As hundreds of Anglican bishops gather in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss the future shape of the Anglican Communion led by the vision of Gafcon, as the Global Anglican Communion, there’s been a change of plan from the rival establishment led from London.
Gafcon, representing the more conservative majority of Anglicans, may discuss a new leadership structure to replace the Archbishop of Canterbury and other committees at the Abuja meeting. Premier Christian Radio in London and the BBC have both reported that Gafcon will pick a new leader instead of the new Archbishop of Canterbury. The Other Cheek does not know if Abuja will go that far. The issue of a new leader captures the current moment for Anglicans – the traditional structure based in London, rivalled by the Gafcon movement. (The Gafcon or Global Anglican Communion logo is on the left, the older Anglican Communion’s logo, the Compass rose is on the right of the illustration.)
UPDATE The Gafcon-aligned American Anglican Council reports, “The forthcoming election of a Chairman to serve as primus inter pares among the Global Primates Council underscores that this fellowship now understands itself not merely as a conference network but as a structured communion rooted in common confession.
Meanwhile, following discussion with Sarah Mullally, who will be installed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury later this month, a role traditionally regarded as Anglicanism’s “first among equals,” proposed changes in her role have been watered down.
Plans for Mullally’s role to be served alongside a “rotating presidency” for the Anglican Consultative Council formed part of the “Nairobi-Cairo Proposals” being put forward by the Communion’s faith and order body instead of the more radical reforms being suggested by Gafcon and other conservatives. The new role would have served as the “face” of the Anglican communion, alongside Canterbury’s role,
But that proposal has been ditched. Instead, the five Primates (national church leaders) who form part of the existing Anglican communion structure would form a collegial council, instead of electing one of them as president. “This would provide a more ‘diversified face of the Communion,” the official press release suggests. “The council could also ‘share the pastoral ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury as the first Instrument’ and ‘represent the Communion (as the Archbishop of Canterbury does) in different settings, such as at the inauguration of a new province or the installation of a new primate.’ The Archbishop of Canterbury could continue ‘to serve as the presumptive representative’ of the Communion in ecumenical settings, with the option of calling upon others.”
Under this revised proposal, the existing role of president of the Anglican Consultative Council would also be abolished.
These moves would seem to preserve the singular leadership role of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
This is made clear, in the detailed paper that explains the change: “Good questions (from various perspectives) have been raised about potential rivalry with the Archbishop of Canterbury, inconsistent geographical and/ortheological diversity in the “face” of the president, and potentially irregular funding and staffing of the office.”
The new proposals will be discussed at the existing Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Belfast in June, which will be the first official Anglican Communion meeting for the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
‘As I begin my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury, I am so grateful for this global community of Anglicans, all bound by our shared faith in Jesus Christ,” Sarah Mullally said. I am looking forward to spending time at the Anglican Consultative Council with bishops, clergy and laity from across the world, celebrating our common ministry, enriching one another’s faith, and looking for new ways to walk together. In this spirit of collaboration, I return to my favourite proverb: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”