What was going on? The church is an institution. Institutions are determined by power. Power was often exercised arbitrarily in the debates and decisions in Jamaica. The debates on the covenant were confusing and breached many rules of normal procedure. The press were told that a great deal of weight falls on the chairman to direct the meeting.

On the central issue the chair ruled the motion to delay the covenant out of order because it was bringing back a previously defeated motion. But Archbishop Williams trumped him and interpreted the mind of the meeting as having rejected the first motion because they wanted it again in another form. The Archbishop later suggested that, in future, procedures be outlined at the beginning of the meeting.

Those disadvantaged when all power is in the hands of the chair and the president are the ordinary members of the Council. Many said they were confused. A Ugandan member spoke of a spirit of confusion.

Secondly, the real issue was the property of the North American Churches. Had the motion on moratorium passed, TEC would have been in breach of the will of the Communion in pursueing faithful Anglicans through the courts. Had the motion on the covenant passed, orthodox churches would have the high moral ground in property matters in claiming their status as Anglicans faithful to a covenant to which TEC would not agree.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Archbishop of Canterbury • Anglican Consultative Council • Anglican Covenant

1. Jeffersonian wrote: But Archbishop Williams trumped him and interpreted the mind of the meeting as having rejected the first motion because they wanted it again in another form. The Archbishop later suggested that, in future, procedures be outlined at the beginning of the meeting. The good Archbishop is either a fool or a prevaricator.  And he is no fool. May 23, 2:30 pm | [comment link]

2. MarkP wrote: The so called “fourth moratorium” at ACC14 did not include the Dar es Salaam language calling for churches not to alienate property from TEC. It only included the moratorium on lawsuits. Here’s the language from that communique: “The Primates urge the representatives of The Episcopal Church and of those congregations in property disputes with it to suspend all actions in law arising in this situation. We also urge both parties to give assurances that no steps will be taken to alienate property from The Episcopal Church without its consent or to deny the use of that property to those congregations. “ The problem, of course, is that the lawsuits are necessary precisely because (from TEC’s point of view) the congregations are ignoring the “alienation of property” part of the moratorium! May 23, 5:13 pm | [comment link]

3. Fr. Dale wrote: “We have lost hope in the Covenant” Archbishop Orombi. May 23, 10:02 pm | [comment link]

4. CanaAnglican wrote: Archbishop Orombi speaks plainly and carefully. May 24, 6:44 am | [comment link]

5. Cennydd wrote: And he speaks the truth! May 24, 9:12 pm | [comment link]

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