Short Covenant

from Covenant-Communion

(1.0) By our participation in Baptism and Eucharist, we are incorporated into the one Body of the Church of Jesus Christ, and called by Christ to pursue all things that make for peace and build up our common life. [3.1.1]

(2.0) Therefore, each church of the Communion commits itself: [1.2b and parallels]

(2.1) to live in a Communion of churches; [3.1.2]

(2.2) to seek in all things to uphold the solemn obligation to sustain Eucharistic communion as we strive under God for the fuller realisation of the Communion of all Christians; [1.2.3]

(2.3) to pursue a common pilgrimage with other churches of the Communion to discern the Truth. [1.2.6]

(2.4) to spend time with openness and patience in matters of theological debate and reflection to listen, pray and study with one another in order to discern the will of God. [See footnote below][3.2.3]

(2.5) to seek with other churches, through the Communion’s shared councils, the Mind of Christ in all things. [3.2.4]

(2.6) to have in mind that our bonds of affection and the love of Christ compel us always to maintain the highest possible degree of communion, which never admits of any compromise of the aforestated solemn commitments. [3.2.6]

[Footnote to 2.4.] Such prayer, study and debate is an essential feature of the life of the Church as its seeks to be led by the Spirit into all truth and to proclaim the Gospel afresh in each generation. Any issues that may arise, therefore, must and will be tested by shared discernment in the life of the Church. [3.2.3]

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Such a radically redacted covenant may be supplemented by procedural appendices for how to put it into action. I would recommend that it take its place alongside the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral in a “Historical Documents” section of each province’s BCP. I would further recommend that no person except by dispensation by the bishop for sufficient cause (such as mental defect) be allowed to be confirmed in the Anglican Communion without either memorizing both the Quadrilateral and the Covenant and/or passing a comprehensive catechetical examination on them, to be issued by the Anglican Consultative Council or some other Instrument of Communion so appointed. The Covenant should be an essential part of any catechesis on the nature and purpose of the Church.