The ACO has published this: Secretary General lays out next steps following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Pentecost letter.
…So the Archbishop of Canterbury has made the following proposals in his Pentecost Letter which spell out the consequences of this action:
“I am therefore proposing that, while these tensions remain unresolved, members of such provinces – provinces that have formally, through their Synod or House of Bishops, adopted policies that breach any of the moratoria requested by the Instruments of Communion and recently reaffirmed by the Standing Committee and the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) – should not be participants in the ecumenical dialogues in which the Communion is formally engaged. I am further proposing that members of such provinces serving on IASCUFO should for the time being have the status only of consultants rather than full members”.
Last Thursday I sent letters to members of the Inter Anglican ecumenical dialogues who are from the Episcopal Church informing them that their membership of these dialogues has been discontinued. In doing so I want to emphasise again as I did in those letters the exceptional service of each and every person to that important work and to acknowledge without exception the enormous contribution each person has made.I have also written to the person from the Episcopal Church who is a member of the Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Unity Faith and Order (IASCUFO), withdrawing that person’s membership and inviting her to serve as a Consultant to that body.
I have written to the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to ask whether its General Synod or House of Bishops has formally adopted policies that breach the second moratorium in the Windsor Report, authorising public rites of same-sex blessing.
At the same time I have written to the Primate of the Southern Cone, whose interventions in other provinces are referred to in the Windsor Continuation Group Report asking him for clarification as to the current state of his interventions into other provinces.
These are the actions which flow immediately from the Archbishop’s Pentecost Letter.
Looking forward, there are two questions in this area which I would like to see addressed: One is the relationship between the actions of a bishop or of a diocese and the responsibilities of a province for those actions – this issue is referred to in the Windsor Continuation Group Report para 48.
Secondly, to ask the question of whether maintaining within the fellowship of one’s Provincial House of Bishops, a bishop who is exercising episcopal ministry in another province without the expressed permission of that province or the local bishop, constitutes an intervention and is therefore a breach of the third moratorium.
The Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon.
A. How bizarre that Canon Kearon’s letter doesn’t say anything like, “I have decided to apply the Archbishop’s proposals…” but instead acts as if the AoC’s slightest wish is his command. Evidently “proposal” is one of those words that means something else in the UK than it does in the US.
B. How comforting to see that in spite of everything, the Anglican Communion still moves with catlike reflexes concerning anything having to do with sex or gender, but that open disregard of the other moratoria call for more study and clarification.
Time, I think, for The Episcopal Church to confirm its pursual of its own and informal Anglican Communion and ecumenical links, and withdraw itself from all “formal” Anglican Communion bodies and stop all funding. Take the lead and invite similar from the Canadians and the Scots (given what the Primus has just said in interview) to do the same. It doesn’t stop the Scots from relating to the English and Welsh, it just means getting off the “formal” bodies that are now engaging in acts of exclusion. It is time that action was taken that leads to the removal of… Read more »
Among the boundary-crossers, the only one whom Secretary General Kearon mentions outright as *possibly* subject to discipline is the Southern Cone. No Rwanda, no Uganda, no Nigeria, no Kenya…
Presumably, some provinces, like Nigeria, will argue that they have ceased their intervention by spinning off their subsidiaries, e.g., CANA, to the new ACNA; but groups like AMiA remain clearly under Rwanda, etc.
Why no mention, then, of even Rwanda? Or of the continuing de facto support and intervention by other provinces? There seems to be not even a pretense of being even-handed.
Canon Kearon’s letter to The Episcopal Church in America is disjointed and confusing. He is complementing them on their exceptional service and enormous contributions while at the same time, withdrawing their membership and giving them “consultant” status. In other words, he is punishing them at the same time he is complementing them. This is dysfunctional and counter productive, whereas, engagement is the avenue that should be explored. This is not acceptable behavior. This is the opposite of what I have always admired about Anglicans. The good Canon Kearon is sounding more and more like a Vatican Bureaucrat than an Anglican.… Read more »
Well, it appears that we now have an answer, or at least a partial answer, to the question of what “formally” means. To ignore what was “formally” done because it was “formally” undone, especially when it was only undone after establishing a new ecclesial entity within a member national church, certainly seems perfidious. I think that having so narrowly applied the consequences of all the actions that have divided the Communion, when so many have participated, can only seriously undermine trust in Canterbury, not only in the Anglican provinces in North America, but throughout the Communion.
