Saturday, May 21, 2016

Progress and regress at #gsthw16 ?

With thanks to Taonga for publishing reports on the progress and regress of various issues expressed in decisions at #gsthw16, we can note here the following (for which I leave you to work out which is progress, which is regress, which might be a bit of both, and which might be standing still and treading water):

Concerted effort to lift the numbers of women involved in our higher committees and boards.

Proposal to recognise interchangeability of Methodist and Anglican orders (discussed here on ADU previously, with foreboding and questions): missed a major checkpoint, so returned for further work, thus unclear whether or not GS is of a mind to push forward on this or not.

Suspension of the canon on Social Justice Commission: an interesting report here. There seemed to be some tension at #gsthw16 between a possibility that the future of the SJC might be to research for and give advice to the archbishops as key social justice spokespersons for our church and the desirability of of local Anglican social justice initiatives having validity and respect within the life of our church.

Not an easy tension to resolve because the case is obvious for both the archbishops being well-resourced to speak truth to power as well as to speak on behalf of ACANZP and for local initiatives to speak up for (particularly) local matters of concern.

As for me and my house this coming week, well, one of us is involved in our annual Diocesan clergy conference ... and that almost certainly means little or, more likely, no blogging for a while ... I will try to post any comments.

Some papal imitator is leading Bible studies on the theme of Merciful Disciples (in the Year of Mercy, let the reader understand). I will try to wring out of him permission to publish the fruits of his hard-worn labours the following week.




No comments: