Press Releases29 Jul 09

Archbishop of Armagh Responds to 'Communion, Covenant and Our Anglican Future', The Archbishop of Canterbury's Reflections

From the Most Revd Alan Harper, OBE, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland:

The Archbishop of Canterbury, in his office, is accorded a place of honour among the bishops of the Anglican Communion as ‘primus inter pares’. Much is expected of Archbishops of Canterbury in giving leadership in the Communion, especially in times of controversy. The personal reflections, therefore, of Archbishop Rowan Williams about the future direction and internal structures of the Anglican Communion are always to be welcomed, especially as he was among the many guests drawn from around the Anglican Communion who attended the recent General Convention of The Episcopal Church.

Archbishop Rowan’s reflections need to be seen in the context of the current discussions intended to lead to an ‘Anglican Covenant’, the ‘design group’ for which is currently headed by the Archbishop of Dublin. It remains to be seen whether, or to what extent, what the Archbishop of Canterbury describes as a ‘two track’ model will recommend itself to the autonomous provinces of the Communion. These matters all call for the most careful and unhurried scrutiny at representative provincial level and it is to be hoped that they receive the consideration they rightly deserve.