TLC: What is the Purpose of an Anglican Covenant?
09/16/2007

There are two drafts of a proposed Anglican Covenant. One comes from the Windsor Report, and the other was released by a Covenant Design Group (CDG) appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Both drafts profess unity as the purpose of the covenant.

The Windsor draft (2004) said the covenant would be established “to foster greater unity and to consolidate our understandings of communion ...” The CDG draft (January 2007) would have the churches of the Anglican Communion covenant to “maintain the unity in the Spirit in the bond of peace, and to grow up together as a worldwide Communion to the full stature of Christ.”

These are pious words. But the reality is there are two divergent views of the covenant — a short view and a long view. The latter is far preferable. the rest