The Diocese of Central Florida’s annual convention will have an opportunity in late January to affirm the now-completed Anglican Communion Covenant.
In a letter to members of the diocese, the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe urged delegates to support the Covenant by voting for a resolution by the Rev. Eric Turner.
A list distributed by the Episcopal Church Center mentions eight dioceses that have scheduled conventions in January: Central Florida, Florida, Newark, North Carolina, Southwestern Virginia, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington. To date, only Central Florida has posted any resolution that addresses the Covenant in any form.
In his letter, Bishop Howe acknowledged that drafting the Covenant has taken a few years and provincial approval of it will take more time still. “It has been a lengthy process, and it will not be concluded soon,” he wrote.
I think conservatives won’t be that impressed.
I am conservative.
I will be impressed.
A little is better than nothing.
Though I have grave doubts about the Covenant’s usefulness to re-establish unity and order, as it is all that is on the table, I am proud of Central Florida doing this.
I believe the deadline for submitting resolutions to the Tennessee convention has passed, and if there is one concerning the Covenant I am unaware of it. Late resolutions may be submitted but require a substantial majority (2/3 I believe) approval to even be considered. Since the final text of section four was only recently released, it’s more likely that Tennessee will comment on it in 2011. I’m willing to be surprised, though.
John Wilkins, I have news for you: A lot of us conservatives will be impressed……especially since such an endorsement shows a crack in TEC’s armor. Now, please don’t make the mistake of thinking that I’m in favor of the covenant. I’m not, since it has no teeth……which is a mistake, in the opinion of so many. And if Central Florida does endorse the covenant, then it’s a sure-fire bet that KJS will have Bishop Howe squarely in her sights soon afterward.
Although there are grave questions about how (and if) the covenant will be administered at the provincial level, nevertheless I believe that dioceses should not pass up the chance to affirm it as soon as they can.
If its administration fails, it fails. There is yet something more important than administration, or even the missing “teeth” so vigorously lamented. That something is principles–principles on which we can agree to stand.