Untitled Document

Resolutions of the Lambeth Conferences Relating to Women

With thanks to Robert Black, who compiled these.

Resolutions of 1897

Resolution 11
That this Conference recognises with thankfulness the revival alike of brotherhoods and sisterhoods and of the office of deaconess in our branch of the Church, and commends to the attention of the Church the Report of the Committee appointed to consider the Relation of Religious Communities to the Episcopate.

Resolution 12
In view of the importance of the further development and wise direction of such communities, the Conference requests the Committee to continue its labours, and to present a further Report to His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury in July 1898.

Resolutions of 1908

Resolution 37
The growing prevalence of disregard of the sanctity of marriage calls for the active and determined co-operation of all right-thinking and clean-living men and women, in all ranks of life, in defence of the family life and the social order, which rest upon the sanctity of the marriage tie.

Resolution 38
The influence of all good women in all ranks of life should be specially applied to the remedying of the terrible evils which have grown up from the creation of facilities for divorce.

Resolutions of 1920

MISSIONARY PROBLEMS
Resolution 32
The Conference declares its conviction that the present critical position of the world calls, as perhaps never before, for the presentation of Jesus Christ and his redemption to every race and individual; and, in view of the urgent need for workers in many dioceses overseas, earnestly appeals to men, both clerical and lay, and to women, to dedicate themselves to the service of the Church in those dioceses.

Resolution 33
The normal method of missions is that in which the whole Church, within any area, acts as a missionary body expressly organised for that function, and the principle which underlies this method is capable of universal application. While we humbly thank God for the work of the missionary societies, we consider that these societies, where they exist, should not stand outside the one organisation, but should be elements in it, co-ordinated, whether by a central advisory council or otherwise, under the supreme synodical authority, but retaining severally such degrees of independence as the conditions of their efficiency demand.

THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE COUNCILS AND MINISTRATIONS OF THE CHURCH
Resolution 46
Women should be admitted to those councils of the Church to which laymen are admitted, and on equal terms. Diocesan, provincial, or national synods may decide when or how this principle is to be brought into effect.

Resolution 47
The time has come when, in the interests of the Church at large, and in particular of the development of the ministry of women, the diaconate of women should be restored formally and canonically, and should be recognised throughout the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 48
The order of deaconesses is for women the one and only order of the ministry which has the stamp of apostolic approval, and is for women the only order of the ministry which we can recommend that our branch of the Catholic Church should recognise and use.

Resolution 49
The office of a deaconess is primarily a ministry of succour, bodily and spiritual, especially to women, and should follow the lines of the primitive rather than of the modern diaconate of men. It should be understood that the deaconess dedicates herself to a life-long service, but that no vow or implied promise of celibacy should be required as necessary for admission to the order. Nevertheless, deaconesses who desire to do so may legitimately pledge themselves either as members of a community, or as individuals, to a celibate life.

Resolution 50
In every branch of the Anglican Communion there should be adopted a Form and Manner of Making of Deaconesses such as might fitly find a place in the Book of Common Prayer, containing in all cases provision for:
(a) prayer by the bishop and the laying-on of his hands;
(b) a formula giving authority to execute the office of a deaconess in the Church of God;
(c) the delivery of the New Testament by the bishop to each candidate.

Resolution 51
The Forms for the Making and Ordering of Deaconesses should be of the same general character, and as far as possible similar in their most significant parts, though varying in less important details in accordance with local needs.

Resolution 52
The following functions may be entrusted to the deaconess, in addition to the ordinary duties which would naturally fall to her:
(a) to prepare candidates for baptism and confirmation;
(b) to assist at the administration of Holy Baptism; and to be the administrant in cases of necessity in virtue of her office;
(c) to pray with and give counsel to such women as desire help in difficulties and perplexities;
(d) with the approval of the bishop and of the parish priest, and under such conditions as shall from time to time be laid down by the bishop: (i) in church to read Morning and Evening Prayer and the Litany, except such portions as are assigned to the priest only; (ii) in church also to lead in prayer and, under licence of the bishop, to instruct and exhort the congregation.
Voting on Clause d(ii): For 117; Against 81.

Resolution 53
Opportunity should be given to women as to men (duly qualified and approved by the bishop) to speak in consecrated or unconsecrated buildings, and to lead in prayer, at other than the regular and appointed services of the Church. Such diocesan arrangements, both for men and for women, should wherever possible be subject to provincial control and co-ordination.

Resolution 54
The Conference recommends that careful inquiry should be made in the several branches of the Anglican Communion as to the position and recognition of women workers in the Church, the conditions of their employment, and the remuneration of those who receive salaries.

