A series of three major addresses by Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, outline the history and growth of the worldwide Anglican Communion, describe the bonds that hold it together and examine its future in light of issues that have caused serious strains and tensions in recent years.
The lectures were given at the University of Trinity College in Toronto on June 27 and 28 at a conference entitled Ties that Bind: Being in Communion in the Anglican Church of the 21st Century.
The lectures were delivered the week following a meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Nottingham, England. Last February, the Canadian and U.S. Anglican churches were asked by the Primates of the Anglican Communion to withdraw their members from this gathering. The two churches subsequently decided to send their regular members, but instructed them not to participate in the proceeding.
The churches also agreed to a request by the Primates that they make special presentations to the Council – in Canada’s case to explain the blessing of same-sex unions and in the case of the U.S. Church to explain the consecration of an openly gay man as bishop.
Archbishop Hutchison attended part of the Nottingham meeting and returned to Canada ill. Although he wrote or approved the contents of the three lectures at Trinity, they were read to conference participants by Archdeacon Paul Feheley, his principal secretary.
The lectures can be found here:
- “In the beginning was the word …”
- “… making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace”
- “What the Spirit is saying to the churches”