Primates' Meeting — communique
on Thursday, 24 February 2005 at 10.42 pm by Simon Kershaw
categorised as Anglican Communion
The Primates, meeting in Northern Ireland, have issued this communiqué
The main points seem to be:
- the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada are invited to ‘voluntarily withdraw their members from the Anglican Consultative Council for the period leading up to the next Lambeth Conference.’
- that the Archbishop of Canterbury ensure that adequate pastoral provision be made for those in the USA or Canada in ‘serious theological dispute’ with their bishop, or province; meanwhile the primates will not initiate or encourage extra-provincial arrangements
- that the Americans and Canadians attend a ‘hearing’ in Nottingham in June 2005 to explain their actions
- that there should be a process of dialogue, and all are invited to take part in that dialogue (implying that there has not been a dialogue so far)
- that there be a moratorium on same-sex blessings and bishops ‘living in a sexual relationship outside Christian marriage’
So appropriate that this is happening during Lent/Passiontide. As my Episcopal Church is sentenced to carry the cross of the AC’s prejudice (abuse of power, and perversion of Scripture), I take great comfort in knowing that Our Lord has led the way . . . and, at The End, is Resurrection! (So even *now*, we can say ALLELUIA!)