Resolution 68
The Conference, while declining to lay down rules which will meet the needs of every abnormal case, regards with grave concern the spread in modern society of theories and practices hostile to the family. We utter an emphatic warning against the use of unnatural means for the avoidance of conception, together with the grave dangers--physical, moral, and religious--thereby incurred, and against the evils with which the extension of such use threatens the race. In opposition to the teaching which, under the name of science and religion, encourages married people in the deliberate cultivation of sexual union as an end in itself, we steadfastly uphold what must always be regarded as the governing considerations of Christian marriage. One is the primary purpose for which marriage exists, namely the continuation of the race through the gift and heritage of children; the other is the paramount importance in married life of deliberate and thoughtful self-control.
We desire solemnly to commend what we have said to Christian people and to all who will hear.

Resolution 69
The Conference, moved by responsible statements from many nations as to the prevalence of venereal diseases, bringing suffering, paralysis, insanity, or death to many thousands of the innocent as well as the guilty, supports all efforts which are consistent with high moral standards to check the causes of the diseases and to treat and, if possible, cure the victims. We impress upon the clergy and members of the Church the duty of joining with physicians and public authorities in meeting this scourge, and urge the clergy to guide those who turn to them for advice with knowledge, sympathy, and directness. The Conference must condemn the distribution or use, before exposure to infection, of so-called prophylactics, since these cannot but be regarded as an invitation to vice.

Resolution 74
The Conference urges the importance of enlisting the help of all high-principled men and women, whatever be their religious beliefs, in cooperation with or, if necessary, in bringing pressure to bear upon, authorities both national and local, for removing such incentives to vice as indecent literature, suggestive plays and films, the open or secret sale of contraceptives, and the continued existence of brothels.

Resolutions of 1930

Resolution 10
The Conference believes that in the exalted view of marriage taught by our Lord is to be found the solution of the problems with which we are faced. His teaching is reinforced by certain elements which have found a new emphasis in modern life, particularly the sacredness of personality, the more equal partnership of men and women, and the biological importance of monogamy.

Resolution 11
The Conference believes that it is with this ideal in view that the Church must deal with questions of divorce and with whatever threatens the security of woman and the stability of the home. Mindful of our Lord’s words, ‘What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder’, it reaffirms ‘as our Lord’s principle and standard of marriage a life-long and indissoluble union, for better or worse, of one man with one woman, to the exclusion of all others on either side, and calls on all Christian people to maintain and bear witness to this standard. [Lambeth Conference 1920: Resolution 67.]
In cases of divorce:
(a) The Conference, while passing no judgement on the practice of regional or national Churches within our Communion, recommends that the marriage of one, whose former partner is still living, should not be celebrated according to the rites of the Church. (b) Where an innocent person has remarried under civil sanction and desires to receive the Holy Communion, it recommends that the case should be referred for consideration to the bishop, subject to provincial regulations.
(c) Finally, it would call attention to the Church’s unceasing responsibility for the spiritual welfare of all her members who have come short of her standard in this as in any other respect, and to the fact that the Church’s aim, individually and socially, is reconciliation to God and redemption from sin. It therefore urges all bishops and clergy to keep this aim before them.

Resolution 12
In all questions of marriage and sex the Conference emphasises the need of education. It is important that before the child’s emotional reaction to sex is awakened, definite information should be given in an atmosphere of simplicity and beauty. The persons directly responsible for this are the parents, who in the exercise of this responsibility will themselves need the best guidance that the Church can supply. During childhood and youth the boy or the girl should thus be prepared for the responsibilities of adult life; but the Conference urges the need of some further preparation for those members of the Church who are about to marry.
To this end the Conference is convinced that steps ought to be taken (a) to secure a better education for the clergy in moral theology; (b) to establish, where they do not exist, in the various branches of the Anglican Communion central councils which would study the problems of sex from the Christian standpoint and give advice to the responsible authorities in diocese or parish or theological college as to methods of approach and lines of instruction; (c) to review the available literature and to take steps for its improvement and its circulation.

Resolution 13
The Conference emphasises the truth that the sexual instinct is a holy thing implanted by God in human nature. It acknowledges that intercourse between husband and wife as the consummation of marriage has a value of its own within that sacrament, and that thereby married love is enhanced and its character strengthened. Further, seeing that the primary purpose for which marriage exists is the procreation of children, it believes that this purpose as well as the paramount importance in married life of deliberate and thoughtful self-control should be the governing considerations in that intercourse.

Resolution 14
The Conference affirms (a) the duty of parenthood as the glory of married life; (b) the benefit of a family as a joy in itself, as a vital contribution to the nation’s welfare, and as a means of characterbuilding for both parents and children; (c) the privilege of discipline and sacrifice to this end.

