Bishop of Gloucester - the Indaba Process #nocovenant

Michael Perham, Bishop of Gloucester, spoke about the Anglican Covenant at the November 2010 General Synod. This audio recordings are available here. It is fascinating - offering an alternative to the Covenant that I think we could all back wholeheartedly. Below is my transcription of the Bishop's speech which is about 1:45 into the recording:

I’m one of those who will vote for the motion - with some reluctance. Reluctance because I do fear, despite assurances, that a Covenant could eventually be used in a punitive manner against fellow Anglicans, as well as because of the most general worry that a Covenant may alter the kind of church we are.

Nevertheless, I will vote for the motion for two connected reasons. First, that not to do so is to make more difficult the task of the Archbishop of Canterbury in his ministry to the Communion and I want us to strengthen and not weaken his hand. Second, that the Covenant process keeps us talking, keeps us all in Communion through challenging times. The process helps even if we fear the final outcome. What I really hope is that when we eventually reach the point when it is poised to come into force we shall look at one another and say, ‘What’s this for? We have no need of it.’ And one of the reasons that I hope that this is the outcome is the continued ‘Indaba process’.

At the Lambeth Conference two years ago, I felt led to try to form a triangular partnership involving my diocese and two others in very different cultures. What emerged was, is, a partnership with the Diocese of Western Tanganyika in Tanzania which is what you might call black, conservative evangelical, its Bishop had also been to GAFCON and with the Diocese of El Camino Real in California, mainly white, though with a significant Latino minority, liberal, inclusive, fairly typical of The Episcopal Church, its bishop one of the few women Diocesans in the Communion. 

In the two years since, representatives of our three dioceses have spent quality time together in all three countries, prayed together, done Lectio Divina together, explored theological and ethical issues together, eaten together, gone on pilgrimage together. There have been some extraordinary moments of grace; the reception Bishop Mary received in an African Diocese who had never seen a woman Deacon, let alone a Bishop. The meeting in California of Africans with Lesbian and Gay people, listening, developing relationships, learning to respect and to see Christian authenticity in people whose interpretations of scripture and tradition is different from our own. We did not set out to change opinions, but change is what we have experienced, change, transformation, in ourselves and others. And now our triangular partnership has become one of six sets of triangular partnerships, participating in pilot schemes to do something similar across the Communion.

The Communions’ Continuing Indaba Project has a wider intention than we have had. It is to get each set of three to explore together shared mission priorities, but at the heart of it remains the building of relationship, trust and love that can hold the Communion together and deepen our unity. My hope is that we shall model something that will provide a pattern for such relationships, involving as many dioceses as are willing to take part. My regret is that we did not do it ten years ago. We might be too late, I pray not. I have as much confidence long term in continuing Indaba as in the Covenant for which I am going to vote today.