ACNA News: Archbishop authorizes a Theological Task Force on Holy Orders

Archbishop Duncan has appointed the Rt. Rev. David Hicks, Bishop of the REC Diocese of the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic to lead a Theological Task Force on Holy Orders. The Task Force will lead the College of Bishops through a thorough study regarding the ordination of women to Holy Orders.

At the inception of the Anglican Church in North America, the Lead Bishops unanimously agreed to work together for the good of the Kingdom. As part of this consensus, it was understood that there were differing understandings regarding the ordination of women to Holy Orders, but there existed a mutual love and respect for one another and a desire to move forward for the good of the Church. This commitment was deeply embedded in the Constitution and Canons overwhelmingly adopted by the Inaugural Assembly (2009).

In respect of the two integrities concerning Holy Orders, three matters were specifically agreed in Constitution and Canons.... Read more

This is the Archbishop Duncan's response to the calls from the Anglo-Catholic dioceses of All Saints, Ft. Worth, Quincy, and San Joaquin for the imposition of a moratorium on the ordination of women. At this year's Assembly Forward in Faith North America adopted the strategy of gently pressuring Duncan to take steps to impose such a moratorium, hoping to exploit the deference Duncan enjoys with leaders and members of the ACNA as founder of Common Cause and the ACNA's first archbishop. Duncan himself supports women's ordination. Leaders and members of the ACNA on both sides of the women's ordination issue are strongly committed to the position of their side. There is a very real possibility that the ACNA could unravel over this issue.