The Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA) has reported that it will not consecrate any further bishops – heterosexual as well as homosexual – at least until 2006. The announcement came this week after the House of Bishops of the ECUSA gathered in Texas, USA.
The move has evidenced the willingness, for the time being, of the American Anglican Church to reflect and look upon ways the denomination can move forward together as one.
A near unanimous vote was given for the release of its "Covenant Statement", and the Anglican bishops said that the action taken was to "contribute to a time for healing and for the educational process called for in the Windsor report."
The American arm of the worldwide Anglican Communion vowed that where it could hold jurisdiction, it would "withhold consent to the consecration of any person elected to the episcopate after the date hereof until the General Convention of 2006, and we encourage the dioceses of our Church to delay Episcopal elections accordingly."
Originally the call for these actions came within the Windsor Report, which was released in October 2004 by the Lambeth Commission. The call once again was echoed by the Primates' meeting last month, where the ECUSA was asked to cease consecrating homosexual bishops.
The Covenant Statement released by the ECUSA states, "We believe that Christian community requires us to share the burden of such forbearance; thus it must pertain to all elections of bishops in the Episcopal Church. We recognise that this will cause hardship.
"We pledge not to authorise any public rites for the blessing of same-sex unions, and we will not bless any such unions, at least until the General Convention of 2006."
A repenting tone has been seen by the recent statement from the ECUSA, and has allowed a hope for the reconciliation of the worldwide Anglican Communion to arise once again.
Talking about the consecration of the openly homosexual bishop Gene Robinson, the Statement said, "We express our own deep regret for the pain that others have experienced with respect to our actions at the General Convention of 2003, we offer our sincerest apology and repentance for having breached our bonds of affection by any failure to consult adequately with our Anglican partners before taking those actions."
The motive behind the Covenant Statement and the new direction given to the ECUSA was "in order to make the fullest possible response to the larger Communion and to reclaim and strengthen our common bonds of affection."
Earlier in the week, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev Rowan Williams greeted the Covenant Statement. He said, "I welcome this constructive response from ECUSA's House of Bishops. They have clearly sought to respond positively to the requests made of them in the Windsor Report and in the Communiqué issued after the recent Primates Meeting. It is clear that there has been a real willingness to engage with the challenges posed."
