A proposal to separate the Episcopal Church in the United States from the Anglican Communion was rejected by the Communion\u2019s Standing Committee (SCAC) when it met in London over last weekend.<\/p>\n
The suggestion, from Dato\u2019 Stanley Isaacs (Church of the Province of South East Asia), led to a discussion, and acknowledgement by committee members of \u201canxieties felt in parts of the Communion about sexuality issues\u201d\u009d, the ACNS reported. But \u201cthe overwhelming opinion was that separation would inhibit dialogue on this and other issues\u201d\u009d, and would therefore be \u201cunhelpful\u201d\u009d.<\/p>\n
The Committee also heard the rationale behind the Archbishop of Canterbury\u2019s Pente\u00c2\u00adcost letter, which proposed excluding from certain ecumenical dialogues provinces that had breached moratoria. Dr Williams and the Communion\u2019s secretary general, Canon Kenneth Kearon, said that the Archbishop \u201chad not acted unilaterally but with the support of the secretary general\u201d\u009d, and that they had acted within their powers. The action \u201chad not been punitive in intention\u201d\u009d, but had followed \u201cthe breaking of the agreed moratoria \u201d\u201d in response to the needs of the Communion in respect to ecumenical dialogues and faith and order bodies\u201d\u009d.<\/p>\n