Study Guide Questions

1. Do you think an Anglican Covenant is necessary and/or will help to strengthen the interdependent life of the Anglican Communion.

 An Introduction to a draft text for an Anglican Covenant

 2. How closely does this view of the communion accord with your understanding of the development and vocation of the Anglican Communion?

 Preamble

3. Is this a sufficient rationale for entering into a covenant? Why or Why Not?

 The Life We Share

 4. Do these six affirmations adequately describe the Episcopal Church’s understanding of “common catholicity, apostolocity, and confession of faith”?  Why or why not?

 5. The Thirty nine Articles of Religion and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (of the Church of England) are not currently authoritative documents for The Episcopal Church. Do you think they should be? Why or why not?

 Our Commitment to Confession of Faith

 6. Is each of these commitments clear and understandable with respect to what is being asked of the member churches and are they consistent with statements and actions made by the Episcopal Church in the General Convention? Why or why not?

 The Life we Share with Others 

7. Is the mission vision offered her helpful in advancing a common life of the Anglican communion and does this need to be a part of the Draft Covenant? Why or why not? 

Our Unity and Common Life 

8. Does this section adequately describe your understanding of the history and respective roles of the “Four Instruments of Communion”? Why or why not? 

Unity of the Communion 

9. Do you think there needs to be an executive or judicial body for resolving disagreements or disputes in the Anglican Communion? If so do you think it should be the Primates meeting as recommended by the Draft Covenant? Explain. 

10. What does the phrase “a common mind about matters of essential concern…” mean to you? 

Our Declaration

11. Can you affirm the “fundamental shape” of the draft Covenant? Why or why not?

 12. What do you think are the consequences of signing such a Covenant as proposed in the Draft?

 Concluding Questions

 13. Having read the Draft Covenant as a whole do you agree with the CDG’s assertion that “nothing which is commended in the draft text of the covenant can be said to be ‘new’”? Why or why not?

 14. In genera, what is your response to the Draft Covenant as a whole? What is helpful in the draft? What is not-helpful? What is missing? Additional comments?

 Please send your response by June 4, 2007 to: 

Response to Draft Anglican Covenant

The Office of the General Convention

The Episcopal Church Center

815 Second Ave,

New York, NY 10017

 

Fax 212 972 9322

Or respond by email to gcsecretary@episcopalchurch.org