Assembly 2023 Logo
Search
Close this search box.
Home
 » 
General Synod
 » 
Convening Circular
 » 
Resolutions
 » 
A200-R3 
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
GENERAL SYNOD 2023
RESOLUTION
Resolution Number: A200-R3
Carried as amended
Subject: Continuing the Work of Dismantling Racism in the Church 
Moved By: The Rt. Rev. Riscylla Shaw
Seconded By: The Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Woodcroft
Be it resolved that this General Synod:

  1. Direct the Council of General Synod, in close consultation with the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, to establish a permanent National Advisory Council on Dismantling Racism to:
    1. conduct an initial and ongoing review of church structures, culture, policies, and practices pertaining to racism and anti-racism
    2. develop and implement a national action plan to move from promoting diversity to living out full inclusion, equity, and belonging at all levels of the church (in both membership and leadership)
  2. Direct the Council of General Synod to ensure that the membership for this Advisory Council reflects the communities of the Church most impacted by racism, namely Indigenous persons, Black persons, and persons of colour and those with experience in anti-racism ministry and leadership, while striving for balanced geographic, gender, ethnocultural, lay and clergy representation, to the degree reasonably possible, and delineating appropriate supportive roles for White/Settler allies on the Council.
  3. Request the Council of General Synod to explore the creation of a full-time staff position at the national level to animate national and diocesan anti-racism activity.
  4. To do all this work with ecumenical and full communion partners wherever possible

Source: Dismantling Racism Task Force

Submitted By: Dismantling Racism Task Force

Does this motion contain within it any financial implications? 
Yes

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

Yes

EXPLANATORY NOTE/BACKGROUND

Racism, bias, and discrimination continue to be experienced in our churches, institutions, and communities across Canada. The work of dismantling these destructive systems requires ongoing commitment at all levels of the church, including at the level of national structures. As the term of the Dismantling Racism Task Force draws to a close, there is a need for ongoing commitment across the work and ministries of General Synod to continue in our shared calling, as expressed in the Marks of Mission, to “transform the unjust structures of society.”1

This motion proposes the creation of a permanent body (National Advisory Council on Dismantling Racism) that would provide leadership and expertise to national efforts to dismantle racism in the church and in society. The current Dismantling Racism Task Force proposes this new advisory council be made up of approximately 12 members representing a diverse cross-section of the church to shape this work over the next biennium and beyond. Half of these members would be elected by the Council of General Synod and half would be appointed by the Primate to help ensure the appropriate balance of membership. Anticipated meeting costs for the National Advisory Council on Dismantling Racism are already included in the Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice budget for 2023.

Additionally, this motion calls for the Council of General Synod, together with the Management Team of General Synod, to undertake serious consideration of creating a continuing staff position focused specifically on dismantling efforts within the church. Other Christian denominations, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the United Church of Canada, have recently created new positions centred on this area of ministry and the Anglican Church of Canada now has the opportunity to expand ministry in this area as well.

PROCEDURE FOR ADOPTION

 (G)

In the normal course, an ordinary motion must be passed by a majority of the members of General Synod present and voting together.

Six members of General Synod may, prior to the question being put, require a vote by Orders, with a majority of each Order being necessary to pass. 

If a question passes on a Vote by Orders, any six members (two from each of three different dioceses) may immediately before the next item of business require a vote to be taken by dioceses.  A motion passes if a majority (or a tie) of dioceses vote in favour.

Source: Sections 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles and sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Rules of Order and Procedure.

Amendment to A200-R2:

Add item: 4) To do all this work with ecumenical and full communion partners wherever possible

—CARRIED

Amendment to 200-R1:

Moved by Murray Still and Riscylla Shaw
Seconded by Patricia Dorland

  1. Direct the Council of General Synod, in close consultation with the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, and the re-introduction of the word Indigenous into the motion.

—CARRIED

Resolution A200

Moved by Vincent Solomon
Seconded by Dorothy Paterson

Strike the words “Indigenous persons” from item 2)

—CARRIED

Resolution download and history
Assembly 2023
Joint statements
Current work
Past work

A website of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

acc100
Logo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Matthew 10:40-42

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

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

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

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

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

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

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

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

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Jesus Cleanses a Man

8 When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him, 2 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.” 3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be made clean!” Immediately his skin disease was cleansed. 4 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.”