Resolution 15
Where there is a clearly felt moral obligation to limit or avoid parenthood, the method must be decided on Christian principles. The primary and obvious method is complete abstinence from intercourse (as far as may be necessary) in a life of discipline and self-control lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless in those cases where there is such a clearly felt moral obligation to limit or avoid parenthood, and where there is a morally sound reason for avoiding complete abstinence, the Conference agrees that other methods may be used, provided that this is done in the light of the same Christian principles. The Conference records its strong condemnation of the use of any methods of conception control from motives of selfishness, luxury, or mere convenience.
Voting: For 193; Against 67.

Resolution 24
The Conference would insist that the maintenance of the Christian obligation on the part of men to respect and honour womanhood, involving the equally chivalrous treatment of the women of all races, is fundamental; and conversely, the Christian obligation on the part of women to maintain a high standard of morals and conduct, especially in their relations with men of a different colour, is equally fundamental.

The Ministry of Women
Resolution 66
The Conference wishes to insist on the great importance of offering to women of ability and education, who have received adequate special training, posts which provide full scope for their powers and bring to them real partnership with those who direct the work of the Church, and genuine responsibility for their share of it, whether in parish or diocese; so that such women may find in the Church’s service a sphere for the exercise of their capacity.

Resolution 67
The order of deaconess is for women the one and only order of the ministry which we can recommend our branch of the Catholic Church to recognise and use.

Resolution 68
The ordination of a deaconess should everywhere include prayer by the bishop and the laying-on of hands, the delivery of the New Testament to the candidate, and a formula giving authority to execute the office of a deaconess in the Church of God. Such ordination need not be at the Ember seasons, and should not be combined with an ordination of priests or deacons, but should always be held in the face of the Church.

Resolution 69
The Conference re-asserts the words in Resolution 49 of the Lambeth Conference of 1920, viz. ‘The office of a deaconess is primarily a ministry of succour, bodily and spiritual, especially to women, and should follow the lines of the primitive rather than of the modern diaconate of men.’ It should be understood that the deaconess dedicates herself to a life-long service, but no vow or implied promise of celibacy should be required as necessary for admission to the order.

Resolution 70
Under the sanction of the province, the bishop may, on the request of the parish priest, entrust the following functions to the ordained deaconess:
(a) to assist the minister in the preparation of candidates for baptism and for confirmation;
(b) to assist at the administration of Holy Baptism by virtue of her office;
(c) to baptize in church, and to officiate at the Churching of Women;
(d) in church to read Morning and Evening Prayer and the Litany, except such portions as are reserved to the priest, and to lead in prayer; with the licence of the bishop, to instruct and preach, except in the service of Holy Communion.

Resolution 71
The Conference recommends that bishops give commissions to women of special qualifications to speak at other than the regular services, or to conduct retreats, or to give spiritual counsel.

Resolution 72
Every stipendiary woman worker, whether parochial or other, should receive formal recognition from the bishop, who should satisfy himself not only of her general fitness, but also that an adequate stipend is secured to her with provision for a pension, and that she works under a definite form of agreement.

The Ministry of Healing
Resolution 73
(a) The Conference commends to the Church The Ministry of Healing (SPCK, 1924), being the Report of a Committee set up in accordance with Resolution 63 of the Lambeth Conference of 1920.
(b) Methods of spiritual healing, such as unction or the laying-on of hands, should be used only in close conjunction with prayer and spiritual preparation.
(c) There is urgent need for co-operation between clergy and doctors since spiritual and physical treatment are complementary and equally necessary for true well-being.
(d) Seeing that the ministry of the Church is a ministry for the whole man, it is of the utmost importance that the clergy should equip themselves for a fuller understanding of the intimate connection between moral and spiritual disorders and mental and physical ills.

Religious Communities
Resolution 74
The Conference recognises with thankfulness the growth of religious communities both of men and women in the Anglican Communion and the contribution which they have made to a deeper spiritual life in the Church and their notable services in the mission field, but advises the establishment, by canon or other means, of closer cooperation between the episcopate and the communities on the general lines indicated in the Report of the Committee.

Resolutions of 1948

Resolution 38
While to every member of the Church there falls a share of responsibility for its life and work, yet it is impossible to over-estimate the importance of maintaining and indeed increasing the supply of men and women who are prepared to devote their whole time to some special form of ministry for Christ and his Church. The Conference therefore urges clergy, teachers, and parents to seek for and encourage among young people vocations to Holy Orders, to the teaching ministry, to religious communities, and to other forms of full-time service in the Church, at home and abroad.

Resolution 47
The Conference affirms that work ought to be a vocation. Therefore all possible guidance should be given to young people in their choice of a life work, in order to foster their sense of vocation and to ensure that they are enabled to take up work which they can rightly regard as a form of service to God and their fellow men.

Resolution 48
The Conference, recognising that marriage and motherhood remain the normal vocation of women, urges the importance of fostering in girls the sense of the dignity of this calling and the need to prepare for it. At the same time it welcomes the great contributions now being made by women in many walks of life, and urges that girls and young women be given the fullest possible opportunities for vocational training.

