Beyond the Anglican Communion

This little ditty appeared as a segment of the Archbishop of Canterbury's proposal for the "upcoming Primates meeting.  I snatched it from Thinking Anglicans

In a letter to the primates dated Oct 7, Dr. Rowan Williams suggested that given the “number of difficult conversations” and the threat of a boycott of its meetings, a regime of separate but equal facilitated small groups sessions might better serve the primates’ “diverse” perspectives and forestall the substantial “damage” to the communion a full-fledged boycott would entail.

While I would actually love to dissect the issue of "separate but equal" perhaps another time.  The fact is the entire communion is on the verge of a complete breakdown/breakup which is exactly what GAFCON/ACNA/FCA/AMiA and the rest of the alphabet soup folks have worked for over the last 20 years.  They are on the verge of getting their wish.  Notice I did not say win, since no one will win in this mess, in fact the only winners will be those who recreate their own future depending on how each treats the next 18 to 36 months.

What needs to be done. First, the Anglican Covenant needs to be resoundingly rejected in toto.  It would be great to simply ignore this proposed document but it is now absolutely and totally meaningless and therefore no one needs to spend any time on it, except we said we would.  So, we spend a de minimis amount of time and then send the whole thing packing.  It was the figment of the GAFCON imagination to begin with to keep the rest of the communion busy while they did their own nefarious things (and have now succeeded).  There is no reason to even think about this except we said we would and so we need to fulfill the promise.  If you do not see it circling the bowl on a large scale we need to make sure it gets flushed.

Second, we need to redouble our efforts to regain all TEC property and with the falling out about to fall out it should make it easier because there can be no claim to an Anglican Communion and therefore Anglican property if there is no Communion to hang on to.  Good news for The Episcopal Church.

Third, we should now move to consolidate diocese and provinces to take advantage of the economy of scales and to the extent necessary, re-do any bishops out a diocese as suffragan or co-adjutator for other diocese.  The reduced numbers of administrative offices and the possibility of such issues as a national payroll office and other national office consolidated would be most beneficial.

Fourth, those parishes recovered through litigation that are unable to be self-sufficient are either mothballed or sold.    Those mothballed may be returned to working status upon demonstration that their mission status is viable and there is a reasonable opportunity to move to full parish status within three to five years.  Those parishioners returning to the Episcopal Church are not permitted to hold any office in the parish or diocese for a period of no more than five years. 

Fifth, consolidate the house of Bishops with the House of Deputies and become a unicameral house.  Bishops retired are bishops retired and may have seat but no voice or vote in the new house.

Sixth, all new bishops are elected without consent of the new house but only for seven years.  At the end of seven years a bishop may be re-elected and for life but not without the consent of the new unicameral house.

Seventh, job descriptions for bishops are re-written to remove the issues of property and administration from the job.  These duties are fully vested in the Standing Committee and the Diocesan Councils.  This way bishops can concentrate on those issues most near and dear to their hearts, pastoral care.