Archbishop encourages provinces to approve Anglican Covenant

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams has advised the Anglican Communion's 34 provinces to approve a document aimed at preventing a split in the global body.

The draft Anglican Covenant was sent out to provinces for consideration this week. It sets out a framework for dealing with conflicts among the provinces but not, the Archbishop said, a "penal code"by which to punish provinces that do not tow the line.

He said the covenant offered a way of discerning the nature of any disagreements and whether they were a "Communion-breaking issue".

"It's not going to solve all our problems, it's not going to be a constitution, and it's certainly not going to be a penal code for punishing people who don't comply," he said.

The Archbishop said the covenant reflected the distrust and strained relations between churches. Relations have soured in recent years as a result of differences in opinion over the consecration of women and homosexuals as bishops, as well as the authority of Scripture and uniqueness of Christ.

"We really need to build relationships, and we need to have a sense that we are responsible to one another and responsible for each other," he said. 

"In other words, what we need is something that will help us know where we stand together, and help us also intensify our fellowship and our trust."

The draft covenant is being sent out to all member churches of the Anglican Communion.

The Archbishop wants most provinces on board by the next meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in three years time.

"Clearly the process won't all be over by then, but we're hoping to see some enthusiasm, some general adoption of the principles," said Dr Williams. 

"We hope to see a new kind of relationship emerging.  We hope to see people agreeing to these ways of resolving our conflicts."