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A053 
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
GENERAL SYNOD 2023
RESOLUTION
Resolution Number: A053
Deferred
Subject: Amend Canon III to Extend Term of Office of Primate
Moved By: Chancellor Canon David P. Jones, K.C
Seconded By: The Ven. Alan T. Perry
Be it resolved that this General Synod:

Amend Canon III to add the italicized words in section 4 c) i):

4 c) The Primate shall hold office until:

  1. attaining 70 years of age, provided that if the next session of General Synod is scheduled to commence within one year of that date, the Primate may continue in office until the prorogation of that session of General Synod, or
  2. the effective date of a resignation accepted pursuant to section 9 b) of this Canon, or
  3. the adoption of a resolution declaring the Primacy vacant pursuant to section 10 d) of this Canon.

Source: Governance Working Group

Submitted By: Governance Working Group

Does this motion contain within it any financial implications? 
No

If yes, has the General Synod Expenditures Committee considered the implications? 

Yes     No

EXPLANATORY NOTE/BACKGROUND

The purpose of this motion is to provide for the possibility of continuity in the office of Primate where the incumbent turns 70 within a year prior to the next session of General Synod.

Under the existing version of Canon III, the Senior Metropolitan would be the Acting Primate for the period in question (as well as Metropolitan and diocesan Bishop, which is onerous). In addition, the Senior Metropolitan would chair General Synod.

The Primate would have been involved in matters for at least the first two years of the triennium, and it makes sense to permit that person to continue on dealing with matters until the next General Synod.  (The Primate could, of course, decide not to continue serving and could instead resign.)

There is a similar provision in the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario with respect to extending the Metropolitan’s term of office (section 11 of Canon II).

The following chart indicates how the amendment would operate:

diagram

PROCEDURE FOR ADOPTION

 (E)

Section 11 c) ii) of the Declaration of Principles requires the enactment or amendment of a canon (which does not deal with doctrine, worship or discipline) to be approved at one session of General Synod by a two-thirds majority of each Order voting separately. 

Motion defeated in the Order of Bishops

The vote on this motion is being recorded.

Motion to revise the motion with the following addition was defeated:

iv. That this change take effect as of the next meeting of Synod

Procedural Motion on the suspension of Rule 14 g) was passed, reopening the debate and vote on this resolution.

Moved by David P. Jones
Seconded by Archbishop Lynne McNaughton

Be it resolved that this General Synod
suspend Rule 14 g) and reconsider Resolution A053.

Original motion defeated in the Order of Bishops

Resolution download and history

Matthew 10:40-42

Rewards

40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous, 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

John 15:12-17

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

John 21:15-19

Jesus and Peter

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Luke 11:33-36

The Light of the Body

33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a bushel basket; rather, one puts it on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but if it is unhealthy, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. 36 But if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.”

Matthew 8:1-4

Jesus Cleanses a Man

8 When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him, and there was a man with a skin disease who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be made clean!” Immediately his skin disease was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”