Primus: my task is to be the person who helps SEC to relate to central bodies of the Anglican Communion. Task is to set out the context in which the SEC looks at the Covenant. Does not think in itself that it is unreasonable to have a document setting out what our commnunion is.
As a missional community, Anglicanism has been successful. Bonds of affection are perhaps not enough to hold us together. Covenant arises from Windsor report which followed the appointment of Gene Robinson.
In many of our churches there are 2 pics. Baptism in Stonehaven Gael and Consecration of Seabury. Latter was a great moment in Anglican Communion. We were at heart of move to create independent provinces in commuion.
We are deeply involved in communion life – we will remain so even if we say no to covenant. Formal levels and informal. Lambeth Conference, ACC and also diocesan links.
Intention of covenant is to lead us into deeper communion.
Question is whether we need an institution of structure to hold communion in place. But is it the case that covenant may push away what it is intended to safeguard?
Legacy of colonialism is significant part of communion life.
What matters is whether we who are heirs to those who consecrated Seabury can be part of a new starting point of communion life or does covenant make this less likely?
Michael Fuller, TISEC – to speak about content of the Covenant. Intro to covenant demonstrates that it is grounded in careful theological reflection and demands a similarly rooted response from us.
There is a mission imperative in the life of the covenant.
In thinking about Anglican Identity, the content grounds the identity in 39 articles and other English documents.
Historians are wont to question accounts of the past which are used as platforms for particilar ideas in the present. Real life tends to be more messy than such a simplistic representation of an Anglican tradition.
Section 4.2 – the dispute resolution section – it is perhaps inevitable that this should be here since disputes gave rise to the covenant. We might think that this section goes too far in defining our Anglicanism
Note that no new bodies are going to be introduced.
It is of th essence of the covenant that it is entered into freely and without co-ercion. It is easy to think of it as restrictive. We should not think it is being imposed from above but something that supports us from beneath but which frees us for our common life of service.
> It is of the essence of the covenant that it is entered into freely and without co-ercion. It is easy to think of it as restrictive. We should not think it is being imposed from above but something that supports us from beneath
Supports us in what? Bashing queers? Holding heresy trials? Adopting the 39 Articles? Subordinating the Scottish Episcopal Church to an English Archbishop? Over my dead body!