ANGLICAN JOURNAL Since 1875 anglicanjournal.com @anglicanjournal vol. 145 no. 7 september 2019 Marriage vote failure ripples through church As some Matt Gardner dioceses STAFF WRITER Vancouver embrace General Synod’s failure to pass a resolution ‘local option’ to amend the marriage canon to expressly to bless allow solemnization of same-sex marriage, followed by a communiqué from the same-sex House of Bishops effectively commending marriages, diocesan-based decisons on the matter, others affirm has triggered a wave of responses across the Anglican Church of Canada. Bishops, traditional clergy, laity, officers and deacons alike view have weighed in with concerns about the decision. Some bishops, including then- Primate-elect Linda Nicholls in her capacity as bishop of Huron, have outlined plans to exercise a “local option” for same-sex marriage in their dioceses. Resolution A052-R2, for the second See STATEMENTS, p. 6 PHOTO: MILOS TOSIC ‘Your Grace’: National Indigenous Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald is installed as national Indigenous Anglican archbishop after General Synod approves formation of a self-determining Indigenous church. New primate foresees time of change for Self-determined Indigenous church lays its groundwork at General Synod national church Tali Folkins Amongst celebration and gestures of reconciliation, Change STAFF WRITER is always Vancouver church hears governance outline, funding questions “ The Anglican Church of Canada’s new painful—it doesn’t matter primate says her top priority will be Joelle Kidd by General Synod allow the National a review of the church’s mission and STAFF WRITER Indigenous Ministry to make changes to what change. ministry—a re-examination of its role that Vancouver matters specified in Canon XXII without It means could result in “painful” change for some The 42nd General Synod was an historic requiring General Synod to amend the losses and it as the church adjusts to challenging times. canon. one for Indigenous Anglicans. means gains. Linda Nicholls, bishop of the diocese The meeting saw the creation of a self- The resolution also changed the title of of Huron, was elected the church’s 14th determining Indigenous Anglican church; the national Indigenous Anglican bishop to —Linda Nicholls, primate in Vancouver on July 13, partway the national Indigenous Anglican bishop archbishop. After the motion was carried, primate of the through General Synod. She is the first Anglican Church of bestowed with the title of archbishop; an Mark MacDonald was installed and given woman in the history of the Anglican Canada apology from the primate for “spiritual a metropolitical cross by Hiltz in an Church of Canada to hold the position. harm” the church has inflicted on emotional ceremony. Nicholls was elected on the fourth Indigenous peoples; and several motions As the Indigenous church moves ballot, with 64.2% of lay votes and 71.1% related to strengthening the church’s forward with an expanded ability for of votes among the clergy. Jane Alexander, commitment to operating in accordance self-governance, building a strong funding bishop of the diocese of Edmonton, with the United Nations Declaration on the strategy and implementing a framework was the only other nominee remaining. Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). for “governance and pastoral leadership” Alexander received 35.8% of lay votes and The self-determination measures passed See SELF-DETERMINATION WORK, p. 7 See NICHOLLS, p. 8 If you’ve already contacted us, your Don’t miss an issue: confirm your subscription subscription is confirmed. Thank you! Dear Reader: Contact us with your name and address and we’ll ensure you continue to get your Anglican newspapers. If you’ve already subscribed, thank you! MAIL: Cut out this coupon and mail to Anglican Journal, 80 Hayden St., Toronto, ON M4Y 3G2 OR EMAIL: [email protected] with your name, address, phone number and ID# (from the label, at left). PM# 40069670 OR PHONE TOLL-FREE: 1-866-333-0959 OR ONLINE: Go to anglicanjournal.com/yes Please respond by Oct 31, 2019 to ensure your subscription to the Journal and diocesan paper continues. 2 anglican journal • september 2019 and the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). We all carry this forward as ANGLICAN we enter the faith. “Will you continue in VOICES4 the apostles’ teaching, fellowship in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?” the church asks all new Christians in the baptismal covenant (Book of Alternative Services, p. 159). All Christians are called to this vocation, but, it seems, many do not exercise it on any regular basis. Many families do not pray together regularly. Many do not even say grace at dinner. Or eat dinner together. Or read Scripture together. Do most congregations have a common rhythm outside of Sunday morning? At Wycliffe we struggle to instill in students the rhythm of gathering daily in the chapel