The conservatives’ statement said that although they acknowledged Canterbury’s historic position, they did not accept the idea “that Anglican identity is determined necessarily through recognition by the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
They said that membership in their conservative alliance within the Communion would be determined by 14 principles of theological orthodoxy laid out in a manifesto they released on Sunday, which they called the “Jerusalem Declaration.” (source)
Funny how they are willing to abandon traditions like the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury or the the Lambeth Conference (which they wanted to undermine by meeting ahead of) when it suits them. Also significant that they are framing this as an anti-Colonial movement. (Note, by the way, that they met in Jerusalem despite the objections of the Anglicans there who feared the impact this would have on the delicate relations they have with their Christian and Muslim and Jewish neighbours.)
But perhaps most troubling and non-Anglican is this weird "Jerusalem Declaration": Since when is communion determined by passing a test of theological orthodoxy? Note that they want to return to the 1662 BCP as the standard of worship and the "plain reading" of the Bible (modern scholarship be damned!) They also, of course, make male-female marriage one of their founding doctrines. It's so odd to me--if you are going to define a church with 14 principles, to make one of them about sex and none about, for instance, economic justice. Jesus had very little to say about sex or marriage (avoid divorce, adultery is bad, weddings need booze, etc.) but lots to say about the evils of wealth. Sigh.
So they are taking their toys and going home. Fine. Let them split off like all the other splinters from the Anglican Communion. All I know is that I have a very nice little Garden that God wants to me to do something with. And boy are those tomato plants getting tall!
-t
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