From Cairo to Colorado Springs: an historic breakthrough
Briefing from American Anglican Council:
Canon Phil Ashey shares the exciting news of an historic breakthrough in the reformation of the Anglican Communion. On October 12, 2019, representatives at the 7th Global South Conference adopted a Covenantal Structure [see full Communique here] that could reshape the Anglican Communion around a Biblical confession of faith. (Read more about the supporting arguments for such a structure in Canon Ashey’s book Anglican Conciliarism.)
On October 15, 22 bishops from around the Communion gathered for the American Anglican Council’s second Bishops Leadership Summit-a significant initiative to establish cross-cultural partnerships among bishops and their dioceses. Canon Ashey tells us how these two events are connected and why they are important in the life of the Anglican Communion in this Anglican Perspective.
The text of the Global South Covenantal Structure is here.
Excerpt:
The specific proposals…may be summarized as follows:
i. have a doctrinal basis for the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSA),
where membership of the ecclesial grouping is not merely by geographical location
but by way of agreement to clearly enunciated Fundamental Declarations in
keeping with orthodox faith (Section 1);
ii. To express the group’s common life by way of relational commitments to one
another in discipleship, mission and ministry. These relational commitments will be
actualised through specific Task Forces, which we envisage will work with other
doctrinally orthodox global bodies, dioceses and parishes in the Anglican
Communion (Section 2).
iii. To establish conciliar structures for the Churches of GSA so that particular
Provinces/Dioceses in their respective Churches and together as the Church
universal have a clearer process for addressing ‘Faith and Order’ issues,
establishing the limits of diversity, holding each other accountable to a common
dogmatic and liturgical tradition, and making decisions which carry force in the life
of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSA) (Section 3);
iv. Agreement with the doctrinal foundation, relational commitments and conciliar
structures makes the GSA an effective and coherent ecclesial body with member
Churches in full communion with each other. The goal is to be an ecclesial body
that is faithful to God’s revealed word and effective in Gospel mission to the world.