PROPOSED CHINESE CANON
Resolution 113
The General Synod of the Church in China having brought before the Lambeth Conference a proposal received from the Diocese of South China that for an experimental period of twenty years a deaconess might (subject to certain conditions) be ordained to the priesthood, and the General Synod having referred to the Conference the question `whether or not such liberty to experiment within the framework of the Anglican Communion would be in accordance with Anglican tradition and order’, the Conference feels bound to reply that in its opinion such an experiment would be against that tradition and order and would gravely affect the internal and external relations of the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 114
The Conference reaffirms Resolution 67 of the Conference of 1930 that `the order of deaconess is for women the one and only order of the ministry which we can recommend our branch of the Catholic Church to recognise and use’. It also approves the resolution adopted in 1939-1941 in both Houses of the Convocations of Canterbury and York `that the order of deaconesses is the one existing ordained ministry for women in the sense of being the only order of ministry in the Anglican Communion to which women are admitted by episcopal imposition of hands’.

Resolution 115
The Conference is aware that in some quarters there is a desire that the question of ordination of women to the priesthood should be reconsidered. The Conference, recalling that the question was examined in England by the Archbishops’ Commission on the Ministry of Women whose Report was published in 1935, is of opinion that the time has not come for its further formal consideration.

Resolution 116
The Conference desires to draw attention again to the wide and important range of work which may be entrusted to deaconesses by the constituted authorities of any province of the Anglican Communion; and recommends that in all parts of the Anglican Communion the work of deaconesses should be encouraged and their status and function defined.

Resolutions of 1958

The Contribution of Women
Resolution 93
The Conference thankfully recognises the particular contribution of women to the mission of the Church; and urges that fuller use should be made of trained and qualified women, and that spheres of progressive responsibility and greater security in service should be planned for them.

The Task of the Laity
Resolution 94
The Conference, believing that the laity, as baptized members of the Body of Christ, share in the priestly ministry of the Church and in responsibility for its work, calls upon Anglican men and women throughout the world to realise their Christian vocation both by taking their full part in the Church’s life and by Christian witness and dedication in seeking to serve God’s purpose in the world.

THE FAMILY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
Marriage
Resolution 112
The Conference records its profound conviction that the idea of the human family is rooted in the Godhead and that consequently all problems of sex relations, the procreation of children, and the organisation of family life must be related, consciously and directly, to the creative, redemptive, and sanctifying power of God.

Resolution 113
The Conference affirms that marriage is a vocation to holiness, through which men and women may share in the love and creative purpose of God. The sins of self-indulgence and sensuality, born of selfishness and a refusal to accept marriage as a divine vocation, destroy its true nature and depth, and the right fullness and balance of the relationship between men and women. Christians need always to remember that sexual love is not an end in itself nor a means to selfgratification, and that self-discipline and restraint are essential conditions of the responsible freedom of marriage and family planning.

Resolution 114
The Conference welcomes, with thankfulness, the increasing care given by the clergy to preparation for marriage both in instructing youth, through confirmation classes and other means, and also immediately before marriage. It urges that the importance of this ministry should continue to be emphasised and that special attention should be given to our Lord’s principle of life-long union as the basis of all true marriage.

Resolution 115
The Conference believes that the responsibility for deciding upon the number and frequency of children has been laid by God upon the consciences of parents everywhere: that this planning, in such ways as are mutually acceptable to husband and wife in Christian conscience, is a right and important factor in Christian family life and should be the result of positive choice before God. Such responsible parenthood, built on obedience to all the duties of marriage, requires a wise stewardship of the resources and abilities of the family as well as a thoughtful consideration of the varying population needs and problems of society and the claims of future generations.

Resolution 116
The Conference calls upon all Church people to have in mind that, since our Lord’s ministry gave a new depth and significance to forgiveness, his Church and the families within it must be a forgiving society, and that there are no wrongs done by its members, one to another, that are unforgivable, or in which a costly forgiveness may not lead to repentance and, through repentance, to reconciliation and a new beginning in living together.
The Conference believes that many tensions in marriage and family life are allowed to reach a breaking point because self-righteousness or a sense of injury takes priority of forgiveness, and that marital relations also break down because those involved do not in time take counsel with a wise adviser. It affirms that no husband or wife has the right to contemplate even legal separation until every opportunity of reconciliation and forgiveness has been exhausted.

Resolution 117
The Conference welcomes the growth of marriage guidance councils, which prepare people for marriage and assist in maintaining stable married life. It recommends that the clergy and Church people of mature faith and with the right qualifications should be encouraged to offer themselves for training as counsellors. It believes that such counsel, given as a Christian vocation by well-trained Christian husbands and wives, is a volunteer service of great value, makes an important contribution to the community, and deserves government support.

