By Katie Sherrod
Lambeth Conference Communications

The powers of international Anglican church leaders may be strengthened if a draft resolution to be debated this week at the Lambeth Conference is approved. Under the draft proposal, the biennial meeting of Anglican primates (provincial church leaders) could be asked to intervene with local churches in the case of "exceptional emergency."

Resolution III.6, submitted by the conference's Section Three, which has been considering the topic "Called to be a Faithful Church in a Plural World," seeks to expand the responsibilities of the Primates Meeting "under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury." The new duties would include "intervention in cases of exceptional emergency which are incapable of internal resolution within provinces, and giving of guidelines on the limits of Anglican diversity in submission to the sovereign authority of Holy Scripture and in loyalty to our Anglican tradition and formularies."

It calls for this to happen in "sensitive consultation with the relevant provinces and with the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) or in cases of emergency with the Executive of the ACC and that, while not interfering with the juridical authority of the provinces, the exercises of these responsibilities by the Primates Meeting should carry moral authority calling for ready acceptance through the Communion."

The resolution goes on to recommend that each province be represented on the ACC by its primate as well as by sending one presbyter or deacon and one lay person to the triennial ACC gathering. It requests a name change to the Anglican Communion Council. It affirms the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lambeth Conference, "together with inter-provincial gatherings and cross-provincial diocesan partnerships, as collegial and communal signs of the unity of our Communion."

Resolution addresses women's ordination

A second resolution (III.2) revisits a subject that dominated the last Lambeth Conference. It calls for provinces of the Communion to "uphold the principle of 'Open Reception' as it relates to the ordination of women to the priesthood."

The resolution also would affirm "that those who dissent from, as well as those who assent to, the ordination of women are not disloyal Anglicans, and that there will be no coercion, penalization, or canonical disability for those supporting or objecting to the ordination of women to the priesthood and that no bishop will be obliged to ordain, license or institute a woman priest in that bishop's diocese."

Both these resolutions were erroneously included in the list of "resolutions for assent," or resolutions to be accepted without debate, Philip Mawer, secretary of the resolutions committee, said in the Monday morning press briefing on the resolutions. But bishops receiving the list of proposed resolutions on Monday morning did not get this word. By 2 p.m. on Monday, 50 bishops had signed a request that III.2 on the ordination of women be taken off the "assent" list and be opened to debate. Any resolution can be moved from the assent list to the debate list before a plenary session begins at the request of 50 bishops. Once the plenary session starts, it will take a request by 100 bishops to move a resolution.

Resolution III.22, meanwhile, which affirms baptism as the foundation for all ministries, was inaccurately listed "for debate." While "recognizing the significance of ordained ministry," it notes that "all persons are made full disciples and equally members of the Body of Christ and the people or laos of God, by their baptism."

Report stresses need for unity

According to the draft report of the section, the impact of "fragmentation and globalization" on the world's minority groups means the unifying message of the church must be heard with fresh urgency.

Both fragmentation and globalization have positive and negative effects the report asserts. Fragmentation awakens liberating self-awareness in indigenous and other minority groups but also can cause tragic and violent separatist conflicts between cultural minorities. Globalism, driven by the world market and communications technology, brings dreams of inclusion for "all" but too often at the expense of "each," according to the report.

The report holds up special concerns of women, youth, and the poor. It lays out areas of common ground, among them the affirmation of baptism as the foundation of all Christian ministry; the necessity of the orders of bishops, priests and deacons to the well-being of God's Church; and the importance of a broadly interpreted lay ministry.

It also laid out the five commitments directly related to all ministries: worship, proclamation/evangelization, forgiveness or reconciliation, service, and working for justice. It rejects lay presidency and affirms the diaconate as a distinct order.

Scripture central

It upholds the centrality of scripture while acknowledging and honoring differing approaches to scriptural interpretation. It affirms that it is possible to be a faithful church while encompassing these differences: "The gospel is one, though the Church hears and responds to it in multiple forms." Worship is held to be so central that liturgy is addressed with a statement appended to the report.

As participants in the Church's story, the report says, "we cannot expect those who have gone before us to bear the witness that only we can make." It affirms the reality of mutual interdependence and the importance of consultation and conversation in finding the middle way prized by Anglicans.

The report affirms a standard of loving faithfulness in marriage, family and sexual relations; urges that men be supported in renewing their parental and family commitments; and calls for the gifts of girls and women to be upheld in family, work and ministry. It calls Christians to an "appropriate simplicity" of living that enables responsible stewardship of resources; encourages them to engage in dialogue with at least one other faith; and to urges them to affirm the principle and practice of religious freedom. As Christians enter the new millennium, the report urges that "our unity in faith in the Lord Jesus and our diversity be a source of blessing to the whole world."