Proposed Resolution to Reject the Anglican Covenant

This is the text of a proposed resolution which is being circulated prior to the Diocesan Convention later this month.  Section 1 of the Rules of Order of that convention provides the process for resolutions:

1.5 Any proposed resolution that does not meet the foregoing criteria may be considered by the Convention only upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3rds) of those present and voting in Convention.  If the Convention agrees to consider a resolution, it shall be referred by the Chair to the Committee on Resolutions or other appropriate Committee of Convention.

This resolution did not meet the deadline for submission to  the Convention and therefore requires a 2/3 vote to be considered. The proposed by:

• The Rev. Katherine Lehman, Rector, St. Bede’s, Menlo Park; 
• The Rev. John Kirkley, Rector, St. James, San Francisco; 
• The Rev. Richard E. Helmer, Rector, Church of Our Savior, Mill Valley; and 
• The Rev. Thomas C. Jackson.  

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REJECTION OF THE PROPOSED ANGLICAN COVENANT

Resolved, That the 162nd Convention of the Diocese of California urges the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church to reject the proposed Anglican Covenant.

Explanation: Our opposition to the proposed Anglican Covenant grows out of a lengthy listening process that involved all six of our deaneries. More than 200 lay and clergy members from across this diocese participated in this process. Those participating in this conversation were well prepared, demonstrating both familiarity with issues and a deep affection for the Anglican Communion. They placed a deep value on the Anglican Communion, The Episcopal Church's constituent part in it, and the common heritage shared by all Anglicans. They voiced a deep desire to continue in the Communion’s common life. They spoke of the importance of our developing diocesan companion relationships as well as the inter-provincial relationships a number of our congregations enjoy.

Working from these discussions, we affirm our tradition holds Holy Scripture as containing all things necessary for salvation. We hold fast to our responsibility to interpret scripture to meet the needs and challenges of living in our time and place. We affirm the value and importance of the Anglican Communion in our life and work. We affirm our Communion is founded on the Thirty-Nine Articles, The Book of Common Prayer, the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral and the other instruments of communion which are well known to all. We believe the current instruments of communion are adequate to heal today’s wounds if all parties are willing to accept and live within a communion that has room for divergent views and differing understandings of how Holy Scripture speaks to us today.

Working from these discussions, we must also reject a proposed Anglican Covenant that creates a means for creating second class Anglicans instead of building bridges between Anglican Churches with different traditions for understanding scripture. God does not make second class people, how could our church now endorse making some people second class Anglicans?

Working from these discussions, we cannot accept an Anglican Covenant that seeks to replace our democratic decision making process with a process that allows foreign bishops to extend their jurisdiction into the Episcopal Church as well as other provinces around the world.

Working from these discussions, we must not support a proposed Anglican Covenant that risks converting our Communion into a confessing denomination enforced by a disciplinary process detailed in Section 4 of the proposed covenant.

Working from these discussions, we oppose a proposed Anglican Covenant that seeks to build a church on division rather than inclusion, legalism rather than prophecy, inequity rather than justice.

As the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of California, we urge our Deputies and Bishop to reflect these concerns in their work during the 2012 General Convention of the Episcopal Church. We recommend The Episcopal Church reject the Anglican Covenant as currently drafted.

SUBMITTED BY: The Rev. Katherine Lehman, Rector, St. Bede’s, Menlo Park; The Rev. John Kirkley, Rector, St. James, San Francisco; The Rev. Br. Richard Edward Helmer, Rector, Church of Our Savior, Mill Valley; and The Rev. Thomas C. Jackson.