Anglican-Methodist Unity

David Gamble (President of Methodist Conference) and Richard Vautrey (Vice-President) made interesting reading yesterday. The Methodist-Anglican Covenant has been going somewhere since 1 November 2003, but the direction has not been clear. David re-affirmed the Methodist Church commitment to the Covenant, fine. But I am still waiting to hear such an affirmation from the Anglican Church. Even at the time of discussion leading up to and after 1 November 2003, many Anglicans still assumed that unity = Methodists becoming Anglicans. It is my understanding that the Covenant does not take us in that direction.

However, Ruth Gledhill was wrong when she wrote: "In 2003, in the presence of the Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the leaders signed a covenant affirming each other’s orders and sacraments and committing themselves to full unity." (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7023713.ece). As far as I recall, the Covenant says that we will in the future affirm each other's orders and sacraments, but at this point in time, I cannot celebrate Communion in an Anglican Church. I cannot, because the CoE does not recognise my ordination as being valid. On the other hand, the Methodist not only allows Anglican priests to celebrate communion, but when there is a joint Methodist-Anglican Church agreement, it is automatic that the Anglican priest receives full access to the Methodist structures, including voting rights. But this is not reciprocal.

Leaving aside the vexed question of the inequality inherent in the Anglican system, (and the way that bishops opposed to the ordination of women have been allowed to recruit new male priests who are also opposed, thus perpetrating this denial of the gospel), until Methodist orders of ministry (presbyterate and diaconal) are fully recognised by the CoE, the Covenant is as still as pondweed in stagnant water.

Meantime, there are more important things to do be doing. The work of the Kingdom is active, right where I am, where you are. Synods and Conferences can talk, it is the relationships we have that will make the difference.