ACNS 3971 | CANADA | 29 APRIL 2005

The following statement was unanimously adopted by the Canadian House of Bishops
meeting in Windsor, Ont., on April 27.

Statement of Commitment by the Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada April
27, 2005

“If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Romans 12:18

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bishops of the Anglican Church of
Canada, meeting collegially in Windsor, Ontario, April 25-27, 2005, send warm
greetings to the Church. We met together in an atmosphere of prayer, which was
hallmarked by charity and generosity of spirit.

In the midst of current tensions and disagreements within the Anglican
Communion, we endeavoured in our conversation to be guided by the counsel of St
Paul writing to the Romans, “if it is possible, so far as it depends on you,
live peaceably with all” (Rom12:18)

Having considered the Report of the Lambeth Commission on Communion commonly
known as the Windsor Report and the communiqué from the Primates of the Anglican
Communion issued in February 2005, we make the following statement:

We affirm our continuing membership in the worldwide Anglican Communion. Our
Church regularly supports the work of the Communion and a number of Canadians
have served and continue to serve in significant roles through the work of the
Anglican Communion Office in London, England. In partnership with other
Provinces we remain committed to evangelism, a compassionate response to the
needs of suffering humanity, and to programs in world relief, justice and peace
for all. With humility we seek to honour our commitments, knowing our need to
listen and learn from the experiences of our brothers and sisters in faith in
other Provinces of the Communion.

We recognize that synodical decisions in some parts of the Canadian Church, and
the response to these, have caused distress in some parts of the Communion. We
are sorry for the pain that this has caused and we regret that together we have
not achieved a level of consultation deemed sufficient to the magnitude of the
issues under consideration.

In October 2004, we received with thanks the Windsor Report. Recognizing its
importance we commended it for study throughout the Church. We requested our
Primate to write a pastoral letter inviting response from Anglicans across
Canada. Many responded to this invitation. Their responses were drawn together
and formed the basis of the Canadian Response to the Windsor Report.

In acknowledging the collective desires expressed in the Primates’ Communiqué we
commit ourselves to respond as fully as possible to those of their
recommendations as lie within our respective contexts and jurisdictions.

We appreciate the commitments of the Primates to “neither encourage nor to
initiate cross boundary interventions” by Primates or other Bishops in Provinces
other than their own. This commitment is in keeping with the Councils of the
early Church, statements of successive Lambeth Conferences and the Windsor
Report. We have already adopted a procedure for Shared Episcopal Ministry.

On the matter of a moratorium on the authorization of public rites for the
blessing of same sex unions, we commit ourselves neither to encourage nor to
initiate the use of such rites until General Synod has made a decision on the
matter.

In our consideration of the request of the Primates that the Anglican Church of
Canada voluntarily withdraw its members from the Anglican Consultative Council
meeting in Nottingham in June 2005, we see the value of the opportunity for
reflection and response called for in the Windsor Report, but we also see risks
inherent in honouring the request. We recognize that within our constitutional
polity it is the responsibility of the Council of General Synod to consider and
make a decision regarding this request. We support our Primate’s statement that
he will do all in his power to persuade the Council to honour it. We ask for the
prayers of the whole Church, for the Primate and the members of the Council as
they meet May 6-8 in Mississauga.

We are pleased to note the opportunity extended through the Primates’ Communiqué
to send a delegation to the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in June “to
set out the thinking behind the recent actions of their Provinces”, including
the diversity of views on the matter of the blessing of same sex unions held by
a number of constituencies within our Church, including ourselves, and the
manner by which we endeavour to remain in dialogue and communion.

In keeping with resolutions of the General Synod and previous statements of the
House of Bishops, we affirm the place of gay and lesbian persons in our church
and give thanks for their contribution to its life and witness. We agree with
the words of paragraph 6 of the Primates’ Communiqué which reads “the
victimization or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be
ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us”. In our struggle to
consider the blessing of their unions, we recognize that their various voices
need to be heard more fully. We are grateful to note that in paragraph 17 of the
Primates’ Communiqu that the Anglican Consultative Council is asked “to take
positive steps to initiate the listening and study process called for by Lambeth
1998 and earlier Conferences”

In conclusion we wholeheartedly affirm our adherence to the Lambeth
Quadrilateral which states:
The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as ‘containing all things
necessary to salvation,’ and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.
The Apostles’ Creed, as the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed, as the
sufficient statement of the Christian faith.
The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself - Baptism and the Supper of the
Lord - ministered with unfailing use of Christ’s Words of Institution, and of
the Elements ordained by Him.
The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to
the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His
Church.

We uphold the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Primates’ Meeting, The Lambeth
Conference, and The Anglican Consultative Council. We further affirm the Ten
Principles of Partnership adopted by the Anglican Consultative Council in 1993
and the Anglican Cycle of Prayer as sources of unity in the cause of mission.

In the endeavour to live peaceably with all, we pray for humility, wisdom and
compassion.
Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ who calls us into communion for the sake
of his mission in the world.

House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada