Posted on 10/13/2005 5:19:09 PM PDT by sionnsar
First it was Nigeria. Sydney, Australia may be next:
Powerbrokers in Sydney’s Anglican diocese want to change the church’s constitution to enable a split from the Church of England in England if its attitude to the ordination of gay clergy and same-sex unions remains unresolved.
A motion to be considered by the diocese’s annual synod next Monday says recent developments within the English church relating to same-sex relationships "may make it desirable" to modify the Australian church’s constitution to make the traditional link optional.
Section six of the constitution says unity depends on the Australian church being satisfied that its English counterpart is complying with biblical teaching.
Sydney Archbishop Peter Jensen’s view that the Bible forbids same-sex unions is well known, but this motion is the first step towards a split.
It will be put by Sydney solicitor and leading Anglican layman, Robert Tong. "There is little doubt that the Anglican communion faces a crisis," he said. "Instead of an automatic linking with the Church of England in England, it will be a matter of giving the Australian church a choice."
Meanwhile, Dr. Williams' Panel of Reference has met. Once. But not to worry; they've got another meeting scheduled. Next year:
Mr Tong is one of two Australians appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to a 13-member panel of reference set up in May to handle disputes over authority within the worldwide Anglican church.
The panel, headed by the former Anglican primate of Australian, Peter Carnley, met for the first time in mid-July in the UK and is scheduled to meet again in May, but it has not yet been allocated any matters.
I sure hope they have something to talk about then.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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