By Robin G. Jordan
The following is the preliminary draft of a proposed new set of Fundamental Declarations for the Anglican Church in North America. They stress the autonomy of the judicatories forming the ACNA and the voluntary nature of their association. They give to the Holy Scriptures, the Catholic Creeds, the Anglican Formularies, and the threefold ministry of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon the place that the Anglican tradition has historically given to them. In contrast to the existing Fundamental Declarations, they express greater unity with the fundamental declarations or the equivalent of the Anglican entities that have supported the establishment of a new orthodox province in North America and extend their recognition to the ACNA as that province in formation. They permit a broader range of opinions on key issues that have historically divided orthodox Anglicans, and keep alive the vision of the ACNA as a truly comprehensive church for Anglo-Catholics, conservative evangelicals, and “mere Christians.”
1. The Anglican Church in North America is a voluntary association of autonomous and self-governing dioceses within the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, worshiping the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, united under one Divine Head, and dedicated to the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.
2. We hold the Christian faith as professed by the Church of Christ from primitive times and in particular as set forth in the Catholic Creeds and the Anglican Formularies, that is, the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons issued by the Church of England in 1662.
3. We receives all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being the Word of God written and being the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and life of the Church, given by the inspiration of God and containing all things necessary for salvation.
4. We maintains inviolate these orders of ministers in Christ’s Church--Bishops, Priests, or Presbyters, and Deacons—which offices have been known from the apostles’ time and have always been regarded as worthy of great honor.
5. We are determined by the help of God to uphold and preserve the Doctrine, Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ as the Lord has commanded in his Holy Word, and as the Church of England has received and set forth in its Formularies; and to transmit the same unimpaired to our posterity.
6. We seek to be and desire to continue in full communion with all Anglican Churches, Dioceses, and Provinces holding the historic Christian faith and maintaining the aforesaid Doctrine, Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ.
This proposed new set of Fundamental Declarations provides a rallying point around which all orthodox North American Anglicans can come together to advance the cause of the gospel.
For a comparison of the present ACNA Fundamental Declarations with those of a number of Anglican church bodies, see my previous article, "Fundamental Declarations Compared."
Robin:
ReplyDeleteAm I reading your sense correctly, to wit, more of a confederation with greater diocesan autonomy?
Regards,
Phil
Phil,
ReplyDeleteI had in mind the Bishop's Statement on the Polity of the Episcopal Church. In commenting on the foregoing, the authors of the Rectors’ Declaration of Support for the Bishops’ Statement on the Polity of the Episcopal Church note:
"The authority of the Episcopal Church resides at the diocesan level. This is witnessed to by the structure of the church as 'that of a voluntary association of equal dioceses.'Also, the Constitution and Canons of the Church make no provision for either a central hierarchy or a Presiding Bishop with metropolitan authority. Furthermore, our General Convention representation is as dioceses and not as communicants, with only an administrative role for the convention leadership, the voting members of the leadership themselves drawn from the diocesan deputations. In addition, the ordinal does not contain any language acknowledging or committing to submit to any metropolitan or central hierarchal authority."
For the entire statement, go to: http://www.anglicancommunioninstitute.com/2009/05/cprectors-declaration-of-support-for-the-bishops-statement-on-the-polity-of-the-episcopal-church/
Bishops’ Statement on the Polity of the Episcopal Church is on the Internet at: http://www.anglicancommunioninstitute.com/2009/04/bishops-statement-on-the-polity-of-the-episcopal-church/
While I do not agree with everything in the statement, it does make some good points about the fundamental structure of the Episcopal Church which I believe are worth preserving in any new province that is established in North America. This structure is not unique to the Episcopal Church. It is also found in the Anglican Church of Australia and the Anglican Church of the Province of the Southern Cone of America. The ACA is formed from what were originally independent dioceses. The dioceses continue to have considerable autonomy. For example, if a diocese does not assent to a canon in certain categories, that canon is not binding upon the diocese. The diocese may later assent to the canon and then withdraw its assent. The ACPSCA is made up of dioceses that cover a number of South American countries. Each diocese consist of one of the countries in the Province. Each diocese also has considerable autonomy. For example, all proposed canons require the approval of two-thirds of the dioceses before they become effective. Proposed changes to the constitution require the unanimous approval of all the dioceses before they go into force.
In The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church in North America, and the Church of England we see a movement toward greater centralization, toward what opponents to centralization in the Church of England describes as "a medieval style of government more akin to a 'Muslim-style theocracy'."
I fear that we have entered a period in Church history in which the synodical exercise of episcopal authority and synodical forms of ecclesiastical governance are greatly endangered in North America due to what is happening in the Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church. They are important parts of the legacy that previous generations of orthodox North American Anglicans have left to their posterity. They in themselves are not problematic. The problem is liberal dominance of the two churches.
Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am reading you correctly then.
Your enlargment/amplifications help, since I am not a student of political science or social psychology, which would help.
As you can tell, on this end, the mind runs to theology and history.
Keep writing. It's helpful.
Robin,
ReplyDeleteBut will any @ ACNA read --much less heed-- such wisdom?
Hugh McCann
Hughmc5