Tradition is the democracy of the dead
Chesterton’s famous quote cuts in many directions, but it reminds us that the churches in which we worship, and the dioceses and provinces in which they are situated, are things we have received in trust and hope to pass on in trust. Aside from the absence of an impartial monitor for the plebiscite-like votes that have taken place of late, we also lack the crucial participation of that ‘most obscure of all classes’ and an honest commitment to honour legitimate outcomes.