Mar 16, 2011

WAKEFIELD DIOCESAN SYNOD: First English diocesan vote rejects Anglican Covenant


Modern Church, Inclusive Church and the No Anglican Covenant Coalition are pleased with the result of the first diocesan vote on the proposed Anglican Covenant.



Both clergy and laity (the latter overwhelmingly) rejected the Covenant at the Wakefield Diocesan Synod meeting on Saturday 12th March.

While recognising the need to avoid the bitter controversies of recent years, we are glad that this Synod does not believe the Covenant is the way to do it.

We believe we should retain the traditional Anglican openness in which provinces govern themselves and disagreements are resolved by openly debating the issues free from threats of sanctions or schism.

The proposed Anglican Covenant offers instead a process for suppressing disagreements by establishing a central authority, with power to pass judgements and penalise dissident provinces by excluding them from international structures.¨  HERE

We trust that other Church of England Dioceses will have the courage to follow Wakefield’s example.

Further information:

Rev Giles Goddard, 07762 373674, www.inclusivechurch2.net

Rev Jonathan Clatworthy, 0151 7276291, www.modernchurch.org.uk

Rev Lesley Fellows, 01844 239268, www.noanglicancovenant.org

·  Thanks to The No Anglican Covenant Coalition, sidebar
·  Thanks to Thinking Anglicans, sidebar
·  Thanks to Simon Sarmiento