The Anglican Covenant and Occam's Razor

The Anglican Communion Institute, in this article, talks about the current difficulties in the proposed Anglican Covenant and its application as an instrument of Unity in the Anglican Communion.

The Anglican Community certainly needs something to bind it together after the disastrous events in the Episcopal Church. The actions of TEC beginning especially with the consecration of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire have critically strained the communion over a fault line of biblical authority.

But, is the Anglican Covenant as currently formulated the best way forward? We have discussed this issue previously, here.

There is a principle of logic which the current draft of the AC is at odds with. And this principle is called "Occam's Razor", which says, "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity" and the conclusion thereof, that the simplest explanation or strategy tends to be the best one". Read here for more on this concept.

The means by which the AC will seek to impose "discipline" upon the Communion, contained in section 4 of the draft will make the average persons eyes cross with complexity. And it is that complexity and obtuse language that both weakens the AC and reveals its true purpose: to achieve institutional unity, not unity based on fidelity in faith to the faith delivered to the Fathers (Jude 3).

Will the Covenant become the standard of the Communion? Will it really mean anything if it does? Time will tell.