Resolution 118
The Conference recognises that divorce is granted by the secular authority in many lands on grounds which the Church cannot acknowledge, and recognises also that in certain cases, where a decree of divorce has been sought and may even have been granted, there may in fact have been no marital bond in the eyes of the Church. It therefore commends for further consideration by the Churches and provinces of the Anglican Communion a procedure for defining marital status, such as already exists in some of its provinces.

Resolution 119
The Conference believes that the Resolutions of the 1948 Lambeth Conference concerning marriage discipline have been of great value as witnessing to Christ’s teaching about the life-long nature of marriage, and urges that these Resolutions, and their implications, should continue to be studied in every province.

Polygamy
Resolution 120
(a) The Conference bears witness to the truth that monogamy is the divine will, testified by the teaching of Christ himself, and therefore true for every race of men.
(b) It acknowledges that the introduction of monogamy into societies that practise polygamy involves a social and economic revolution and raises problems which the Christian Church has as yet not solved.
(c) The Conference urges upon Church members the continuance of thorough study and earnest prayer that God may lead his Church to know the manner of its witness and discipline in this issue.
(d) The Conference, recognising that the problem of polygamy is bound up with the limitation of opportunities for women in society, urges that the Church should make every effort to advance the status of women in every possible way, especially in the sphere of education. (e) The Conference further requests His Grace the President to refer this problem to the Advisory Council on Missionary Strategy.

Resolutions of 1968

Religious Communities
Resolution 5
The Conference recognises with gratitude the contribution of the religious communities, both of men and of women, to the life of the Church, and values their witness to the absolute character of the claims of God on the life of man, to the fruitfulness of a life given to prayer and service, and to the unity of the Church across the divisions which at present exist. It calls upon the communities to take their part in the present renewal of the Church, in particular by seeking to renew themselves according to the priorities of the Gospel and the original intention of their foundation. It recommends that, in all provinces where communities exist, close co-operation between the bishops and the communities should be maintained and developed.

Resolution _
The Conference commends the Report of Committee 5 of the Lambeth Conference 1958, together with the study entitled The Family in Contemporary Society which formed the basis of the work of that Committee, to the attention of all men of good will for further study in the light of the continuing sociological and scientific developments of the past decade.

Marriage Discipline
Resolution 23
The Conference recognises that polygamy poses one of the sharpest conflicts between the faith and particular cultures.
The Church seeks to proclaim the will of God in setting out the clear implications of our Lord’s teaching about marriage. Hence it bears witness to monogamous life-long marriage as God’s will for mankind.
The Conference believes that such marriage alone bears adequate witness to the equal sanctity of all human beings which lies at the heart of the Christian revelation; yet recognises that in every place many problems concerning marriage confront the Church.
The Conference therefore asks each province to re-examine its discipline in such problems in full consultation with other provinces in a similar situation.

THE MINISTRY
The Laity
Resolution 24
The Conference recommends that no major issue in the life of the Church should be decided without the full participation of the laity in discussion and in decision.

Resolution 25
The Conference recommends that each province or regional Church be asked to explore the theology of baptism and confirmation in relation to the need to commission the laity for their task in the world, and to experiment in this regard.

Resolution 26
The Conference requests that information about experiments in lay training be made available to the whole of the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 27
The Conference believes that there is an urgent need for increase in the quantity and quality of training for laypeople for their task in the world.

Youth and Human Welfare
Resolution 28
The Conference values the initiative shown by young people in witnessing to their faith in Christ; and urges that they should be encouraged to do this in their own way and through their own media, and that the Church should have regard to their concern for the renewal of society and of the Church.

Resolution 29
The Conference, thankful for the intensified interest of young people in human welfare, conscious of the value of their informed insights, and recognising the need to involve them more directly in decisionmaking, in both secular and ecclesiastical society, requests provinces, dioceses, and parishes to promote this involvement in every way possible.

Fellowships for Church Women
Resolution 30
The Conference welcomes the appearance of fellowships for Church women in various parts of the Anglican Communion and commends the development and extension of these associations for an increase of devotion and neighbourliness and for witness to the faith of Jesus Christ.

Priesthood
Resolution 31
The Conference commends the study of the paragraphs on ‘Priesthood’ in the Report of Section II as an Anglican contribution towards an understanding of the nature of priesthood in the present ecumenical situation.

The Diaconate
Resolution 32
The Conference recommends:
(a) That the diaconate, combining service of others with liturgical functions, be open to
   (i) men and women remaining in secular occupations,
   (ii) full-time church workers,
   (iii) those selected for the priesthood.
(b) That Ordinals should, where necessary, be revised:
   (i) to take account of the new role envisaged for the diaconate;
   (ii) by the removal of reference to the diaconate as ‘an inferior office’;
   (iii) by emphasis upon the continuing element of diakonia in the ministry of bishops and priests.
(c) That those made deaconesses by laying-on of hands with appropriate prayers be declared to be within the diaconate.
(d) That appropriate canonical legislation be enacted by provinces and regional Churches to provide for those already ordained deaconesses.
Voting on (c) above: For 221; Against 183.