It is bizarre to me that Canon Kearon can slam the door on the entire TEC delegations, but has not done so to the ACoC, Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda, Southern Cone, etc. I don’t recall the AoC saying TEC is the only bad guy. He wants these “churches” to interpret for themselves if they are outside the moratoria, but makes judgment on TEC with no qualms.
We are relieved of our posts. . . Others are asked questions. . . Pfauw!
What a load of rubbish from both Williams and his mouthpiece.
I am being very very polite and restrained.
“Last Thursday I sent letters to members of the Inter Anglican ecumenical dialogues who are from the Episcopal Church informing them that their membership of these dialogues has been discontinued. In doing so I want to emphasise again as I did in those letters the exceptional service of each and every person to that important work and to acknowledge without exception the enormous contribution each person has made.” Will someone explain to me who invited these people from TEC to serve on this entity? If the invitation came from that body, then how can the ABC, acting through another, disinvite… Read more »
I am genuinely shocked by the bias in this letter.
Perhaps TEC should take a majority of its contribution to the Anglican Communion and give it instead to the suffering people in Haiti, Chile and the Gulf Coast. It would undoubtedly go quite a ways in helping to rebuild and incidentally spread the good news.
Hmm. Paul had disagreements with Jerusalem yet had his churches send contributions. Wonder what he’d do in this situation?
Fine. One shoe has fallen. We Americans should drop the other: I think that TEC should send reply letters to Williams et al saying: “If we are not to be full participants on these committees, we will cease immediately all funding of AC projects related to them.”
Kurt Hill
Brooklyn, NY
Chris Smith: “Each letter from the Archbishop’s handlers sounds more and more like it is coming from the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith instead of Lambeth Palace.” You are quite right to remind us that the Roman model is a failed model, and it is extraordinarily short-sighted of Abp Rowan to be steering the C of E into a Roman way of being church which is well beyond its use-by date. British leaders of all sorts have so much failed to understand modern Europe in recent decades, tending to veer between naive Europhilia and insular Europhobia. What… Read more »
Well, it appears the relationship is ended. I recommend that TEC and ACoC return their keys to the house…and immediately stop paying their share of the rent. Let’s see how long the other “tenants” can afford to stay after that.
I guess Pope Rowan I has spoken! By his actions, hasn’t he now broken communion with the Episcopal Church?
I am suspicious that Rome and/or other participants in these ongoing ecumenical conversations have threatened to break off all contacts with the ABC and any of his appointees. It feels like someone Rowan wants very much to please is saying, “If you don’t kick X off your team we will pick up our ball and go home.”
Columba Gilliss
Pluralist has a very interesting analysis, and clever too. I agree entirely, that TEC should seize the initiative as he suggests, and very quickly people will vote with their feet…and the poor ABC and his Fulcrum allies will be left stranded.
“At the same time I have written to the Primate of the Southern Cone, whose interventions in other provinces are referred to in the Windsor Continuation Group Report asking him for clarification as to the current state of his interventions into other provinces.”
– Canon Kearon, Secretary A.C. –
And what about Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria & Kenya? Do these Provinces have some sort of personal amnesty from exclusion? Perhaps, then, they (esp.Nigeria) have already been discounted as members of the Communion because of their intentional separation by omitting themselves from Lambeth Oversight?
It is time to tell the Anglican “Communion” goodbye. This really is the last straw.
On the other hand, what does not being represented on these committees and commissions *do* to the Episcopal Church? How does this actually affect us?
At any family table there are basic behaviors that are expected in order to dine together. After the umpteenth time of being told not to put spit out food back on the family dish, the Communion is finally taking the serving spoon out of the bratty little youngster’s hand. And so what if it is his trust fund that pays for the meat? Apparently there are limits to acceptable behavior after all. Thank God — even if the dinner party for this decade has been ruined for everyone. Cat-like reflexes? What rock have you been living under?
