Episcopal News Service has published Presiding Bishop reflects on Camp Allen, Kigali meetings. This includes the following passage:
… With regard to the gathering in Texas, advance and follow-up information about this meeting suggest an involvement by the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is important for you to know that the Texas meeting was in no way held at the Archbishop’s initiative nor was it planned in collaboration with him. The two bishops from the Church of England did not attend as delegates of the Archbishop, nor were they empowered to speak on his behalf except to give the message that “the bishops meeting are bishops of the Catholic Church in the Anglican Communion.” The Archbishop has always encouraged exchanges of views, as have I. Therefore, I appreciate the concern of those who attended the Texas meeting for the faithfulness of our church. At the same time, such encouragement does not necessarily imply affirmation of or agreement with points of view expressed in the course of such exchanges…
and also this passage:
The communiqué from Kigali recommends that there be a separate ecclesial body within our province. The suggestion of such a division raises profound questions about the nature of the church, its ordering and its oversight. I further believe such a division would open the way to multiple divisions across other provinces of the Communion, and any sense of a coherent mission would sink into chaos. Such a recommendation appears to be an effort to preempt the Windsor process and acting upon it would create a fact on the ground, making healing and reconciliation – the stated goal of the Windsor process – that much more difficult to achieve.
Having said that, I am well aware that some within our own Episcopal Church are working to achieve such an end. Efforts, some more overt than others, toward this end have been underway since before the 1998 Lambeth Conference. More recently, the Colorado-based organization called the Anglican Communion Institute has posted on its website a paper outlining a four-part strategy toward a new “Constituent body” in the United States, rather than the Episcopal Church, which would participate in the development of an Anglican Covenant. Though the Texas meeting included consultants who are part of the Anglican Communion Institute, I know this goal is not shared by all of the bishops who signed the letter from Texas.
The Kigali communiqué questions Bishop Jefferts Schori’s ability to represent all of our dioceses. The role of primates is to bear witness as fully as possible to the life and complexities of their own provinces. I have sought to bring to the primates’ meetings the wide range of opinions and the consequent tensions within our own church. I have every confidence that Katharine will do the same. Furthermore, the voices from dioceses that the Kigali communiqué fears will not be heard seem to be well represented among the primates themselves.
There is a reference in the article to an Anglican Communion Institute paper. I believe that the paper referenced is this one.
Simon,
Being a novice Episcopalian and anglican and only minimally proficient at reading between the lines of diplomatic doouble speak, what is ++Griswold actually saying?
Bravo on including the last paragraph Simon. Katharine will do her best to represent the complexities and perspectives of her charges that chose her. And the Bishop is correct is stating that the Kigali people should be able to represent the wishes of those they would support. Conversely, I am sure Schori would represent the wishes of souls like myself who are not represented by our “own” diocese. I was having morning tea with a friend yesterday and we joked that mediocre bullies fear competent souls. Are there some who are worried that they can not decisively win the debate… Read more »
Having read through Bishop Griswold’s fine letter, I am quite impressed. I have not always agreed with everything he has done or said, but this letter certainly seems quite fair, sane and balanced. I know a lot of people hate him and are going to do so no matter what he tries to do and that makes all of this so much more disturbing.
I know that in the last few days I have expressed my opinion that many voices of the Global South have already forsworn the Windsor Process and any meaningful possiblity of reconciliation. However, I have also said, and will reiterate here, that I believe the Episcopal Church should listen to everyone, and should be willing to converse with anyone interested in conversation. Thus, I appreciate the Bishop Griswold’s moderate tone and desire to see the Windsor Process through. Reconciliation is worth pursuing, even when it seems hopeless, until it is demonstrated to be actually hopeless. I fear that those committed… Read more »
Frank Griswold not only has the measure of them and their politicking –his analysis and stance is spot on. He has been a brick…
One’s Stance, of course is as important as one’s analysis.
The Kigali communiqué questions Bishop Jefferts Schori’s ability to represent all of our dioceses. The role of primates is to bear witness as fully as possible to the life and complexities of their own provinces. No she is rejected by the GS. They will not share in Holy Communion with her just as they refused to do with ++FTG at Dromatine. The broken communion of Dromatine would simply continue. +KJS has not a prayer of ever being able to represent the complexity ot TEC. She could never represent several of the dioceses nor even more of the congregations as she… Read more »
One of the problems the new PB will have to overcome is that she has rejected the Windsor Report in authorising liturgies for SSB’s in her diocese. While the General Convention has not moved on this question, her diocesan standing committee did.