A Wider Ordained Ministry
Resolution 33
This Conference affirms Resolution 89 of the Lambeth Conference 1958 on the supplementary ministry and recommends a wider and more confident use of this ministry. The Resolution reads as follows:
89. The Conference considers that, while the fully trained and fulltime priesthood is essential to the continuing life of the Church, there is no theological principle which forbids a suitable man from being ordained priest while continuing in his lay occupation. While calling attention to Resolution 65 of the Lambeth Conference of 1930, the Conference now wishes to go further and to encourage provinces to make provision on these lines in cases where conditions make it desirable. Such provision is not to be regarded as a substitute for the full-time ministry of the Church, but as an addition to it.

Ordination of Women to the Priesthood
Resolution 34
The Conference affirms its opinion that the theological arguments as at present presented for and against the ordination of women to the priesthood are inconclusive.

Resolution 35
The Conference requests every national and regional Church or province to give careful study to the question of the ordination of women to the priesthood and to report its findings to the Anglican Consultative Council (or Lambeth Consultative Body) which will make them generally available to the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 36
The Conference requests the Anglican Consultative Council (or Lambeth Consultative Body)
(a) to initiate consultations with other Churches which have women in their ordained ministry and with those which have not;
(b) to distribute the information thus secured throughout the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 37
The Conference recommends that, before any national or regional Church or province makes a final decision to ordain women to the priesthood, the advice of the Anglican Consultative Council (or Lambeth Consultative Body) be sought and carefully considered.

Resolution 38
The Conference recommends that, in the meantime, national or regional Churches or provinces should be encouraged to make canonical provision, where this does not exist, for duly qualified women to share in the conduct of liturgical worship, to preach, to baptize, to read the Epistle and Gospel at the Holy Communion, and to help in the distribution of the elements.

The Episcopate
Resolution 39
The Conference recommends that bishops should have opportunities of training for their office and requests the Anglican Consultative Council to make provision for such training where regional Churches are unable to do so.

Resolution 40
The Conference affirms its opinion that all coadjutor, suffragan and full-time assistant bishops should exercise every kind of episcopal function and have their place as bishops in the councils of the Church.

Resolution 41
The Conference recommends that the bishops, as leaders and representatives of a servant Church, should radically examine the honours paid to them in the course of divine worship, in titles and customary address, and in style of living, while having the necessary facilities for the efficient carrying on of their work.

Resolutions of 1978

Resolution 10: Human relationships and sexuality
The Conference gladly affirms the Christian ideals of faithfulness and chastity both within and outside marriage, and calls Christians everywhere to seek the grace of Christ to live lives of holiness, discipline, and service in the world, and commends to the Church:
1 The need for theological study of sexuality in such a way as to relate sexual relationships to that wholeness of human life which itself derives from God, who is the source of masculinity and femininity.
2 The need for programmes at diocesan level, involving both men and women,
   (a) to promote the study and foster the ideals of Christian marriage and family life, and to examine the ways in which those who are unmarried may discover the fullness which God intends for all his children;
   (b) to provide ministries of compassionate support to those suffering from brokenness within marriage and family relationships;
   (c) to emphasise the sacredness of all human life, the moral issues inherent in clinical abortion, and the possible implications of genetic engineering.
3 While we reaffirm heterosexuality as the scriptural norm, we recognise the need for deep and dispassionate study of the question of homosexuality, which would take seriously both the teaching of Scripture and the results of scientific and medical research. The Church, recognising the need for pastoral concern for those who are homosexual, encourages dialogue with them. (We note with satisfaction that such studies are now proceeding in some member Churches of the Anglican Communion.)

Resolution 11: Issues concerning the whole Anglican Communion
The Conference advises member Churches not to take action regarding issues which are of concern to the whole Anglican Communion without consultation with a Lambeth Conference or with the episcopate through the Primates Committee, and requests the primates to initiate a study of the nature of authority within the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 20: Women in the diaconate
The Conference recommends, in accordance with Resolution 32(c) of the Lambeth Conference of 1968, those member Churches which do not at present ordain women as deacons now to consider making the necessary legal and liturgical changes to enable them to do so, instead of admitting them to a separate order of deaconesses.

