The General Synod will also debate issues including urging the government to place a ban on alcohol advertising. The proposed Anglican Covenant addressing the issue of the ordination of bishops in same sex relationships will also be a discussion for the General Synod but no final decision is expected until the next Synod in 2012.
This secular venue doesn’t tell us much, but what little it does say about the biennial General Synod next week is curious in some ways. It mentions the Anglican Church in New Zealand having (or the General Synod including) “18 bishops” and “70 clergy,” a very peculair and top-heavy ratio, especially in light of the fact that NZ only has 8 dioceses (IIRC), so it presumably means retired bishops are included.
But the most striking thing to me is the relative importance of the two agenda items highlighted in this new report. The top priority, it would seem, is passing some politically correct resolution urging the government to ban alcohol advertising. Maybe that only seemed more newsworthy or of general interest to the public, but note that discussion of the proposed Anglican Covenant was deemed less significant. After all, no real decision up or down is expected until the next Synod meeting in 2012…
Hmmm. Is the Diocese of Nelson the only orthodox diocese left in this multi-ethnic province?
David Handy+