Now that we are reading the Constitution and Canons of the Anglican Church in North America, let’s check to see what they do and do not say about the question of women’s ordination. I confess that this is an issue that I myself haven’t always had a clear handle on. It’s easy to believe all of the various talking points, back porch chats, and tricky nomenclature. You could easily get the impression that the ACNA has made a rule that people must accept the concept of “dual integrities,” that both the pro-WO and anti-WO position are equally valid, and that everyone really does need to agree to disagree and move on. But that’s not what you see in the constitution.

Here’s a link to the full constitution and canons. And here’s all that they say about the matter:

ARTICLE VIII: THE LIMITS OF PROVINCIAL AUTHORITY

1 The member dioceses or networks (whether regional or affinity-based) and those dioceses banded together as jurisdictions shall each retain all authority they do not yield to the Province by their own consent. The powers not delegated to the Province by this constitution nor prohibited by this Constitution to these dioceses or jurisdictions, are reserved to these dioceses or jurisdictions respectively.

2 The Province shall make no canon abridging the authority of any member dioceses or networks (whether regional or affinity-based) and those dioceses banded together as jurisdictions with respect to its practice regarding the ordination of women to the diaconate or presbyterate.

It’s important to note how this is framed. This is a section on the limits of the Province, on topics concerning which it cannot legislate. The dioceses are only giving away the explicit rights stated. They retain all other authority. And, following that, the Province can then make no canons which would abridge the rights of the diocese on the question of women’s ordination. This only concerns deacons and priests because the ACNA does not consecrate women bishops. That is a provincial right.

So yes, dioceses which believe in the ordination of women are allowed to ordain them to the offices of deacon and priest. The ACNA constitution allows that because it says it cannot prevent the diocese from doing so. But it does not say anything one way or another about that practice being good or desirable or biblical. It does not say that other dioceses have to recognize those ordinations. If it did, then Bishop Jack Iker (among others) would not have agreed to it.

In fact, it’s interesting to see what Bishop Iker had to say about this topic in 2017. His words are pretty direct, but he also gives some helpful historical context:

Those of us who agreed to the formation of the ACNA in 2009 did so with the clear understanding that a serious theological study would be done and that a decision would be made at that time.

So where are we? Most ACNA bishops and dioceses are opposed to women priests, but as it presently stands, the ACNA Constitution says each diocese can decide if it will ordain women priests or not. We now need to work with other dioceses to amend the Constitution to remove this provision. As you know, women bishops are not permitted in any diocese, and no bishop wants to change that prohibition.

I would underscore that the recent Bishops’ statement declares that the ordination of women “is a recent innovation to Apostolic Tradition and Catholic Order” and that “there is insufficient warrant to accept women’s ordination to the priesthood as standard practice.”  Needless to say, the women priests and their supporters are very unhappy about that.

We are in a state of impaired communion because of this issue. The Task Force concluded that “both sides cannot be right.” At the conclave, I informed the College of Bishops that I will no longer give consent to the election of any bishop who intends to ordain female priests, nor will I attend the consecration of any such bishop-elect in the future. I have notified the Archbishop of my resignation from all the committees to which I had been assigned to signify that it is no longer possible to have “business as usual” in the College of Bishops due to the refusal of those who are in favor of women priests to at least adopt a moratorium on this divisive practice, for the sake of unity.  Bishops who continue to ordain women priests in spite of the received tradition are signs of disunity and division. 

Like I said, pretty strong stuff. But that’s a founding bishop of the ACNA.

There’s nothing in the ACNA constitution that says we have to work towards or maintain full parity between diocese that ordain woman and those who do not. There’s nothing that would prevent bishops from simply deciding to stop ordaining women. I’m sure the various dioceses have their own constitutions and canons here. But the province is not constraining them on this point. The ACNA is not constitutionally bound to a perpetual standoff or “arms race” as I’ve heard some people only half-jokingly speak of the status quo.

I don’t expect the ACNA as a whole to all get on the same page any time soon. I don’t even think that women’s ordination is the first issue that needs to be (re)addressed. I think we need clarity and recommitment to our authoritative governing documents, especially the historic Formularies. Teaching and enforcing those would do a lot to sort out the other problems.