Episcopal Council recommends nixing Anglican Covenant

There is important news coming from the Episcopal Church Executive Council, meeting in Salt Lake, on a number of fronts. I've said before that national and international church politics tends to bubble beneath the surface and then pop up periodically.

This is one of those times.

 The Council is recommending against adopting the Anglican Covenant, which Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has been promoting for several years to keep the Anglican Communion from completely collapsing. Our American church has been suspicious of the covenant on many grounds, and the Council's recommendation likely will carry considerable weight when General Convention meets next summer. Here is the story in the Episcopal News Service:

Executive Council submits General Convention resolution saying church is 'unable to adopt Anglican Covenant'

Decision is up to 2012 meeting of convention

By Mary Frances Schjonberg, October 24, 2011

[Episcopal News Service – Salt Lake City, Utah] The Episcopal Church's Executive Council will submit a resolution to General Convention next year that would have it state that the church is "unable to adopt the Anglican Covenant in its present form."

The resolution also promises that the church will "recommit itself to dialogue with the several provinces when adopting innovations which may be seen as threatening the unity of the communion" and commits to "continued participation in the wider councils of the Anglican Communion" and dialogue "with our brothers and sisters in other provinces to deepen understanding and to insure the continued integrity of the Anglican Communion."

The 77th meeting of General Convention July 5-12, 2012 will decide whether to pass, amend and pass, or reject the resolution. Convention is "the only body that can act on behalf of the whole church in this matter," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said during a post-meeting press conference.

To read the full story, click HERE.