"A Covenant of Protection" - Proposed Human Rights Principles
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official7236
- Date
- 1998 May 21-29
- Source
- General Synod. Minutes
- Type
- Act 78
- Mover
- Bishop B. Jenks
- Seconder
- Hon. R. Stevenson
- Prologue
- Debate continued on this amended resolution.
- Text of motion
- That this General Synod adopt the following "Covenant of Protection" as policy and direct the Council of the General Synod to develop a process for implementation.
- THEOLOGICAL PREAMBLE
- Since 1949, General Synod has been urging Canadian and foreign governments to conform their policies to principles of Universal Human Rights. This position of the church is deeply rooted in Scripture.
- In the first chapter of Genesis we read that all human beings have been made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). We conclude from this that all human beings, regardless of their background, identity, status, ability, accomplishment or belief have a fundamental dignity which comes from God. All members of the Anglican Church affirm this position when, in the words of our baptismal covenant we promise to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."
- As Christians, we also acknowledge with St. Paul that we have done those things we ought not to have done and we have not done those things we ought to have done. We are sinners and we need to build into the structures of our common life the same standards of right behaviour and safeguards against discrimination that we demand of others. We do this in the knowledge that the real test of our support for human rights is how we treat the minorities in our midst -- the poor, the stranger, the outcast and the foreigner (Matthew 25:40).
- In the summary of the Law recorded in the Gospel of Mark, we are told by Jesus that we must love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength, and love our neighbours as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31). From this we understand that Christians are a covenant community called by God to join others in protecting the rights of all persons in society and in the church. One of the ways we do this is by ensuring that our own processes of participation and deliberation are fair and transparent.
- COVENANT OF PROTECTION
- The Anglican Church of Canada enters into a Covenant of Protection with its members, with its employees, and with those who seek the services of the church, in order to protect vulnerable persons. We call this Covenant, "Human Rights Principles."
- 1. The right to be treated with courtesy, compassion and integrity
- All persons who seek the services of the church, including sacraments, counsel and pastoral care, shall be treated with courtesy, compassion and integrity by the church and its representatives or officials, without discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, family or marital status, race, colour, ethnic (or place of) origin, ancestry, disability, creed or socio-economic status.
- 2. The right to fair treatment
- a) All persons receiving educational, medical or financial assistance from the church shall be treated fairly and without discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, family or marital status, race, colour, ethnic (or place of) origin, ancestry, disability, creed or socio-economic status.
- b) All persons occupying church property or being accommodated in institutions provided by or governed by the church shall be treated fairly within the stated purposes of these institutions and without discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, family or marital status, race, colour, ethnic (or place of) origin, ancestry, disability, creed or socio-economic status.
- 3. The right to vote
- All baptized persons who qualify, in accordance with the relevant canons and constitutions, shall be eligible to vote at General Meetings of their Parish and Synod without discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, family or marital status, race, colour, ethnic (or place of) origin, ancestry, disability, or socio-economic status.
- 4. The right to be considered for election
- All baptized persons who qualify, in accordance with the relevant canons and constitutions, are eligible to hold elected positions in the church without discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, family or marital status, race, colour, ethnic (or place of ) origin, ancestry, disability, or socio-economic status.
- 5. The right to be considered for service
- All baptized persons who qualify, in accordance with the relevant canons, constitutions and guidelines, shall be eligible to have their vocations tested and to be considered for service in the life and on the committees of the church without discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, family or marital status, race, colour, ethnic (or place of) origin, ancestry, disability, or socio-economic status.
- 6. The rights of employees
- All persons employed by the church in positions not requiring ordination shall be employed on the basis of ability, skills and experience appropriate to the position without discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, family or marital status, race, colour, ethnic (or place of) origin, ancestry, disability, or socio-economic status. [Revised 11 November 1999 -- See GS minutes pg. 58. The amendment to leave these words out was defeated but when re-transcribed the words were left out.]
- Six members of Synod requested a vote by orders, in accordance with Section III of the Rules of Order and Procedure.
- The resolution was then put in the Order of Laity and - CARRIED
- The resolution was then put in the Order of Clergy and - CARRIED
- The resolution was then put in the Order of Bishops and - DEFEATED Act 78
- Notes
- The Prolocutor confirmed that the resolution had been Defeated.
- [Correction of General Synod minutes by Chancellor Ron Stevens amended first sentence in paragraph 6 on p. 104 to be the same as paragraph 6 on p. 55. Correspondence dated 15 November 1999 laid in original General Synod Journal of Proceedings.]
- Act 5 of the 36th General Session of the General Synod, held in Waterloo, Ontario, p. 19 enacted the following: "That the minutes of the 35th Session of the General Synod, held in Montreal, Quebec, May 21-29, 1998, as printed in the Journal and as approved by the Certification of Minutes Committee, be adopted subject to the insertion of the words "in positions not requiring ordination" in the first line of paragraph numbered 6 on page 104. CARRIED Act 5"
- Subjects
- Human rights - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Responsibility - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Human rights principles for the Anglican Church of Canada
- A Covenant of Protection
- Employment - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Disabled - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada