Regrettably this kind of teaching, which connects Baptism with the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and a sanctified and consecrated life flowing from this confession, with the sure hope of eternal life, is significant by its general absence from modern Anglican circles when and where Baptism is much emphasized.

Right now in the Church of England one can get a taste of the emotion in this difference of mindset in the build-up to the future voting in General Synod as to whether women will be allowed by canon law to be consecrated bishops. But it is also felt very strongly in the USA on the one side by the traditional Continuers for whom "no female priest at the altar" seems to be a primary article of faith.

In the present crisis of identity which is seriously rocking the global Anglican Family of Churches, one thing ought to be clear to all leaders. No real progress will be made in establishing a clear identity for a future, renewed (and perhaps reduced) "Anglican Communion of Churches" without taking note of the Anglican birth certificate.

At the next Windsor Bishops meeting at Camp Allen in January and at our Covenant Consultation in Oxford in July we will assure that this representation remains in place, as it was last month.