Diversity of Ministry Approved by Lambeth Bishops
Episcopal News Service. August 17, 1978 [78232]
CANTERBURY, England -- Bishops of the Anglican Communion at the Lambeth Conference here refused to recommend a five-year moratorium on ordaining any more women to the priesthood but did recommend to member churches that no decision should be taken to go ahead with the consecration of women bishops until there is further consultation because of the special place of the bishop as a focus of unity in the Church.
By a vote of 316 to 37, with 17 abstentions, the bishops carefully avoided any pronouncement on the rights or wrongs of women priests. The Conference strongly asserted that diversity of ministry, even on such a controversial issue, is acceptable within the Anglican Church.
The controversy over ordination of women to the priesthood has caused schism in some parts of the Communion, such as the Episcopal Church, the branch of the Anglican Communion in the United States, and a great deal of pain in other sectors. Women have already been admitted to the priesthood in the U. S. Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Hong Kong, the Anglican Church of Canada, and the Church of the Province of New Zealand. Anglican churches in Australia, Burma, England, Indian Ocean, Ireland, Japan, Kenya and Wales have taken various positions favoring or not basically objecting to such ordinations in principle.
The bishops' resolution acknowledged the reality of women priests and encouraged all member churches, regardless of their action on this issue, to remain in communion with one another.
The Lambeth Conference declared the acceptance of those member churches which have decided to ordain women to the priesthood as well as those which do not, and urged each to respect the convictions of the other.
The proposed five-year pause on further ordinations of women to the priesthood was defeated by the ratio of approximately two to one.
Throughout the debate on this issue the bishops were mindful of the positions of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Old Catholic Churches which oppose such ordinations. While conceding that the Anglican acceptance of "this variety of doctrine and practice" would undoubtedly be disappointing to those bodies, the Lambeth bishops made no apology for their action.
They emphasized "that the holding together of diversity within a unity of faith and worship is part of the Anglican heritage. " The Lambeth statement expressed the hope that further dialogue between the Anglican Communion and these churches will continue because "we still have understanding of the truth of God and his will to learn from them as together we all move towards a fuller catholicity and a deeper fellowship in the Holy Spirit. "
Meeting July 22 to August 13, at the University of Kent at Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference members also spent considerable time discussing the issue of human rights and dignity which it said was of "capital and universal importance." The Conference issued a call to governments to protect human rights, a call to the 65 million Anglicans throughout the world to become involved in liberation struggles, and a call to all Christians to support the struggle for human freedom.
Attention was called to "faithful Christians who individually and collectively witness to their faith and conviction in the face of persecution, torture and martyrdom." Organizations and agencies which support human rights were also commended.
The Conference called on "Christians everywhere to seek the grace of Christ to live lives of holiness, discipline, and service in the world. " In a resolution on human relationships and sexuality, the bishops urged theological study of sexuality and the support of diocesan programs on the ideals of Christian marriage and family life as well as programs to help the unmarried "discover the fullness which God intends for all his children."
Singled out for such study also were "the moral issues inherent in clinical abortion and the possible implications of genetic engineering."
The bishops also commended "deep and dispassionate study of the question of homosexuality," while at the same time reaffirming heterosexuality as the Scriptural norm. Such a study, the resolution said, should take into consideration the teachings of Scripture and the learnings from scientific and medical research. Dialogue with homosexuals was encouraged.
The members of the eleventh Lambeth Conference affirmed their desire to continue the tradition of such conferences -- which have usually been held about every ten years since 1867 -- though not necessarily in England.
Considerable interest developed over a resolution which advises the 25 member churches in the Anglican Communion to consult with one another -- through a Lambeth Conference or through the Primates' Committee between the decennial gatherings -- about issues which are of concern to the entire worldwide body. The resolution also requested the 25 heads of the 25 provinces -- the primates -- "to initiate a study of the nature of authority within the Anglican Communion."
Before the resolution was adopted, the President of the Lambeth Conference, Dr. Donald Coggan, Archbishop of Canterbury, briefly addressed the bishops on authority in the Anglican Communion. He rejected several possible authority centers for the world-wide Church: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council, or a Doctrinal Commission. He proposed that authority might rest in the primates who head the autonomous provinces of the Communion -- 25 such bodies at the present -- working with the Anglican Consultative Council, composed of bishops, priests and laity from the provinces.
Dr. Coggan rejected the idea of vesting a rigid authority in the primates but he proposed that those representatives of the member churches might meet every two years "for leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultation."
"Then," he said, "they would be channels through which the voice of the provinces would be heard, and real interchange of mind and will and heart could take place."
He said that the primates, working with the members of the Anglican Consultative Council, could "come to a common mind on main issues and we should avoid the danger of one province, or two or three provinces, going off on their own without due consultation, at the same time maintaining the independence of the provinces themselves."
The Lambeth Conference approved several resolutions dealing with relations with other church bodies, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Lutheran Churches, as well as the Wider Episcopal Fellowship and United Churches. Continuing dialogue with these various groups was commended.
The 1975 report of an Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission on marriage and mixed marriages was welcomed, though the Conference recognized that there are certain "problems associated with marriage between members of our two Communions" and that these "continue to hinder inter-Church relations and progress towards unity."
With regard to Anglican-Orthodox relations, a part of the approved resolution "requests that all member churches of the Anglican Communion should consider omitting the Filoque from the Nicene Creed" (the words which indicate that the Holy Spirit proceeds both from the Father and the Son). In 1976 the General Convention of the Episcopal Church restored the words "and the Son" to the creed.
The bishops commended to the churches stewardship teaching and practice, including tithing; corporate and personal prayer as essentials for the renewal of the Church; training for bishops upon their election; a common lectionary within the Anglican Communion and ecumenically; and sharing with one another liturgical information from the provinces.
The Conference expressed its gratitude "for the renewal of the ministry of healing within the churches" and asserted that it believes the healing of the sick is as essential to the proclaiming of the kingdom "as the preaching of the good news of Jesus Christ."
The Conference congratulated the World Council of Churches on the occasion of its 30th anniversary and called that body "the most comprehensive expression of the ecumenical movement." Member churches were urged to reaffirm their support for the World Council.
The Conference took a strong stand against war and violence. Recognizing the many faces of violence, the resolution said that Christ's "self-giving love" and "obedience to the way of the cross is the way to reconciliation in all relationships and conflicts."
The Conference decided not to vote on eight specific resolutions because the substance of them was incorporated in a longer statement on some of their concerns about problems in today's world. These proposed resolutions were on scientific and technological advance, a new international economic order, government policies, nuclear fuel, resources of technological knowledge and experience, urban reconciliation, sharing of resources for urban mission, and education for urban mission.
No action was taken on a resolution affirming the primary task of the Church. The resolution was tabled twice and not considered again, primarily because of lack of time.
The eleventh Lambeth Conference both opened and closed with eucharists on Sunday mornings in Canterbury Cathedral. At the opening service on July 23 Dr. Coggan, Archbishop of Canterbury, urged the bishops to "hearken what the Lord God will say." On August 13, Presiding Bishop John M. Allin of the U.S. Episcopal Church, challenged the bishops to "go... and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. "
More than 400 bishops, plus observers, consultants and Anglican Consultative Council members, participated in the Conference.