Anglican Covenant Could Be Operative By May 2009

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2008/9/17/anglican-covenant-could-be-operative-by-next-may

[The Living Church] 18 Sep 2008--Adoption of the proposed Anglican Covenant could be completed much sooner than the 10-year time frame mentioned frequently during the Lambeth Conference, according to one of the two Covenant Design Group members from The Episcopal Church.

Basing on submissions received from bishops attending the Lambeth Conference, the Rev. Ephraim Radner predicted that only a small minority of provinces would fail to approve the Covenant. Prof. Radner, who teaches historical theology at Wycliffe College in Toronto, said the Covenant Design Group is scheduled to disband after holding a second meeting sometime after the first of the year. From there, the Covenant is scheduled to be considered by the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), which meets next May in Jamaica.

Prof. Radner told The Living Church it is not clear whether the ACC would be asked to hold an up-or-down vote on the final language drafted by the Covenant Design Group or whether they would be encouraged to propose amendments before a vote.

With the situation in the Anglican Communion so fragile at present, Prof. Radner said if the ACC were to approve the language proposed by the design group, it could be operative as an official document of the Anglican Communion as soon as the ACC meeting adjourns.