for prayer. The increasing popularity of part-time studies, distance education and online classes—now the photo: wycliffe norm in most seminaries—makes this even college harder. These challenges aren’t new, but the thinning out of a recognizably distinctive Christian form of life in congregations, photo: on france/shutterstock families and the larger communities in The thinning out of distinctively Christian living has led some to look for something more. which we live has led some to look for something more. That “more”—that which distinguishes intentional Christian community from other forms of Christian community—is the obedience of members in coming together daily under the Word. Intentional obedience To eat together, pray together, break bread together, hear and study the Scripture Life together under the Word together. Obedience to daily life under the Word is the challenge and measure of all Christian community—be it a family, By Annette Brownlee All forms of Christian community are a congregation, a monastery or convent, Intentional a response to Christ, who gathers us in a seminary or an apartment shared with ACH FALL at Wycliffe College, I Christian his name and in his one Body. But these Christian friends. teach “Life Together,” a required “ forms vary. Reading both The Rule of St. Obedience is the path to freedom, community first-term MDiv course. We read Benedict and Bonhoeffer’s Life Together and obedience to daily rhythms is based Eclassics in living the Christian faith in is life under on an understanding of how the Holy is a good way to lessen the confusion community: the desert fathers, Jean the Word and around the distinction between intentional Spirit binds us to Christ. All the things Vanier’s works about L’Arche, Dietrich is described Christian community and other forms we hope for in Christ—love of sister or Bonhoeffer’s Life Together and The Rule of brother, sharing a common mind, faithful and measured of Christian community. Reading them St. Benedict. together is helpful. The two write for and discipleship, saving one’s soul, working There’s a lot of interest in living in by what its about different conceptions of intentional for justice—are translated into the prosaic intentional Christian community across members do Christian community. Benedict, in the reality of the quotidian. Both Bonhoeffer the church, and our students reflect this. together daily: sixth century, was creating a rule for vowed and Benedict write of such goals. But the Each year several people come to Wycliffe eat together, monastic community; the 73 short chapters daily rhythm is not a means to these ends: having lived in some kind of intentional it is the shape of life in Christ, as received pray together, of his rule became the basis of Western community. Some continue to do so monasticism. Bonhoeffer led a seminary from the apostles at the first Pentecost. while in Toronto or go on to do so after hear the Word of young men preparing for ministry in Both are keen observers of human nature graduation—at L’Arche communities across together, break the Confessing Church of Germany from and put no stock in our capacity to love Canada, “move-in” communities in the bread together 1935 until 1938, when the Gestapo shut it our sister or brother untethered from Greater Toronto Area, Ascension House in what we do together daily. Both were and share their down. Life Together constitutes his notes on Edmonton, the Community of St. Anselm their common life and the vision behind creating communities in ages of violence at Lambeth Palace or small communities goods and it. The young men living in this intentional and darkness. Obedience is the defining of young families sharing a common home. labour. community planned to marry, have characteristic of intentional communities Why do they do it? They are looking which have endured and flourished. An —The Rev. Annette families and serve congregations which for a way to live with other Christians Brownlee, chaplain refused to subordinate the Word of God to obedient life together under the Word is in a shared life beyond what they find in and professor of Hitler. the root system that holds together our their local congregations. Many (but not pastoral theology at Bonhoeffer and Benedict share the same fraught attempts to love each other. These all) are single and want Christian sisters Wycliffe College framework, coming out of a shared reading daily activities prevent the erosion of the and brothers with whom to share their of Scripture, understanding of human soil of Christian community in times of dedication to be disciples of Christ in a nature and the divine reality of life together drought, flood and fire. They are the soil confusing and hostile world. They are in Christ. Intentional Christian community in which the freedom to love God and seeking to be of one mind and heart with is life under the Word and is described and neighbor takes root.