press release
“Covenant” Web Site Launched to Aid Thoughtful Reconciliation among Anglicans and Others
Durham, NC — September 5, 2007 – A group of American Episcopalians and Anglicans who call themselves “evangelical catholic” have today launched a new website and blog, “Covenant” (http://covenant-communion.com), that will focus on “the present struggles and gifts” of The Episcopal Church and other communities in order to emphasize the need for greater humility and reconciliation among Christians.
The founders of the site, who are students, teachers, and pastors from the Episcopal Church in the United States, are frustrated with the polarization and vitriol about sexuality and other hot topics that have divided so many Episcopalians (and Anglicans throughout the world) from each other. Similar debates are dividing Lutherans, Methodists, and others in the mainline churches.
Taking St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians as their theme, the founders of the site insist that all Christians are called by God to “agree” and “unite,” which is the literal meaning of the word covenant. This requires “waiting for one another,” the website proclaims, and reflecting more carefully about what “orthodoxy” means for Christians.
Visitors to Covenant can expect to find:
To reach Covenant, visit their website at http://covenant-communion.com
We certainly need a site like this! Has anyone else had trouble attempting to register on this new site?
Glory be to God! Not overly pious, that, my Methodist grandmother used it as an expression of surprise. Biblical quotes instead of swearing. I haven’t had much time to peruse the site, but on the surface, it is exactly what we need.
Fine idea and interesting group of contributors.
Today’s posts are yet another example of what is so maddening about this site and its administrators. I have heard that Simon Sarmiento is a professional journalist. Why then does this site constantly bury the lede story? Why does “an interesting new website” dominate “ABC expresses profound shock over Orama’s violent talk”?
It’s as silly and as trivial as printing the legislative markups at General Synod, and shows complete contempt for the readers.
Yes, I have not been able to register either.
Have you had problems Diane? Of what sort?
(The site’s just been launched, so I think the technical folks are still trying to patch a few odd leaks here and there.)
Yup! The Register set-up is apparently not functioning. Hey, Covenant guys, clear that up!
What problems have you had? Let me know and I’ll either fix it or get you registered.
They have fixed the problem and it is now easy to register.
I’d REALLY like to know what registration problems anyone has been having. Please email me at davesims AT covenant-communion.com and describe the behavior, and we’ll get it cleared up.
Thanks!
I think I shall offer some dissent here. It is a pro-Covenant website, leaning heavily towards the conservative end and patching things up. It will be at the expense of a number of important developments going on. It is also probably too late. I notice one reference to the liberal end as like eating burgers. Oh dear the analogy is everywhere.
I don’t like it in that my view is thtat the “solution” ragarding Anglicanism is a loose spiritual commonwealth as a Communion and not this urge to centralise and Covenant.
The site looks beautiful. I’m already falling in love with some of their teachings. I loved this from the cover page
“…the future Church is a promise given, a promise guaranteed and still open….
The future Church is a community of those who have been made ambassadors of a crucified and risen Messiah. It is a community that pours itself out in a torrent of love to flood the margins with God’s saving presence. It is a community of mutual respect that discovers in the humanity of Christ a common bond that richly celebrates its diversity.”
Simply beautiful.
Josh, you raise a valid question. Let me take you down my own contemplation path. The World Trade Center knocked me off my feet, I wept and apologised to God for a week and told Him I simply could not bear what had happened unless God had a plan. It was one of those rare instances in my life where God actually spoke to me and told me he did (that’s the day that launched the “He Prepares The Way” experience). At the time God asked how many souls can do what I do: integrate and intuitively follow threads to… Read more »
You’re not saying, that the outcome of all this is that you should entrust POWER to Dr Rowan and the Primates, are you?
Haven’t they been enough abusive as it is?
Josh
1. It’s a blog. Items are published in date/time order. Very, very occasionally, an item might get redated to put it at the top. The Orama story didn’t rate that treatment.
2. Your comment about “General Synod legislative markups” has me stumped, I don’t understand.
3. I do some paid freelance journalism as a retirement activity. It’s not what I did to earn my pension.
Does that answer your questions?
There are some concerns being expressed about excessive power in their paradigms. That is a good voice of conscience, keep it up here and air it there. If they are fair and reasonable, those concerns will be heard and incorporated. If they block, let us know here and we can start a dialogue. We need to give souls the benefit of the doubt and the chance to prove themselves before we judge them too harshly. I started my prophetic works in early 2004, I didn’t go outside the communion until September 2005, and only after all normal channels (including correspondence… Read more »
It’s essentially a “centrist” site, which is not the same thing as a moderate in this communion. For some time now, I’ve pointed out that the goal of unity while laudable when pressed by these folks also looks like there are some wants for power underlying matters as well. None of us are without mixed motives. Too little concern is expressed for harm done by this communion to gay and lesbian persons, indeed, some have gone so far, including an author of this site, to suggest we just “count it joy anyway”, interpreting our lives for us and failing the… Read more »
Yes it quite something when those who call for gay people to be free to participate, and fully to flourish are branded ‘extreme’.
Laurence
Where did the “extreme” comment pop up? Has something happened over there, or did I miss something over here?
hi Cheryl I was reacting / responding to this (I’m pretty sure); — ‘…As a Creedal Christian and an Anglican Centrist, I long for a Muscular Middle that not only learns from and is challenged by both liberals and conservatives, but also pushes back and says “No!” when the comprehensive character of Anglicanism gets hijacked to partisan agendas. Some like Fr. Knisely are open to criticism, others are not. But don’t tell me that this centrist agenda is not a partisan agenda of its own. It reads as very much so and as much concerned about control and power as… Read more »
I see this website as a kind of conservative trade-off for The Episcopal Church, so it is at a price, but not enough of a price, for the schismatics and too much of a price for those who want to be inclusive. It is likely to serve a conservative function in the future.
Laurence This is part of the change process and to be expected. It’s called the “negotiating phase”. They have got past denial that something has happened or is valid, the anger that it is occurring or will occur and are now trying to negotiate the new reality. It’s a bit like coming to terms that you are going to give birth to a baby. There’s the joy of knowing you have conceived, but then the fears about surviving the pregnancy and child birth and the hope that you give birth to a healthy child and are able to raise that… Read more »
Thanks so much for this wonderful, heartening message and vision of hope, Cheryl. I qote jsut one part of it. The climax :– ‘Trust in God, have faith in Jesus, God has promised that “all will be as it should be”. That means the promised everlasting covenant of peace will come to pass, tyranny will end, there will be grace and hospitality between both friends and former enemies, both the pure and the broken will be acknowledged before God and all of Creation will be under God’s grace. This is God’s Will that things be done on earth as they… Read more »