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A Statement from the Oxford Gathering
October 21, 2004
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are an international
group of 42 archbishops, bishops, senior clergy, theologians and lay
leaders from Africa, Asia, Canada, the United States, Latin America and
England who met October 19-21, 2004 to study, pray and respond to the Windsor Report.
We welcome positive points in the Report, especially the importance of
acting together under the “supreme authority of Scripture,” (paragraph 53) and that the recent actions of ECUSA and New Westminster have denied and breached the “bonds of affection” as well as the legitimate application of the Christian faith once received (paragraph 143). However, the protection it seeks to provide for those upholding the apostolic faith is not adequate (paragraph 152). In spite of the report’s weaknesses we believe that the recommendations made have the capacity to call for compliance and discipline. We have issued the following “Call for Compliance” below.
We are concerned that the repentance needed for true reconciliation as we believe the Commission intended could be read only as an “expression of regret” from the Episcopal Church USA and New Westminster. In addition, the report could be interpreted as drawing equivalence between crossing jurisdictional boundaries and breaking faith.
We are deeply aware that the February 2005 Primates’ Meeting represents a watershed event in the history of the Anglican Communion. As part of our commitment to the process, we are communicating our concerns in greater detail to the individual Primates. The future of the Communion hinges upon their pivotal decisions. We have pledged our prayers for them, their provinces and the entire Anglican Communion as they work to preserve and restore our Church.
“A Call for Compliance”
We the assembled archbishops, bishops, theologians and church leaders
representing the global Anglican Communion hereby urgently require that proper legal representative bodies of the Episcopal Church and the
Anglican Church of Canada meet in emergency session.
1) To determine whether they are able formally to declare regret, not in
vague or even sincere terms, but on the specific terms of the Windsor
Report itself. (Paragraphs 134, 143-144)
The report makes reference to solemn liturgical declaration of regret and reconciliation (paragraph 156), and we judge this to be an appropriate way to signal regret in compliance with the Windsor Report’s letter and spirit.
2) To determine how it will demonstrate its capacity to continue as a
constituent member of the Anglican Communion on the terms stipulated by the Windsor Report. (Paragraphs 82-86 and 93-95)
If we are right to anticipate that some individual dioceses and bishops
who are members of these representative legal bodies wish more immediately to indicate such compliance, we urge them to be at the forefront of doing so.
And alternatively, those who are not willing to live in compliance with
the Windsor Report in regard to Communion membership have the courage forthrightly and solemnly to acknowledge that.
In our gathering here at Oxford with senior leaders of the Communion it is clear that such indications of compliance would clarify the business and agenda of the Primates Meeting in February.
Please contact for further details:
Mrs Cynthia Brust American Anglican Council 001-202-296-5360/
202-418-8721
Professor Christopher Seitz Anglican Communion Institute 01334-462828
Canon Dr Chris Sugden Anglican Mainstream 0780 829 7042
Rev David Short The Essentials Federation and Network, Canada
001-604-727-5011
