying on from a previous post, there is more news on the self-styled “Standing Committee” that purports to speak for the Anglican Communion. There’s a certain slant to this body, as can be seen from their December 2009 minutes.

Recent Developments in the Anglican Communion

Discussion began with a review of developments in the Communion over the past few months, in particular, the election of a person in a same gender relationship as suffragan bishop of Los Angeles in The Episcopal Church (the election has not yet been confirmed), and the authorisation by the Bishops of Massachusetts and Ohio of rites of same sex blessings, contrary to both the Windsor Report and the more recent Windsor Continuation Group Report.

Honest opinions were expressed on all sides, and eventually it was decided to adjourn the discussion until later in the Agenda.
The second session, this time with the Archbishop of Canterbury present, resumed the earlier conversation. At the end of that session three resolutions were presented.

These were voted on the following morning:

a) First resolution:

That in view of the recent actions of the 76th General Convention, particularly Resolutions DO25 and CO56, representatives of TEC should be invited to withdraw from all Anglican Councils until ACC-15. This [time] would give both TEC and the AC a temporary safe distance for discernment in regard to the issues that currently threaten the unity of the Anglican Communion.6

2 votes for, and 8 votes against, no abstention recorded

b) Second resolution:

The Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion meeting in London from 15th-18th December 2009, noting that the Episcopal Church had at its 76th General Convention in July 2009 resolved to reopen a process for the blessing of same gender relationships and to recognise the right of gay and lesbian persons to any ordained ministry in the church:

i) Expresses its deep disappointment and regret over such decisions, having regard to the declared position of the Anglican Communion over those matters through various Lambeth Resolutions; the recommendations of the Windsor Continuation Report and the resolutions of the Primates’ Meeting held in Dromantine in February 2005 and at Dar-es-salaam in February 2007;

ii) Disassociates the Anglican Communion from those decisions of The Episcopal Church as well as with any actions that may be taken by churches in The Episcopal Church in North America pursuant to those decisions.

2 votes for, 7 votes against and 2 abstentions

c) Third resolution:

The Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion resolved that, in the light of:

i) The recent Episcopal nomination in the Diocese of Los Angeles of a partnered lesbian candidate

ii) The decisions in a number of US and Canadian dioceses to proceed with formal ceremonies of same-sex blessings

iii) Continuing cross-jurisdictional activity within the Communion

The Standing Committee strongly reaffirm Resolution 14.09 of ACC-14 supporting the three moratoria proposed by the Windsor Report and the associated request for ‘Gracious Restraint’ in respect of actions that endanger the unity of the Anglican Communion by going against the declared view of the Instruments of Communion.

8 votes for, 1 vote against, 1 abstention recorded.

The Anglican Communion Institute has another long essay on this “Standing Committee”, concluding:

In light of these developments, we draw the following conclusions:

It is not appropriate for one of the Communion’s four Instruments to be an English company regulated by UK and EU law like any other UK company. To repeat what we said above, we do not question the need for the proper and efficient management of the Communion’s charitable assets by fiduciaries complying with all relevant laws. We are not convinced, however, that this role should be confused with the historic role of the Instruments of Communion in “the discernment, articulation and exercise of our shared faith and common life and mission” and in particular with the role of the Communion’s Primatial leadership, which bears special responsibility for “doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters that have Communion-wide implications.” (Covenant 3.1.4.)

We urge the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates not to cede their independent authority to the corporate charter of the ACC, but to insist that their authority cannot be infringed by the ACC.

It is now beyond doubt that the newly transformed and empowered ACC Standing Committee cannot function as the committee required by Section 4 of the Covenant.

The Covenant remains the only hope for preserving the traditional faith and order of the Anglican Communion. We call upon member churches of the Anglican Communion to adopt the Covenant with all deliberate speed and, having done so, to make proper arrangements for the responsibilities assigned to the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion in Section 4 to be undertaken by a body that has both the competence and ability to assess threats to the Communion and recommend appropriate action.

This committee seems to represent only a small sub-section of Western liberal opinion, and moreover has recently increased that bias. This body appears to be little more than a power play, and more than anything else shows the disintegration of the Anglican Communion at the international level.

The Covenant, the hope of many orthodox believers within heterodox churches is now, apparently, subject to this committee. It’s not hard to understand why many in the Global South are choosing to ignore these bodies, and to set up their own networks.

More here, here and here.

UPDATE: And yet some more, here:

The meeting of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council (hereafter the Standing Committee) has just finished its deliberations. It was reported in The Standing Committee Daily Bulletin that Dato’ Stanley Isaacs had proposed, “The Episcopal Church (hereafter TEC) be separated from the Communion.” This proposal was rejected because it was believed, “Separation would inhibit dialogue on this and other issues among Communion Provinces.”

This brief notice is yet another signal that the Anglican Communion stands in unparalleled danger. The way in which TEC does business poses a serious threat to the evangelical and catholic identity of our Communion.