A highly controversial move by the Diocese of Sydney to allow lay presidency has been postponed until after next summer’s Lambeth Conference.
The Diocesan Synod, meeting this week, decided to defer further debate on the issue after the Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, had been asked a committee of officials
to issue licences to senior lay people and deacons which would allow them to celebrate Holy Communion. If Sydney went ahead, it could cause a split with the rest
of the Anglican Communion who see the move as a lurch towards congregationalism.
Leading the prolay presidency vote is John Woodhouse, the principal of Moore Theological College in Sydney. He suggests that the diocese uses current church laws,
effectively by-passing the need for the diocese to apply for legal authority ””which would probably not be granted by the national church. The decision to delay the debate has
been welcomed by many church leaders. Some American liberals argue that if they are in danger of being excommunicated from the communion then, in the same manner, so
should Sydney if they chose to be irregular over an issue such as Holy Communion. Why should lay presidency be considered more irregular than the acceptance of
[non-celibate] gay priests, they question.
But another issue is that if Sydney vote for lay presidency they could damage vital links with other conservative dioceses who would otherwise serve as allies against the ordination of [non-celibate] gay bishops in the rest of the communion.
–This article appears in this week’s Church of England Newspaper, the September 21, 2007, edition, on page 5
This severely undercuts our understanding of the priesthood, of course, of Apostolic succession and numerous other issues in which the Episcopal/Anglican Church used to perceive its calling as a Catholic entity.
It is rare that I agree with the American “Liberals” on matters of faith but I do agree with their comment here. It is smart not to unilaterally pursue lay presidency at this time. One option that has not been put to the table, if these senior lay folk and deacons are serious about wanting to do this, why not formally admit them as postulants to holy orders and train them accordingly?
A welcome announcment. Of course, it would be better if +Jensen were to announce that he defers to the teaching of Holy tradition in the Anglican Communion and the church catholic and gets off this hobby horse for good.
Well, that’s a relief.