Kendall Harmon has pointed out rightly that the report from the Special Commission to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church is in effect an attempt to enact a compromise onto what was already a compromise.
That started me thinking. One of the other recommendations of the Windsor Report was that Bishops would cease sending missionary clergy to reach out to the disaffected within the boundaries of other Anglican provinces. (cf Sec. D, Para. 155).
I’ve lost track of where this stands, but I recall reading or hearing somewhere that at the meeting of the Primates in Dromantine in Feb. of 2005, this recommendation was rejected and is not considered binding by people who are asked to conform to the Windsor report.
Does anyone know for sure where this stands? It may be that what I heard or read is just a rumor.
If what I recall hearing is correct, the “nullification” of this recommendation by the Primates’ Meeting raises a question for the Episcopal Church as we move to General Convention about just which form of the Windsor Report we’re supposed to be considering. And about what other changes might be made to the Windsor Report.
edit: Sarah Dylan Breuer has pointed out in a post to the Bishop’s and Deputies mailing list that Primates did not formally reject the language referenced above. They did suggest some changes. So did the Archbishop of Canterbury. So too have most of the bodies that have responded so far.
So I guess the question now is, that if other groups are making suggestions and changes as they receive the Windsor Report, why can’t we?
Methinks Susan Russell Doth Protest Too Much
Oh, dear, Susan Russell is upset:
Ill agree wholeheartedly with the Canon Theologian on one thing: one certainly DOES pray hard for better than this. But the better than this Im praying for would be better than the hubris of…
Nick:
Actually, the Dromantine Communique said the primates would not initiate boundary crossings, but would respond to calls from groups within ECUSA calling for their oversight. In other words, when the dissenting minorities are satisfied with DEPO or ECUSA complies with the Windsor Report, we will not cross boundaries. Neither has happened; thus, the boundaries remain fluid.
YBIC,
Brad
Thanks Brad. That’s helpful.
That piece of the Windsor report also mentioned a need for the bishops in question to express their regret right? Has that happened?
Nick,
the WR was a report to primates. The Dromantine Comminique was the Primates command to the church.
The WR only has force as much as the Primates give it.
They kept the WRs recommendations on moratoria.
They weakened the WRs recommendations on boundary crossings
They added a new recommendation removing ECUSA from the WCC.
They added a new recommendation saying it was up to ECUSA’s GC to decide in June.
In spite of the agreement at Dromantine, a significant minority of the primates attempted to remove ECUSA permantly from the Communion at Newry