Rector's Thoughts and Reflections

August 20, 2005

Old Business That Will Be New Again

Dust off your copy, if indeed you have one, of the Windsor Report 2004. It is officially called "The Lambeth Commission on Communion," and is a theological and practical blueprint for the Anglican Communion to move forward as one historic body of people who have bound themselves by faith, practice, theology and a common history. As you may know, next summer the Episcopal Church will hold it's General Convention and all eyes of the Communion will focus on the actions (whatever they may be) of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. (Less than a year in the Anglican scheme of things is really not that long) As the Episcopal Church, USA and the Anglican Communion in general lurch along, what does all this have to do with the local congregation? Is this really about issues well beyond the focus of our parish?

We are rightly concerned with Christian Education for our children, the thrust of our youth program, and whether the church is relevant and meaningful to our lives, to mention a few important areas of interest for the priest and member in the pew. There was a time when the General Convention with its debates and legislation was mildly interesting to the vast majority of people in the pew. The local congregation kept moving right along and General Convention and their agenda kept moving right along every three years; the two it seemed, seldom touched. Two parallel realities in the same church?

Then something occurred to us -- we are the Episcopal Church, and we send delegates to General Convention; what happens at the national level impacts the local congregation. We now realize that we have a tremendous stake, because for many of us, we love and are committed not only to the Episcopal Church but also to our place in the Anglican Communion.

I was interested in the perspective of a person who I know quite well, John B. Lipscomb, the Diocesan Bishop of Southwest Florida. In a reflection published on the diocesan website recently, he writes, "To live into the vision of Communion expressed by the Windsor Report requires that we adopt a spirit of humility -- accepting limitations on provincial autonomy in order to live into new possibilities in mission and ministry. Far from being a revolutionary departure from traditional Anglican patterns of organization, the Windsor Report is another step toward giving form to "Anglicanism" as a distinct part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
Church."

He goes even a step further by saying that at some point we will be asked to choose, and here he shows his position on the matter. Bishop Lipscomb acknowledges that after "prayerful consideration" at least some Episcopalians will conclude that they must be faithful to the decisions of the General Convention 2003, decisions, which have strained and in some cases broken the bonds of affection within the Communion."

"There will be others", he said, "who will choose to accept the recommendation of the Windsor Report and remain in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Anglican provinces."

And then he speaks in specifics, "Those who choose to remain must fully embrace the radical claims of interdependence within a global community. Such individuals, congregations and dioceses have a rightful and constitutional claim to be the Episcopal Church in the United States."

It is not that we agree or disagree with Bishop Lipscomb's position, who does represent a particular position, but are we reading and interpreting the Windsor Report as he has done. He has come to his own conclusions. To reach our own, for the sake of the future, we must be more than familiar with the Windsor Report. Dust it off, or borrow one from my office. I have four begging to be read.

to top of page ...

Rector's Thoughts and Reflections