ACC Ends with Message of Support for Tutu

Episcopal News Service. May 14, 1987 [87107]

Ruth Nicastro, Diocese of Los Angeles

SINGAPORE (DPS, May 14) -- The Anglican Consultative Council's meeting here ended on a somber note as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Robert Runcie, reported on an exchange of messages with Archbishop Desmond Tutu of Capetown, offering prayerful support to him and the Church following gains by pro-apartheid forces in the recent South African elections.

Upon learning of a post-election press conference Tutu held, Runcie said "We hear on the radio your response to the result of the whites-only election, with its sense of foreboding for what the future may hold.

"The Council has passed an extensive resolution as an act of solidarity and support for all the Church of the Province (of Southern Africa) is trying to achieve in the name of the Lord."

He said, "May God continue to uphold and sustain you, however deep the darkness around you, and give Justice and peace to your land." The message concluded, "with the love, intercession and thanksgiving of all your friends here."

The resolution condemned apartheid and decried the current detention of prisoners, including children, without charge or trial, by the government of South Africa. It also condemned acts of aggression on frontline states and called for sanctions and disinvestment from the South African economy. (See DPS 87100)

At his press conference, Tutu said, "I believe we have entered the dark ages in the history of our country.

"Although we have said, quite rightly, that this election was an irrelevance for the black community, if it had gone slightly differently then it would have sent some signal of hope.

"Now we have a right wing government that has been confirmed in a right wing view, we have the possibility of an extreme right wing opposition. So, I believe we are going to see an escalation in the intransigence of this government -- an escalation in oppression and intolerance of any dissent."

He said the curb of any protest against detention without trial would double. "We are going to have an increase in state-sponsored terrorism against the black civilian population of this country so that the despondency that has been in the air, as it were, and the anger in the black community will also deepen." (Text of Archbishop Tutu's comments is attached.)

"But do remember that peaceful protest is hardly going to be tolerated," he said.

"We really have a one-party system with the trimmings of a multi-party dispensation, a one party system that is going to be sliding into totalitarianism or a 'Banana' Republic."

Power Struggles Feature in Social Order Report

The Christianity and the Social Order section of the Council brought in a wide range of concerns relating to the church's role in the world.

In doing so, it acknowledged the contribution to the section of reports from two networks -- "Peace and Justice" and "Family and Community" -- which met in Singapore prior to the full meeting.

From both these groups, the section heard stories from around the world of people suffering from the denial of their political, civil and social rights as well as from violence, both domestic and external. The stories included accounts of countries devasted by debt.

Accepting the report presented by the section chairman, Simon Chiwanga of Tanzania, the Council responded by passing resolutions on nearly all of the issues identified.

International Debt

The Council approved suggestions that all nations of the world should review policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, identify ways that financial institutions might reschedule or forgive debts, agree on a strategy for bilateral and multilateral aid and review various international trade agreements.

The Council then called on member churches to act on behalf of the poor and powerless in matters relating to international debt, challenge governments to review issues raised in the report and channel questions and issues through the Communion's representative at the United Nations.

Among other resolutions relating to the Christianity and Social Order report, the Council:

  • "Deplored any and all expressions of racism" including those which exist within Church structures;
  • Asked churches to engage in educational and public campaigns against militarism, and requested that this subject be put on the agenda for the Lambeth Conference;
  • Affirmed numerous benefits brought about by modern technology, but asked churches to help governments use technology which strengthens local community development appropriate to a particular region;
  • Urged churches to take advantage of modern media in their teaching and evangelism as well as in their own systems of communication, assist their members to "exercise critical discernment" in television viewing and work for freedom of information and a decrease in the portrayal of pornography and excessive violence;
  • Asked the ACC Standing Committee to commission a theological study of the understanding of creation in terms of ecology;
  • Noted the emergence of varying forms of religious fundamentalism as programs of political ideology and asked that this matter be put on the agenda for the Lambeth Conference, 1988.
Ordination of Women

Recognizing that Anglican unity was strained by a diversity of belief and practice over the ordination of women, they also drew up guidelines to strengthen the fellowship and understanding between member provinces. It was acknowledged that the possibility of a woman being consecrated a bishop in the United States or Canada gave added urgency to this task.

Provinces were asked to commit themselves to remain in communion with one another and to respect each other's decision making processes. The Archbishop of Canterbury's role in maintaining unity was acknowledged and encouraged. The ACC would be the vehicle for regular consultation between provinces.