On these issues, those who are on Facebook may wish to participate in the information-sharing and discussion at the page named “The Archbishop of Canterbury hath no jurisdiction in this Realm . . .”
See http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/The-Archbishop-of-Canterbury-hath-no-jurisdiction-in-this-Realm-/122318231136761
Just as I have discontinued my financial support for national Democratic fund-raising because of disgusting “blue dogs”, TEC needs to cut off ++Rowan and his henchmen. I choose individual progressive candidates, and TEC invests in the relationships many dioceses have with true “communion partners” in Haiti, Africa, and the Americas. Progress, and Lambeth Palace be damned.Hope you love visiting Papa Benny.
Well the publickly messy-smelly stuff is now started, thanks to Rowan Williams, with Kenneth K getting points for a goal assist? This is especially rich – American vernacular for deep irony – insofar as it comes from the high-minded head of CoE which permits the very things it will now seek to police/punish in Canada and TEC – so long as they are done sufficiently below the church life radar, wrapped in the much greater leeway of civil-legal equalities per going UK law, policy, practices. Very Alice Through The Looking Glass. PS, Rowan Williams is now owned lock stock and… Read more »
What a load of bluster and fuss on this thread! It reminds me of some other blogs ….. same words different perspective. Columba suspects correctly and Bill Dillworth asks the all important question. I do not think anyone can be at all surprised at these developments, they have been telegraphed and painted on the wall of Lambeth Palace for the past few years. The TEC Communion Partners had all but begged Rowan to carry out the threats – the ACNA will be delighted …. there are a number of TEC folk and ex-TEC folk who have been moving heaven and… Read more »
Kearon refers to the Windsor Continuation Group Report of Dec 2008. What do you make of it? http://www.aco.org/commission/windsor_continuation/WCG_Report.cfm “33. It is in respect to the third moratorium (on interventions) that there has been the least discernable response. As noted in the JSC Report of October 2007, there has apparently been an increase in interventions since the adoption of the Windsor/Dromantine recommendations by the unanimous voice of the primates. The adoption of dioceses into the Province of the Southern Cone, inconsistent with the Constitutions both of TEC and the Southern Cone; the consecration of bishops for ministry in various forms by… Read more »
I am stunned by the one-sided nature of this.
Kurt Hill wrote: “I think that TEC should send reply letters to Williams et al saying: “If we are not to be full participants on these committees, we will cease immediately all funding of AC projects related to them.” It would be much better, in my judgment, to make no statement whatsoever, but to instead cease writing any checks for funding Anglican Communion expenses. If Lambeth were to ask (doubtful), the response should be that we have decided to devote more funding to Christian charity purposes, including relief in Haiti, as well as the Gulf Coast region, and for protection… Read more »
“On the other hand, what does not being represented on these committees and commissions *do* to the Episcopal Church? How does this actually affect us?”
At one level, it may have little effect. The Episcopal Church has been having ecumenical discussions on its own, separate from the Anglican Communion, for decades, including conversations with the Roman Catholic Church. There’s a summary at The Episcopal Church website here – http://www.episcopalchurch.org/110055_42093_ENG_HTM.htm
As a Vatican II Catholic I felt a certain uneasiness in that I perceived a decidedly subservient posture of Rowan Williams to Joe (Benedict) Ratzinger in a video clip that was issued after his last “visit” to see the Roman Pontiff. I didn’t like what I saw. I perceived it as Rowan sort of “kissing up” to Ratzinger and that jared my understanding that here to fore these primates were supposed to be on equal footing. You see, I am like millions of Roman Catholics who do not regard the Bishop of Rome as some monarch with infallible judgement. That… Read more »
So, the other shoe drops. TEC will now enter a period of discernment as to how to respond to these actions of the ABC and his evident underlings in the various “Instruments of Communion”. We should make no mistake about the seriousness of this matter. TEC is already being consigned to an observer status in the Anglican Communion for following our own Constitution and Canons and for rebuffing the efforts of the ABC and foreign prelates to impose their views against our polity and canons. TEC will simply not accept a magisterium (“the mind of the Communion”), a Holy Office… Read more »
The exclusion of Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya etc. from the list is all the proof one needs that the Anglican Communion Office, Canon Kearon and Archbishop Williams do not have, collectively, the integrity of a ferret.
