Fundamental issue addressed on Day 3 of the Primates’ meeting in Dublin
On day three of the meeting, Primates of the Anglican Communion began to more closely consider “primacy.” In small groups they discussed their understanding and experience of the theology and practice of primacy in their provinces, at the regional level and at the communion level. The purpose of the morning was to share in plenary the differences and similarities of primacy in the provinces of the communion.
Aspects of primacy shared among all provinces included the Primate having a ministry of reconciliation and peace building; of linking the local with the global and vice-versa; of being a consensus builder, a symbol of unity in the Province and the wider community; of being a pastor to other bishops; and of having a prophetic voice, to interpret the signs of the times in their local context.
“A Primate is the first among equals,” one Primate fed back to the meeting, “an apostle, a servant, who is often on the road visiting dioceses, carrying and embodying the vision of the Province, the mission of the church and the values that hold that Province together.”
Also many considered a Primate to be someone who represented the voice of his/her province. One Primate explained to the plenary session that in their small group the Primates had agreed that, “none of us are able to or are inclined to speak for ourselves only, but always after consultation with the bishops, with the synods and council.” He added that there had also considerable conversation around the Primates’ voice as representatives of their province when they went into other councils that were ecumenical, interfaith or political in nature.
There were, however, some clear differences in the responsibilities and scope of the role of Primate between provinces. Some Primates are also diocesan bishop as well as Primate, while others had no diocesan responsibilities. The length of primatial service varies across the communion between two years renewable, and serving until retirement. Some Primates are responsible for a lot of administration, others are not. Whereas in some Provinces the Primate can veto a synodical decision (after consultation with the Council/House of Bishops), in other Provinces the Primate needs permission from the bishop before even travelling to that bishop’s diocese. A few Primates have responsibilities of an extra-provincial nature—the example being Cuba where three Primates form the Metropolitan Council that oversees the ministry there.
The question was raised, though not addressed in plenary, about how far Primates had a role in safeguarding the life of the Communion as a whole.
Whatever the similarities or differences between the roles and responsibilities of Primates across the Communion, seeing primacy as a gift rather than a right was a concept expressed by Archbishop Winston of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia as he explained the concept of “Tikanga.”
He said the word meant “the place where you stand;” that your position was sacred ground gifted to you by your ancestors, your people, the environment. He said that the position of Primate was gifted to the role-bearer as a responsibility for a time and for the future. “You don’t own it,” he said, “the place [role] owns you. It’s a gift, not a right. It’s a privilege.”
Primates spent the afternoon sessions sharing their expectations of primates’ meetings. Following a request to the Archbishop of Canterbury, he shared with them a short history of the meetings. He explained that, although it had altered over the years, the original purpose of the meeting established in 1978 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Donald Coggan was an opportunity for “leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultation.”
The day began with a presentation on the work of The Inter-Anglican Standing Commission for Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO). Chairman of the commission, Archbishop of Burundi the Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi, reminded the group that IASCUFO is a commission set up following a resolution at the 14th Anglican Consultative Council, endorsed by the Primates’ Meeting.
It is a combination of two former commissions: the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (IASCER) and the Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission (IATDC), and it has also picked up the work of the Windsor Continuation Group.
He told fellow Primates that the December meeting of IASCUFO in South Africa saw the members work in four groups: one studying the definition of ‘church’. Archbishop Bernard said, “We are asking: ‘Is the Anglican Communion a Church or a communion of Churches?’” The second group is looking at the Anglican Communion Covenant and resources for studying it. The third group is studying the Instruments of Communion, their theological meaning and how they relate to one another. The fourth group is considering the topic of ‘reception’, that is how the work of the Instruments and of ecumenical dialogues is communicated and understood at all levels of the Anglican Communion.
Archbishop Bernard said that, in addition to the Instruments of Communion, there are other informal mechanisms that contribute to strengthening, enlivening and uniting the Anglican Communion. He gave as examples the international Anglican Networks, Anglican mission agencies, principles of canon law, and the Mothers’ Union.
Later the Primates went on to discuss what they believed were the key points from the last few days. These included expectations of Primates’ Meetings, the role of a Primate, the place of the United Churches (such as those in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) in the Communion and the reality of the linguistic diversity of the Communion.
At the request of the Primates, the group stopped on the way to their evening meal in Dublin city centre to make a short visit to Trinity College Dublin to see the Book of Kells, an illuminated 9th Century Celtic manuscript of the Gospels.
By ACNS staff