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Egyptian Archbishop will not attend Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka
By The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
https://www.scribd.com/doc/306994415/Mouneer-Anis-Letter-on-ACC-Lusaka
April 4, 2016
My dear brother archbishops, Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to let you know that I have decided not to attend the ACC-16 in Lusaka. My decision has come after a long period of prayer and conversations. As many of you know, it is not easy for me to withdraw from meetings, but this time I felt that if I were to attend, I would be betraying my conscience, my people, and the Primates who worked hard last January to reach a temporary solution in order to keep walking together until such time as we can reach a permanent solution.
I thought that the decision of the Primates' Meeting in January would be followed through and TEC would not be represented in the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion but sadly this is not the case. I don't mind the participation of TEC in the General Meeting of the ACC, but the decision of the Primates was very clear that they should not be nominated or elected in internal standing committees.
Although I was disturbed by the statements made by the chairman of the ACC while he was in the USA, I had still intended to attend the meeting. However, as it became clear that the decision of the Primates' Meeting about the participation of TEC in the Standing Committee would be disregarded, it was then that I decided not to attend.
I see that there is a lot of confusion about the role of the Primates' Meeting and the ACC. Neither have jurisdiction within provinces, but both have roles in regulating the relationship between provinces.
The Primates' Meeting has "enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters" (Lambeth 1988) and to make "intervention in cases of exceptional emergency which are incapable of internal resolution within provinces, and giving guidelines on the limits of Anglican diversity" (Lambeth 1998). Some think that because the ACC is the most representative of the instruments (including bishops, clergy, and laity), it is more authoritative. This
is not true. It's very name, "consultative", reminds us that it is not an "Anglican Synod" but merely an advisory group. The Instruments of Unity, in order to have good relationships, need to support each others' decisions in those areas of responsibility given to them by Lambeth Councils.
I will be praying for the members of the ACC-16 so that they may affirm and respect the decisions of the Primates' Meeting. If this happens, it will bring hope back and we will be able to think of the future together.
Mouneer Egypt
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis is Archbishop of Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
