Church Divinity School of the Pacific Kicks Off New Video Series with ‘Understanding the Anglican Covenant’

BERKELEY, CALIF. June 21, 2011 – Church Divinity School of the Pacific announces a new video series, Episcopal Dialogues, designed to help individual Episcopal churches discuss key issues facing The Episcopal Church.

The first three-DVD set in the series was released this week, “Understanding the Anglican Covenant.” It features three CDSP faculty members and others in an examination of the Anglican Covenant under discussion covenant this year and next by the worldwide Anglican Communion, including The Episcopal Church.

The first three-DVD set. produced by CDSP’s Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership (CALL), is being offered to individual Episcopal parishes along with a study guide for the introductory price of $35.

“At CDSP we are constantly seeking new ways to respond to challenges facing our society, in dialogue with our church and the world,” said the Rev. Michelle Meech, director of CALL and producer of the video series. “Episcopal Dialogues provides tools to enable individual parishes to do the same thing.”

The inaugural series, “Understanding the Anglican Covenant: An Exploration in Three Parts,” includes:

• Part 1: The Anglican Covenant: A Commentary and Explication. Dr. Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Associate Professor of Church History at CDSP, examines the text of the proposed Anglican Covenant in detail.
• Part 2: Covenant and Communion: A Conversation. Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, and the Rev. Dr. John Kater, Professor Emeritus of Ministry Development at CDSP, discuss the potential impact of the proposed covenant on the worldwide Anglican Communion.
• Part 3: A Panel Discussion on the Anglican Covenant. Dr. Christopher Wells, Executive Director of The Living Church Foundation, and the Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers, Hodges-Haynes Professor of Liturgics at CDSP, discuss reasons for and against assenting to the proposed Anglican Covenant. The Rev. Dr. Monrelle T. Williams, rector of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Oakland, Calif., moderates.

The Anglican Covenant that is under consideration by the various autonomous national churches proposes a set of principles intended to bind the worldwide Anglican Communion in spite of cultural and theological differences. It was developed in response to disagreements over issues such as the blessing of same-sex unions, consecration of openly gay bishops and interference by some bishops in the affairs of other provinces of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Covenant will be considered at the Episcopal Church’s 2012 General Convention.

For more information about Episcopal Dialogues, go to: http://www.cdsp.edu/center_dialogues.php

For more information about the Anglican Covenant, visit: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/commission/covenanrt/index.cfm