Under the revised canons, inhibition occurs as soon as the Title IV [disciplinary] Review Committee certifies sufficient grounds to proceed with a hearing. Retired bishops, who by and large have not attended meetings of the House of Bishops in recent years, will lose their status as voting members of the House.
During a press conference sponsored by the American Anglican Council (AAC) shortly after the deposition vote on Sept. 18, the Rev. Philip Ashey, president of the AAC, observed that it was now easier to depose a bishop for abandonment than it is for a bishop to resign or for the House to approve a 10-minute recess during debate. The loosening of procedural safeguards for the accused greatly expands the Presiding Bishop’s curial powers over the church. From its inception right up through its recent submissions to the Covenant Design Group, a curial style of polity is something that most Episcopalians have strongly resisted.
The deposition of Bishop Duncan prior to his actually leaving The Episcopal Church may further future litigation interests against the current diocesan leadership in Pittsburgh, but is likely to “tear the fabric” of the Anglican Communion further. The ham-handed manner in which this deposition was advanced also may diminish the number of conservative delegates to the annual meeting in Pittsburgh who will vote to remain with The Episcopal Church on Oct. 4.
This part is also worthy of highlighting…unfortunately innovations rarely become accepted as owing to Pneumatic inspiration in a traditionalist direction…
[i]Assuming that a majority of delegates in Pittsburgh, Fort Worth and Quincy join the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin in leaving The Episcopal Church later this fall, it is almost inevitable that a second province will be created in North America, perhaps even before the next primates’ meeting early next year. While the new province is unlikely to win immediate unanimous endorsement from all four of the Instruments of Communion, a review of similar recent actions reveals that when new facts are created on the ground in the Anglican Communion, they are first condemned, but their novelty soon finds more who are willing to embrace the innovation. Eventually a majority accepts it as a revelation of the Holy Spirit, and in time it becomes part of canon law.[/i]
If that happens — and I agree that it might well — it will be interesting to see who gets invited to that Primates’ meeting. If Rowan Williams follows the pattern he set in the Lambeth invitations, Duncan wouldn’t be on the list. That would likely anger the GAFCON contingent.
I can see Rowan offering Duncan some kind of “observer” status at the meeting, but I doubt that would be enough for the GAFCON Primates.
If anything is going to formally crack the AC in two, this is the scenario I see doing it.
The battle is the Lord’s (1 Sam 17:47). Prayers for tomorrow’s meeting of the Covenant Design Group can be found here and here.