Tobias Haller has written about a shift in the understanding of subsidiarity, from the time of the Virginia Report until now.
See The Upside-downity of Subsidiarity.
Pierre Whalon, Bishop in charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, has written an article about the need for a covenant.
“Until an Anglican Congress or Council is established, bishops of the whole Communion have been given no authority to legislate for the whole Communion. They have not yet been granted *that subsidiary authority*, to do what cannot be done more effectively at a local level, where, if a Province doesn’t want to have a partnered gay bishop, it need not do so – – nor allow such a one to function within its borders” – Tobias Haller – In his most interesting article on the subject of *subsidiarity*, Tobias Haller raises the very important point – noted in the above… Read more »
Father Ron, thanks for the thoughts. I think the Covenant will prove a failure as a disciplinary tool, not only morally but practically. It might, however, just serve as a means to provide for greater dialogue and cooperation in mission work, once we have killed off any suggestion that it is about discipline rather than discipleship. We are not meant to impose our wills on each other, or rule over each other, but love each other. If the Covenant can be seen in a positive light, as an engine instead of brakes, we might be on to something. Otherwise, no… Read more »
Speaking of Covenantal relationships within the Communion, one of our recently ‘Dear Departed’ faux dioceses (Fort Worth Dissenters) is trying by devious means to ‘have their cake and eat it’ with the following communique on Virtue on line: “(A)resolution is being proposed by the Diocese of Fort Worth’s standing committee: The diocese’s convention will meet on Nov. 6 and 7 in Arlington, Texas. The resolution commits the diocese to continued participation in the ACNA, but also “maintains its status as a member diocese in the Province of the Southern Cone while the formal process of recognition of [ACNA] continues in… Read more »
“Evidence of a split personality”? Father, that seems neither charitable nor helpful towards sincere discussion, but rather the kind of slight or insult that both sides in this controversy have too often utilized in the place of principled and courteous dialogue.
My question now is this: “When are we going to get the promised revised Section four of the proposed Anglican Covenant. This, it seems to me, will be the tricky fulcrum on which decisions turn – whether to sign, or not to sign, that will be then be the most important question. And if there is no explicit disciplinary charter in Section 4, what will happen in the life of those dioceses in the US and Canada who are banking their future on being counted into the Family of Anglican Churches, that pledges to live in unity; in Faith, Hope… Read more »