Within the province, it was said, the bishops should commit themselves to remain in communion with each other, with the understanding that none be compelled to ordain a woman and that no member of the church be forced to accept the priestly ministry of a woman.

A report to the Council rehearsed the arguments for and against the ordination of women and offered some new thoughts on the way the church's faith and order "evolved" from the Bible, concluding that the ordination of women may be a justifiable development.

Provinces which had already ordained women described their experiences, and these were generally favorable. It was recognized that Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches were disappointed by the Anglican ordination of women, but the continuation of ecumenical dialogue was encouraged.

Browning has been an important force in the Mission and Ministry section, which was assigned the matter of the ordination of women and the possible election of a woman to the episcopate. That section brought its report to the Council to unanimous acclaim, both from those favoring the ordination of women and those opposing it. The paper focussed on maintaining the unity of the Communion. Provinces were asked to be sensitive to one another in this matter, and also to ordained women and women "whose hopes for ordination cannot yet be realized."

The Presiding Bishop said he had been pleased at the openness with which people had listened to each other, noting that "this is one of the main purposes of the Consultative Council". He said he had appreciated the great sensitivity with which members entered into the discussion, both in the section and in the plenary.

One of the most impressive things, Browning said, had been the show of witness by people form the Third World on the matter, and their "growing awareness of gifts of women."

"The wider Communion is moving to a consensus on the ordination of women", the Presiding Bishop said.

A report also reviewed the church's mission in the light of other preparatory documents. In these, the church's mission agencies were asked to co-operate more in mission strategy across the Communion and to be more open with the "receiving" churches. Evangelism was also the responsibility of the local church, it said.

The report said human development and evangelism were both parts of mission and that the church needed to share information about mission via an international data bank.

A new book, Open to the Spirit, in which members of the Anglican family relate how they see renewal, was supplemented by experiences described by members of Council.

The report recalled the balance of word and sacrament emphasised in Anglicanism and considered that preaching needed greater attention if this balance was to be maintained. Congregations and clergy should be open to the Holy Spirit in preaching, prayers, and worship. In order for people to fulfill their proper tasks, they would need to redesign their work patterns, the report said. It said those who spoke of a personal "charismatic experience" and those who did not should trust and respect each other.

The Council upheld the equality of women and men before God and, "in the exercise off their God-given gifts," in the leadership of the church. It affirmed that both parents have significant role in the care of raising of children and, while upholding marriage and family as important ideals, pointed to the needs and contributions of single people in the Church's life.

Churches were asked to reassess their theological and pastoral understanding of marriage, divorce, widowhood, remarriage and singleness. They were asked to examine how pornography and prostitution exploit women and children and to work toward inclusive language in liturgy and church publications "where possible and culturally appropriate."

Palestine/Israel

Recognizing that the Palestine/Israel conflict continues to be at the heart of much strife in the Middle East, the council affirmed the existence of the State of Israel, including its right to secure borders, and also the civic and human rights of all living within those borders. At the same time it rejected interpretations of scripture which considered the present state of Israel to be the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Acknowledging injustices done to Palestinians in the creation of that state, the Council also affirmed the right of Palestinians to self determination, including the possible establishment of their own state.

AIDS

Besides mention from the networks, some 17 documents on AIDS had come to the section from the provinces, confirming the virtually universal concern about the disease. The section delineated a dual role for the church in dealing with what is becoming a world crisis:

  • Educating people about the disease itself, and
  • Pastoral concern for persons with AIDS, their families and friends, their caregivers and those scientists seeking a cure.

The Council first urged all people to examine their own life styles with reference to spread of the disease, upholding "fidelity within marriage and chastity outside it." It asked churches to develop theological and pastoral guidelines on dealing with the matter appropriate to their own cultures and biblical understandings, called on churches to work with governments in educating the public about AIDS, and encouraged continued prayer for persons with ATIS and all those involved with them.

The official proceedings of ACC-7 Singapore will be published in book form at the end of July 10, 1987 and will be distributed to the provinces of the Anglican Communion for study and reflection and will be available to the Church world-wide.

The Anglican Consultative Council is an international assembly of the Anglican Communion which brings together bishops, clergy and laity to work on common Anglican concerns.

The Council, which was formed after the 1968 Lambeth Conference, saw the need for a more frequent and representative contact between the churches of the Anglican family than was a possible through a once-a-decade conference of bishops. The ACC meets every two or three years, and its present policy is to meet in different parts of the world.

The ACC does not have legislative powers. Each self-governing church draws on advice and information from the ACC and makes decisions in the light of local needs and culture.

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