To add insult to injury, I am told that Canon Kearon’s letter was issued while he was actually speaking to the Canadian General Synod – where, of course, he did not mention any of this.
So, the complete lack of integrity is matched up with the table manners of a mule.
No. TEC stands alone. No one will have the courage to stand with them, rather demanding aid and crying to be saved from Canterbury, with no actual effort on their own. In the end, TEC will have to become an island, as all prophetic figures do – deserted even by closest friends.
I take it back – I can think of one who would stand with TEC, perhaps; South Africa, and, surrounded by the most violent hatred, they would do so at the greatest risk.
“So, we in TEC find ourselves in the place that we are called to be. Of course, these moves will only serve to increase the separation of TEC from the AC and, for us, there is obviously no further point in discussing the so-called Covenant.” – Karen Macqueen – ‘God moves in a mysterious way God’s wonders to perform’. One is mindful of this reality, when one encounters this sort of situation. If TEC and the A.C.of C. really believe they are doing the right thing at this point in the history of the Anglican Communion, then there is no… Read more »
Malcolm+
To be fair to Canon Kearon, he did refer to this when he spoke to the Canadian General Synod. There is a report of what he said at the Anglican Journal.
http://www.anglicanjournal.com/nc/news-items/article/facing-the-consequences-9199.html
Rob:
The comparison to a bratty child reveals much of how you regard TEC’s place in the Communion. It is not the “child” of the Church of England, no matter how much others may regard it as such. It is an autonomous, autocephalous church, equal in standing with all others.
Oh—and it is, indeed, very bad manners to criticize the actions of the person who is picking up the tab.
I miss the Hymnal 1940.
“Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide
In the strife of truth with falsehood
For the good or evil side…
New occasions teach new duties,
Time makes ancient good uncouth.
They must upward still and onward
Who would keep abreast of truth.”
Not written in inclusive language, but still powerful.
“I have written to the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to ask whether its General Synod or House of Bishops has formally adopted policies that breach the second moratorium in the Windsor Report, authorising public rites of same-sex blessing.”
Canon Kearon ought to be informed that the Canadian House of Bishops does not “formally adopt policies.” It has no constitutional authority to do so.
Bill:
While “man” didn’t help, I remember reading somewhere that the other problem was with “Once”.
Paul: I’ve heard that, too, but it seems to me that it wasn’t beyond fixing. Goodness knows The Hymnal 1980 altered plenty of old hymns to make them more whatever.
Personally, I’ve always suspected that it was “By the light of burning martyrs / Jesus’ bleeding feet I track” that did the hymn in – too graphic for sensitive Episcopalians back in the 70’s. It didn’t stop a couple I know from having it sung at their wedding, though.
Pat, act like a child and get treated like a child. TEC is giving us all lessons — in how not to behave.
Rob+, what church did you say you were a priest in?
Rob+:
I’d think if anyone in this situation is acting like a child, it is the Archbishop and Canon Kearon. I don’t know if you’re American or Canadian or British, but here in the states, we often talk about the kid who says, “Well, if you won’t play by my rules, I’m taking my ball and going home.”
Seems to me that the ABC and Canon have just walked off with the ball.
There are no adults in following Christ. We are all equally children. No child has the right, responsibility, or authority to command the other children – they may have the might, and those children are called bullies and generally grow to be psychopaths.
Mark:
I thought briefly of using the bully comparison…but decided the petulant child was more apt.
I think you’re more apt in comparison, Pat.
This is like the bossy child, who, when balked of “obedience,” crosses his/her arms and makes a declaration of how things are going to be. Generally, it’s a subtler bullying, but more easily disappated by simply ignoring the delusion the bossy child declares.
There is quite a paradox here. The most fruitful ecumenical discussions the Anglican Communion has are with Old Catholics and Lutherans. And yet it is precisely these two denominations that are most likely to be in agreement with TEC on blessings of same-sex marriages or — witness the Church of Sweden — ordination of gays in committed relationships. One Episcopal priest in Europe has been taken off of a committee working with Old Catholics — what purpose could this possibly serve?