The Archbishop of Canterbury's Commission on Communion and Women in the Episcopate
Episcopal News Service. May 11, 1989 [89092]
Introductory notes on the report by the chairman of the commission, the Most Rev. Dr. Robert Eames, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.
The task given to the commission was to begin an examination of how the individual provinces (Churches) of the Anglican Communion could live and grow together in the highest possible degree of communion in the light of the different attitudes to the ordination of women to the episcopate.
The commission was not asked to adjudicate on the question of the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate.
This report is the result of preliminary work by the commission so that initial findings would be available for the meeting of the Anglican Primates in Cyprus during April, 1989. Since the setting up of the commission the Rev. Barbara Harris was elected and consecrated a suffragan bishop in the Episcopal Church of the United States of America. The commission recognizes that this report represents preliminary analysis only of a developing and changing situation and that it will be necessary to continue to develop Anglican thought on this subject in the years ahead.
This report attempts to understand the nature of communion within the Anglican Communion. The commission is deeply conscious of the serious divisions that exist within Anglicanism on this question.
Those divisions were accepted by the members of the commission and, indeed, found expression in the individual attitudes of members to their work.
This report represents the unanimous opinion of the commission.
There are five main sections to the report:
- the nature of communion as revealed in the mystery of God the Holy Trinity (See pp. 1-5.)
- the nature of communion within the Anglican Communion
- communion and women in the episcopate (See pp. 6-14.)
- pastoral guidelines for the consideration of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Dr. Robert Runcie, and his fellow Primates of the Anglican Communion in accordance with Resolution I of the Lambeth Conference (See pp. 16-21.)
- correspondence between the Archbishop of Canterbury and His Holiness Pope John Paul II and its relevance for the ecumenical dimensions of women's ordination (see pp. 22 - 29)
This report will be presented to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates in Cyprus on 27 and 28 April. The future work of the Commission will be a matter for decision at that meeting.
The Archbishop of Armagh in introducing the report of the commission to the Primates commented:
The commission has listened to and read submissions from many parts of the Anglican Communion. We recognize and appreciate the deeply-held convictions of so many Anglicans who differ on this question. We have considered the implications of a developing situation not only in relation to Anglicanism but in relation to our life with Christians of other traditions.
This report has been placed clearly in the context of an open process of reception" thus allowing for the gradual resolving of anomalies.
I feel that the basic question for Anglicanism at this time is: What are the limits of legitimate divergence in the Church? I believe the answer lies in the traditional Anglican distinction between fundamentals and non-fundamentals and in our understanding of Tradition. As time goes on and our thinking develops on the meaning of Communion I believe that we will find the way forward as we consider the role of reason in conjunction with Scripture and tradition.
This report represents only the first step in a process of prayerful thought that must develop gradually in time. There are no instant solutions to problems that lie in time.