Resolution 21: Women in the priesthood
1 The Conference notes that since the last Lambeth Conference in 1968, the Diocese of Hong Kong, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the Church of the Province of New Zealand have admitted women to the presbyterate, and that eight other member Churches of the Anglican Communion have now either agreed or approved in principle or stated that there are either no fundamental or no theological objections to the ordination of women to the historic threefold ministry of the Church.
We also note that other of its member Churches have not yet made a decision on the matter. Others again have clearly stated that they do hold fundamental objections to the ordination of women to the historic threefold ministry of the Church.
2 The Conference acknowledges that both the debate about the ordination of women as well as the ordinations themselves have, in some Churches, caused distress and pain to many on both sides. To heal these and to maintain and strengthen fellowship is a primary pastoral responsibility of all, and especially of the bishops.
3 The Conference also recognises
   (a) the autonomy of each of its member Churches, acknowledging the legal right of each Church to make its own decision about the appropriateness of admitting women to Holy Orders;
   (b) that such provincial action in this matter has consequences of the utmost significance for the Anglican Communion as a whole.
4 The Conference affirms its commitment to the preservation of unity within and between all member Churches of the Anglican Communion.
5 The Conference therefore
   (a) encourages all member Churches of the Anglican Communion to continue in communion with one another, notwithstanding the admission of women (whether at present or in the future) to the ordained ministry of some member Churches;
   (b) in circumstances in which the issue of the ordination of women has caused, or may cause, problems of conscience, urges that every action possible be taken to ensure that all baptized members of the Church continue to be in communion with their bishop and that every opportunity be given for all members to work together in the mission of the Church irrespective of their convictions regarding this issue;
   (c) requests the Anglican Consultative Council
      (i) to use its good offices to promote dialogue between those member Churches which ordain women and those which do not, with a view to exploring ways in which the fullest use can be made of women’s gifts within the total ministry of the Church in our Communion; and
      (ii) to maintain, and wherever possible extend, the present dialogue with Churches outside the Anglican family.
6 Consistent with the foregoing, this Conference
(a) declares its acceptance of those member Churches which now ordain women, and urges that they respect the convictions of those provinces and dioceses which do not;
(b) declares its acceptance of those member Churches which do not ordain women, and urges that they respect the convictions of those provinces and dioceses which do.
(c) With regard to women who have been ordained in the Anglican Communion being authorised to exercise their ministry in provinces which have not ordained women, we recommend that, should synodical authority be given to enable them to exercise it, it be exercised only
   (i) where pastoral need warrants and
   (ii) where such a ministry is agreeable to the bishop, clergy, and people where the ministry is to be exercised and where it is approved by the legally responsible body of the parish, area, or institution where such a ministry is to be exercised.
7 We recognise that our accepting this variety of doctrine and practice in the Anglican Communion may disappoint the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Old Catholic Churches, but we wish to make it clear
  (a) that the holding together of diversity within a unity of faith and worship is part of the Anglican heritage;
  (b) that those who have taken part in ordinations of women to the priesthood believe that these ordinations have been into the historic ministry of the Church as the Anglican Communion has received it; and
  (c) that we hope the dialogue between these other Churches and the member Churches of our Communion will continue because we believe that we still have understanding of the truth of God and his will to learn from them as together we all move towards a fuller catholicity and a deeper fellowship in the Holy Spirit.
8 This Conference urges that further discussions about the ordination of women be held within a wider consideration of theological issues of ministry and priesthood.
Voting: For 316; Against 37; Abstentions 17.

Resolution 22: Women in the episcopate
While recognising that a member Church of the Anglican Communion may wish to consecrate a woman to the episcopate, and accepting that such member Church must act in accordance with its own constitution, the Conference recommends that no decision to consecrate be taken without consultation with the episcopate through the primates and overwhelming support in any member Church and in the diocese concerned, test the bishop’s office should become a cause of disunity instead of a focus of unity.

Resolutions of 1988

Resolution 1: The ordination or consecration of women to the episcopate
This Conference resolves:
1 That each province respect the decision and attitudes of other provinces in the ordination or consecration of women to the episcopate, without such respect necessarily indicating acceptance of the principles involved, maintaining the highest possible degree of communion with the provinces which differ.
2 That bishops exercise courtesy and maintain communications with bishops who may differ, and with any woman bishop, ensuring an open dialogue in the Church to whatever extent communion is impaired.
3 That the Archbishop of Canterbury, in consultation with the primates, appoints a commission:
(a) to provide for an examination of the relationships between ‘ provinces of the Anglican Communion and ensure that the process of reception includes continuing consultation with other Churches as well;
(b) to monitor and encourage the process of consultation within the Communion and to offer further pastoral guidelines.
4 That in any province where reconciliation on these issues is necessary, any diocesan bishop facing this problem be encouraged to seek continuing dialogue with, and make pastoral provision for, those clergy and congregations whose opinions differ from those of the bishop, in order to maintain the unity of the diocese.
5 Recognises the serious hurt which would result from the questioning by some of the validity of the episcopal acts of a woman bishop, and likewise the hurt experienced by those whose conscience would be offended by the ordination of a woman to the episcopate. The Church needs to exercise sensitivity, patience and pastoral care towards all concerned.
Voting: For 423; Against 28; Abstentions 19.

