Thinking Anglicans has the story.
The Church of England’s House of Bishops is attempting to move the Anglican Covenant to ratification by February 2012, which is about as quickly as their system permits. The House of Bishops “Summary of Decisions,” released in advance of the Church’s General Synod which convenes next month, contains the following:
On the Anglican Communion Covenant, the House agreed
(a) to commend it for adoption by the Church of England
(b) to invite the [Synod] Business Committee to schedule the beginning of the adoption process for the inaugural Synod in November 2010, with a view to final approval in February 2012
(c) not to propose special majorities for its adoption and
(d) to authorise the House’s Standing Committee to oversee the production of necessary material for the Synod.
I am open to correction on this, but I believe the document would have to receive some kind of preliminary approval by the Synod–probably in February 2011–after which it would be sent to dioceses, a majority of which would also have to approve it. Approval would then be formalized at the February 2012 Synod.
What’s telling is that the bishops want no “special majorities” to be required on this vote. So a document meant to construct a framework for unifying the Communion may pass by simple majorities at every stage, as opposed to two-thirds majorities in each house at the final stage.
Female bishops. Anglican Covenant. Compare and contrast.