Fr. Matt of the Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd, Binghamton has been doing some great work reporting on the press briefings and the documents that have been coming out of the Lambeth Conference. This is from two of Matt's posts at Stand Firm. ed.
Saturday, July 26, 2008 • 9:47 am
The Principles of Canon Law Common to the Churches of the Anglican Communion has yet to be published online. In the interest of keeping you informed, I will transcribe as much as I can over the next few days. I may not go in order, but I want as many Anglicans as possible to see what this book has in it and begin to think through the implications.
This afternoon I'll start with the names of those who drafted the book and the table of contents.
Drafting Committee (from page 14)
...Those taking part were drawn from each of the different regions of the Communion and each brought penetrating insights which challenged and sharpened the colleagues at Cardiff University. We are indebted not only to Norman [Doe] and his colleagues for the immense amount of research and drafting they had undertaken, but to those who took part during these discussions (not all could be present all the time, due to other professional commitments, but all participated as fully as they could and some are the authors of the short notes which introduce each of the sections set out in the body of the text). For the record, they are:
Miss Philippa Amable: Chancellor of the Diocese of Ho, Province of Ghana
Mr. David Booth Beers: Chancellor to the Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church, USA
Mr. Robert Falby: Chancellor to the Diocese of Toronto, Anglican Church of Canada
Mr. Bernard Georges: Chancellor of the Province of the Indian Ocean
Mrs. Rubie Nottage: Chancellor of the West Indies
Canon John Rees: Registrar of the Province of Canterbury, Church of England
Miss Fung-Yi Wong: Provincial Registrar of the Province of Hong Kong
Canon Dr. Gregory Cameron, as secretary of the Network, brought falicitous turns of phrase to difficult points of drafting, alerted members to potential difficulties with up to date references to sensitive issues in many parts of the Communion, garnered from his role as Deputy Secretary-General to the Anglican Consultative Council.
Table of Contents:
Part I: Church Order
Principle 1: Law in ecclesial society
Principle 2: Law as servant
Principle 3: The limits of the law
Principle 4: The sources and forms of law
Principle 5: The rule of law
Principle 6: The requirement of authority
Principle 7: The applicability of law
Principle 8: The interpretation of law
Principle 9: Juridical presumptions
Part II: The Anglican Communion
Principle 10: The fellowship of the Anglican Communion
Principle 11: The instruments of communion
Principle 12: Autonomy and interdependence
Principle 13: Mutual respect
Principle 14: Mutual hospitality
Part III: Ecclesiastical Government
Principle 15: Ecclesiastical Polity
Principle 16: Leadership and authority
Principle 17: Administration
Principle 18: Representative Government
Principle 19: Legislative competence an subsidiary
Principle 20: The diocese and diocesan legislation
Principle 21: The parish and parochial administration
Principle 22: Lay participation in government
Principle 23: Visitation
Principle 24: Due judicial process
Part IV: Ministry
Principle 25: The laity
Principle 26: Fundamental rights and duties of the faithful
Principle 27: Church membership
Principle 28: Service in public ministry
Principle 29: Ecclesiastical office
Principle 30: Lay ministry and offices
Principle 31: Threefold ordained ministry
Principle 32: Ordination: the holy orders of priests and deacons
Principle 33: The ministry of deacons and priests
Principle 34: Parish and other ministry
Principle 35: Admission to the order of bishops
Principle 36: Admission to the office of diocesan bishop
Principle 37: Diocesan episcopal ministry
Principle 38: Episcopal assistance
Principle 39: Archiepiscopal and metropolitical authority
Principle 40: Primacy: the office of primate
Principle 41: Clerical discipleship
Principle 42: Authorised public ministry
Principle 43: The professional ethic of public ministry
Principle 44: Pastoral care
Principle 45: Professional and personal relationships
Principle 46: Confidentiality
Principle 47: Termination of clerical ministry
Here are the first four principles from the booklet entitled: "The Principles of Canon Law Common to the Churches of the Anglican Communion"
While the document is based on this earlier draft, a quick comparison with just these four principles will show that significant changes have been made to the final published text. I will be transcribing as I have time:
PART I: ORDER IN THE CHURCH
Principle 1: Law in ecclesial society
1. Law exists to assist a church in its mission and witness to Jesus Christ
2. A church needs within it laws to order, and to facilitate, its public life and to regulate its own affairs for the common good..
3. Law is not an end in itself
Principle 2: Law as servant
1. Law is the servant of the church.
2. Law should reflect the revealed will of God.
3. Law has a historical basis and a theological foundation, rationale and end.
4. Law is intended to express publicly the theological self-understanding and practical policies of a church.
5. Law in a church exists to uphold the integrity of the faith, sacraments and mission, to provide good order, to support communion amongst the faithful, to put into action Christian values, and to prevent and resolve conflict.
Principle 3: The limits of law
1. Law should reflect but cannot change Christian truths.
2. Law cannot encompass all facets of ecclesial life.
3. Laws cannot prescribe the fullness of ecclesial life, ministry and mission.
4. Laws function predominantly in the public sphere of church life.
5. The principle subjects with which laws deal are ecclesiastical government, ministry, discipline, doctrine, liturgy, rites, property, and ecumenical relations.
Principle 4: The sources and forms of law
1. Scripture, tradition and reason are fundamental authoritative sources of law.
2. The laws of churches exist in a variety of formal sources which should be identifiable, including constitutions, canons, rules, regulations, and other instruments.
3. Historical sources recognized as such in the canonical tradition, including custom, have such status within a church as may be prescribed by law.
4. Laws contain principles, norms, standards, policies, directions, rules, precepts, prohibitions, powers, freedoms, discretions, rights, entitlements, duties, obligations, privileges and other juridical concepts.
5. Laws should be short, clear and simple to the extent that this is consistent with their
purpose, meaning and comprehensiveness.
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