The Communion Service - (a) 8July2007

The Most Reverend Drexel Gomez, (chair of the Anglican Covenant Design Group) was invited to address the General Synod on the processes involved in setting up an Anglican Covenant. This is the debate that has been flagged as being 'the key one' for this synod.

Perhaps they were right, for as Archbishop Gomez rose to speak, a huge clap of thunder shook the building. As the Bishop of Chichester rose to speak to the motion, the storms outside sought to drown his speech - but did not quite manage to.

What is this about? Well it is about being Anglican. There are some parts of the Communion that are not sure that others are indeed Anglicans. But how can anyone be sure without some definitive definition - perhaps here called covenant that Anglicans can appeal to or subscribe to?

The problem at this point is that Synod is debating the principles of a covenant, without a definitive text. Which way will it go? Will it be thrown out by Synod as a process - or tightened up - need to come back in a more finished form, to be properly debated... Let's wait to see.

Alastair GS101