Six more Church of England dioceses voted on the Anglican Covenant today. Two voted to support it and four voted against, bringing the total to 10 for and 17 against. If a majority of the dioceses (23 of 44) vote for the Covenant, the motion to adopt it will return to the General Synod in July. If at least half (22) vote against, the motion to adopt cannot return to General Synod in the current quinquennium.
Across all 27 dioceses, the votes by houses look like this:
Bishops: 82.0% for, 10.0% against, 8.0% abstentionsComparing against last week's figures, one can see that support is dropping in all houses, opposition is growing, and confidence is growing (judging by the declining number of abstentions) except in the House of Bishops.
Clergy: 44.6% for, 50.8% against, 4.7% abstentions
Laity: 50.1% for, 45.2% against, 4.7% abstentions
The bishops seem very much out of touch with the rest of the Church. Clergy and laity are almost evenly split for/against. It's clear that the arguments for the Covenant are not convincing at all. The clergy are decidedly against, and the laity hardly overwhelmingly for.
Overall: 48.4% for, 46.8% against, 4.8% abstentions
Overall (clergy and laity only): 47.6% for, 47.7% against, 4.7% abstentions
The figures show a church divided, except for the bishops, who are most surely out of touch with the flock.
ReplyDeleteThey show no enthusiasm for the Covenant, and some resistance to the bishops' leadership.
ReplyDeleteI think voters are divided over the issue - it doesn't seem to be a partisan matter. Supporters seem to be the more organisationally conservative and opponents more socially liberal, but that's on very limited evidence.
Once again Paul thank you for your lightening quick reporting of the results.
ReplyDeleteEffectively, to borrow an American primaries term, this has been 'Super Saturday' when due to
the number of dioceses voting some clear trends have emerged. Falling support in all Houses, even the
bishops,and the now virtual certainty that the Covenant will not achieve a sufficient majority to be
passed to the General Synod.
This means it is dead as an idea - how other Provinces will feel one can only guess. I expect they'll
let us know in due course.
The subsidiary motion put to some dioceses which essentially says lets be Anglican and
talk to each other patiently and in love whilst rallying around the Archbishop is obviously
the way forward. I suppose, however, we had to limp down the lane of the covenantal idea
before we could get back to where the genius of Anglicanism lies.
Ironically, I think the future for the Communion is now quite promising, just give it a few years for
the system to reset itself.
... But alas, for the Archbishop of Canterbury himself. This whole episode has blighted an archiepiscopate which looked so promising initially. Now he has staked his reputation on a loser.
By the way, the panic stricken communication from Chris Smith, Chief of Staff at Lambeth (reproduced below) to all members of synods who have not yet voted is a PR disaster by the way as it attempts to pull rank and whip us all
into line:
'Dear Bishop (with all the Bishops' emails attached)
I wonder if I could draw your attention to the Archbishop's UTube video recorded yesterday, in which he comments on the continuing debate in the Church of England about the Anglican Covenant and why it matters. It would be helpful if this could be drawn to the attention of your Diocesan Synod members, particularly in dioceses which are still to debate and vote on the Covenant.
Thank you for your support and co-operation on this.
Kind regards
Chris'
The ABC could well now have to 'consider his position'. Perhaps he'll announce his retirement after
the July General Synod if the women bishops measure goes through?
I feel sorry for him, it all dates back to a failure of nerve just after the election of Gene Robinson.
The result is that in a spurious quest for a 'Roman' catholic style unity of the Communion, Rowan has
reneged on his own views, hurt his friends and still failed to appease vocal conservative elements.
What a mess - but thankfully it is all now coming to an end and we all remain more or less in communion
even if some have declared it to be impaired. Surely, this is much better than the constitutional schism
that would have taken place should the Covenant have survived.
Interesting (at least to me) ¨Ironically, I think the future for the Communion is now quite promising, just give it a few years for the system to reset itself.¨
DeleteI feel exactly the same way...I thought it was a combination of innerspiritual rush and my long career in Retail/Wholesale/Product Development before retirement...call it an instinct or call it simply ¨paying attention¨ to ground activity but, I believe, we have a whole new Anglican Communion world of Grace, mutual caring/well-being, that we NEVER had before...the end is near, the end of deadly superstition, fear and hatemongering at Church...it´s been a very long Lent.