More Bad News for the Covenant

We have received word that the synod of the Diocese of Newcastle, in the Anglican Church of Australia, has voted against adoption of the Covenant by a large majority. Dioceses in the Australian church are to comment on the Covenant by December 2012. The General Synod is scheduled to make a decision on the Covenant in 2013.

Perhaps more significant is the news, reported by Episcopal News Service, that the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church will submit a resolution to the 2012 General Convention to the effect that the church is “unable to adopt the Anglican Covenant in its present form.” The resolution pointedly avoids words like “reject.” The following paragraph from the ENS story suggests how the resolution will be framed:

The resolution also promises that the church will “recommit itself to dialogue with the several provinces when adopting innovations which may be seen as threatening the unity of the communion” and commits to “continued participation in the wider councils of the Anglican Communion” and dialogue “with our brothers and sisters in other provinces to deepen understanding and to insure the continued integrity of the Anglican Communion.”