ACNA College of Bishops discussed Holy Orders

Today, Bishop Dobbs addressed recent discussions among the ACNA bishops on the subject of Holy Orders.

I did reference, if my memory serves me correctly, at our last office hours, that the College is committed to creating space for constructive dialogue and conversation over women’s orders—both inside the College amongst ourselves as bishops, and in the way we serve the Province and serve episcopal leadership in the Province.

In the Province, we have a willingness to hold to different convictions on this question. That position is not a license for division. It is a call, and—and I will call the Province to a higher level of love and mutual respect as we—as we serve one another in our mission together.

We did spend some time in the College meeting in June discussing women’s orders. We heard from a small group of bishops who hold different perspectives, who had actually met together since the College last met together to discuss and hear from one another. And I want to commend those bishops for their willingness to listen, to receive differences of opinion. And we want to increasingly model this as a College on these second-order issues. But this is a matter that I’m committed to continuing engaging as we, as bishops, consider the mission, unity, and health of the Anglican Church in North America, and as we uphold the position of our Constitution and Canons. I’ve asked the bishops to commit to that in our relationship together.

For those who would like to understand where the College stands more fully, I point you once again to the College’s statement—we call it the Victoria Statement. It’s available on the website. We’ll continue to engage this matter in the College of Bishops.