JAMAICA: A response to ACC-14 in Jamaica from Global South delegates

We have taken part in the whole process of discernment and decision-making at ACC-14.

We wish to share with our own provinces and the wider Communion our observations and initial conclusions from the meeting.

The Covenant

We had come to Jamaica ready to move forward on the Covenant. The deliberations and decisions of the Council make clear that the ACC wants a covenant. Our disappointment was that we could not get it now. The decision to modify the timetable was by a very slender margin of only three votes. And many people took the middle road position in order to give time to improve the Covenant.

Interventions Cross-provincial interventions are a serious matter. The Archbishop of Canterbury has given his assurance that the role of the Pastoral Visitors would take care of the need for a listening process for faithful Anglicans alienated from their churches and in a significant number of cases deposed from their orders in North America. Some of us who had previously had significant doubts about the wisdom of these interventions have become aware from those whose provinces have taken this bold step that these interventions were both necessary and justified, and others that they were understandable, as an answer to a distress call. We therefore urge the Archbishop to dispatch Pastoral Visitors immediately who will incorporate into their work a listening process because of the urgency of the situation.

The Future We believe that whatever has happened in the course of our decisions, from this point forward God has a perfect plan for his Church to remain the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Our hope for the future is based on the fact that God has raised Jesus to be Lord and Christ and given Him as the head of the Church and commissioned us to proclaim Him as Lord and Savior to all peoples.

Signed by ............. Province of..........

The Right Reverend +Azad- Marshal (Iran), THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN JERUSALEM AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Mr. Stanley Isaacs,
CHURCH OF THE PROVINCE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

The Right Rev. +Samson Mwaluda,
ANGLICAN CHURCH OF KENYA

The Right Rev. +Ikechi Nuwosu,
THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA

The Venerable Dr. Abraham Okorie,
THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA

Mr. Abraham Yisa,
THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA

The Right Rev. +Sendegeya Josias,
L'EGLISE EPISCOPAL AU RWANDA

Mrs. Jane Mutoni,
L'EGLISE EPISCOPAL AU RWANDA

Mrs. Jolly Babirikamu,
THE CHURCH OF UGANDA

THE PROVINCE OF THE SOUTHERN CONE