Resolution 28: Sexual abuse
This Conference:
1 Expresses deep concern about the frequency of domestic violence and the sexual abuse of children.
2 Asks Christian leaders to be explicit about the sinfulness of violence and sexual abuse whether of children or adults, and to devise means of providing support for the victims and perpetrators of such exploitation to enable them to break the cycle of abuse.
3 Reaffirms the traditional biblical teaching on the value of the human person who, being made in the image of God, is neither to be exploited nor abused.

Resolution 34: Marriage and family
This Conference:
1 Reaffirming the 1978 Lambeth statement on marriage and the family, calls the Churches of the Anglican Communion to ministries that prepare couples for marriage, sustain them throughout their lives together with the spiritual, pastoral, and community life of the Church and, in the face of increasing stresses, encourage and support them with the resources of the Church as an extended family.
2 Recognises that the same range of pressures no less affect clergy marriages and families and recommends that each diocese identify some means of providing confidential counselling and support services for clergy families;
3 Noting the gap between traditional Christian teaching on premarital sex, and the life-styles being adopted by many people today, both within and outside the Church:
(a) calls on provinces and dioceses to adopt a caring and pastoral attitude to such people;
(b) reaffirms the traditional biblical teaching that sexual intercourse is an act of total commitment which belongs properly within a permanent married relationship;
(c) in response to the International Conference of Young Anglicans in Belfast, urges provinces and dioceses to plan with young people programmes to explore issues such as pre-marital sex in the light of traditional Christian values.
4 Recognising the political, economic and social pressures on family life:
(a) affirms the family in its various forms, as the fundamental institution of human community;
(b) calls our Churches to the development of support systems for families at every level within the Church and to the advocacy of public policies supportive of family life;
(c) commends in particular the developing Family Network inaugurated by the Anglican Consultative Council and encourages participation in the continuing educational and pastoral work of the Network;
(d) recognises that these pressures serve to diminish the economic wellbeing and status of women, welcomes the World Council of Churches `Decade for Solidarity with Women’, and encourages dioceses to consider how they might through their theological, structural and pastoral approaches help to achieve a fuller recognition of the contribution and status of women in the Church and society. 5 Affirms that effective ministries to families and to individuals, who are thereby enabled to experience the Church as an extended family, are signs of life and hope and are central to evangelism that proclaims and models the oneness that Christ wills for all people.

Resolutions of 1998

Resolution I.3
This Conference resolves that each member Church represented make an intentional effort to:
(a) discover the ways in which women and children are afected and victimised by the political, economic, educational. cultural or religious systems in which they live;
(b) discover the ways in which criminal elements of our societies victimise and exploit women and children;
(c) praise the level of public (local, national and international) awareness about such abuses; and
(d) work toward eliminating abuses through co-operation with existing groups such as ECPAT (End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism) and the monitoring agencies of the United Nations and World Council of Churches.

Resolution I.10
This Conference:
(a) commends to the Church the subsection report on human sexuality;
(b) in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage;
(c) recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church. and God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;
(d) while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex;
(e) cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;
(f) requests the Primates and the ACC to establish a means of monitoring the work done on the subject of human sexuality in the Communion and to share statements and resources among us;
(g) notes the significance of the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality and the concerns expressed in resolutions IV.26, V.1, V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the authority of Scripture in matters of marriage and sexuality and asks the Primates and the ACC to include them in their monitoring process.

Resolution III.10
This Conference, recognising the need for the Church to respond to the destructive pressures on the integrity of marriage and family life on behalfof the families in our care and noting that the local congregation bears a serious responsibility for giving counsel about the Christian understanding of marriage and family life (a) endorses the summary report of the International Anglican Family Network (IAFN Newsletter July 1998);
(b) affirms that the local Christian community should give such counsel: and
(c) believes that the institutions charged with training people for and in Christian ministry must include in their programmes thoughtful and practical courses to prepare clergy and laity to give counsel and encouragement in Christian marriage and family life in the congregations where they serve.

Resolution III.18
This Conference
(a) expresses its gratitude to the Mothers’ Union and related organizations, for all their work in supporting families and family life throughout the world;
(b) it is grateful for the many initiatives they have taken to address the needs of the disadvantaged in society; and
(c) encourages the Mothers’ Union and the related organisations in the many ways that they are planning for further development of all this work in the next Millennium.

Resolution IV.26

This Conference, noting that no province of the Anglican Communion has voted to change the traditional ethical teaching on homosexuality, in order to have and promote credibility with our brothers and sisters in New Churches and Independent Christian Groups, receives and recognises the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality as a contribution of the ‘South - South Encounter’ to the Anglican Communion.