ACNA, Session 2: The Canons

Well, I’m going to try my hand at liveblogging a session again. I’m no canon lawyer so that might be dangerous. I think I will focus more on color and less on detail than I did yesterday.

It will be interesting to see how much debate there will be on the canons, particularly when we get to the issue of women’s ordination.

As I wait, I do want to say I agree with Still On Patrol that ACNA would be wise not to get in a great hurry to become an Anglican Communion province blessed by Canterbury. *Anglican understatement alert* I think there are better things to do. And not everyone in ACNA is thrilled with the current occupant of the See of Canterbury.

We’ve been asked to take our seats. Looks like we’ll start close to on time.

We start with a reading of Proverbs 2. +Duncan is not here at the start. Will take the chair later.

Motion to ratify the whole canons by acclamation. Wow. I don’t think that is the way to proceed. But quite a number second amidst some hubbub. The chair wisely defers on that. (Sorry, I don’t have the chair’s i.d. yet.)

Governance Committee member now speaking.

Motion to pass by acclamation to be tabled for 30 minutes. Discussed and coming to a vote. Motion to tabled passed by voice vote. Therefore the motion to pass by acclamation will be revisited in 30 minutes.

And the chair is Mike Murphy.

Title 1 under consideration now:
Canon 10, sec. 2, # 8 – Dio of Pitt member moves to send that back as it’s not a first order duty. (Lay duties – feasts and fasts) Further discussion

Point of order asking to consider section by section. (There is already a tug of war between those who want to deliberate and those who want to get the canons passed fast.)

Discussion on sending the feasts and fast clause back is taking some time.

Bishop Harvey of Canada says we need to move things along, or we won't have the time to get the canons passed.

Now vote to send back the clause. A lot of ayes, but the noes clearly prevail.

Title 1 now passed. On to Title 2 . . .

Canon 2 of Title 2 discussed. (on Standard Book of Common Prayer)
+Grote of REC: God in his providence could move us to have a standard Book of Common Prayer

Canon 4, 1, 5: motion to send back. (“Members in good standing of other branches of Christ’s Church, who have been baptized in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, are welcomed to the Holy
Communion.“) I think the mover wants parishes free to be stricter on standards of reception. (I agree btw.)

Motion fails, but with some aye votes.

Canon 8: Motion to send sections 2 and 3 back. Not even seconded. (Good!)

Title 2 passes.

+Duncan takes chair as it’s time to vote on the earlier motion to pass all canons by acclamation.

++Duncan suggests considering section by section, instead of all at one time by acclamation.

Mike Murphy is the one who made the acclamation motion. (He wasn’t the chair. I got that wrong. I still don’t know who the earlier chair was. Sorry.) And now Mr. Murphy graciously withdraws his motion. (Kudos to him.) So we will consider section by section. As ++Duncan has suggested, it is very possible we will pass the canons today and avoid a business meeting tomorrow.

Moving missions minute on human trafficking.

BTW, with +Grote speaking earlier, it is clear the Canons have an REC imprint.

Greeting from Church of Uganda.

Title 3 under consideration.
John Hendershott of REC reluctantly brings up WO. (You knew that issue was coming.) He asks about transfer of women priests to jurisdictions that don’t accept. ++Duncan answers that a bishop can refuse transfer of orders.

A technical question about College of Bishops.

And with that the Title 3 passes without opposition. The discussion was brief.

BabyBlue is also live-blogging this. She is getting down some details that I am missing.

A greeting from Egypt begins “I AM going back to Egypt!” :)

Title 4 under consideration.

After a question about standards of evidence, Title 4 goes to a vote and passes with no opposition.

+Iker introduces RC bishop of Ft. Worth Kevin Vann.

+Vann assures us of the prayers of the RC Diocese of FW, affirms St. Paul as a guide.

Chris Sugden brings greetings from friends in the CofE.

Only one title to go. So it looks like we will conclude business with time to spare. And *that* issue of WO hasn’t come up much. I thought it would.

Sorry if this has been boring. But sometimes boring is good. :)

Brian+ Foos speaking on St. Andrew’s Academy. He is good people!

Title V under consideration now.

There are no questions, so it goes to a vote. It passes without opposition.

+Duncan: “My brothers and sisters, the work of the Assembly is done.” Standing ovation.

During announcements, +Guernsey (spelling) announces the House of Bishops of Uganda has recognized ACNA and transfers its parishes to ACNA. Standing ovations.

At ++Duncan's prompting, a standing o for the Governance Task Force.

Sugden asks for prayers for the launching of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in the UK. I think he said the first big meeting is July 6th.

++Duncan blesses then adjourns us.