Ian,
As problematic as it may seem, +KJS *does* represent the whole of TEC because they elected her.
By your standard, I guess I’m free to say George Bush isn’t my President, since I voted for the other guy…. maybe I’ll write a letter to Kofi Annan and request Alternative Presidential Oversight. In the meantime, everyone’s on notice that my apartment in New York is, from now on, part of France.
One of the problems the new PB will have to overcome is trying to quietly accept all the obvious, yet behind-the-scenes, disruptiveness, hatefulness and selfrighteous smearing/loathing directed at her by feardriven folks with straightfaces and crooked provincial pals.
Ian:
To take a different tack from Christopher, are you suggesting that Bishop Jefferts Schori can’t respect those with whom she disagrees and faithfully and accurately report their views? Certainly, she may herself share her opinions with a majority of Episcopalians; but I believe she should be able to acknowledge the minority views.
Spot on, Christopher Calderhead!
The ‘reasserters’ are geniuses the way they twist things in order to achieve their warped objectives–let’s get women out of public life, restore ‘patriarchy’ as divinely ordered by St. Paul (and the Koran, I might add), and have the gays return into the closet…
Now there is the PB-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori and a woman President of the House of Deputies of General Convention, Bonnie Anderson. No wonder there is outrage on the part of the usual suspects!
“In the meantime, everyone’s on notice that my apartment in New York is, from now on, part of France.” CCC
“Alons, enfants de la patrie; le jour de gloir est arrive!” (Pardon les errors de spelling. Peut etre “jour” est “feminine”, pas “masculine”!)
But seriously, folks, hurray for PB Frank and for Bonnie Anderson (see Episcopal News Service for Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies for TEC).Cogent, specific, comprehensive, right to the point statements. I’ve been waiting for them and I have not been let down. Thanks to them both.
Lois Keen
“+KJS has not a prayer of ever being able to represent the complexity ot TEC. She could never represent several of the dioceses nor even more of the congregations as she has by her statements distanced herself completely from Apostolic Christianity as found in the majority of the Anglican Communion…” One hears this sort of thing quite often lately. Personally, I don’t believe a word of it, for the very reasons given by Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies, in the following part of her recent statement, in which she is addressing the latest Global South ultimatum: “…In… Read more »
Marshall Your words of 26 Sept 8.05pm were beautiful because they offered hope and an open hand, even when it seems futile. One of the things that is striking me in the debate is the level of hatred against certain people. I came across this fantastic article today that religious fundamentalism spans the world. http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060927/OPINIONS/609270313/1006/OPINIONS What is a fundamentalist they ask? Their words “Their basic premise is that they are right and on God’s side and everyone else is wrong and on the side of “sin and evil.” Thus, everything becomes a struggle between the true believing people of God… Read more »
The Primate of our American Church is a woman; get used to it!
“No she is rejected by the GS. They will not share in Holy Communion with her just as they refused to do with ++FTG at Dromatine.” I confess, Ian, that I had difficulty in recognizing that your post WASN’T parody. Are you seriously suggesting that (alleged) GS rejection, trumps the democratic (and canonical) will of TEC’s General Convention? And are seriously *supporting* a horrifyingly heretical excommunication (past or present) of an Anglican bishop? [And wasn’t the ultimate insult of the “Dromantine Incident”, that it was the *ABC* who was excommunicated?] ***** obadiah, while this may be a picked nit, I… Read more »
Ian ; KJS clearly represents the overwhelming majority of TEC
How could one of your preferred conservatives represent those people?
As I understand it, the Nevada process as defined by the standing committe of the diocese (and I agree it is a process) provides for the Bishop to authorise the liturgy for each SSB. Thus if any SSBs have taken place in Nevada under the diocesan provision, the Bishop has authorised the liturgy. I do not know if any ceremonies have taken place.
I’m glad our Presiding Bishop made these comments and think the statements made from Kigali are beyond ridiculous.
Our Presiding Bishop-elect is probably more capable in that position than several of the current archbishops in the Anglican Communion.
“I do not know if any ceremonies have taken place.” Obadiahslope
Then wait until you have your facts straight before you start another cold-bloodless smudge campaign against her.
Fair point, Leonardo. But here’s the information you requested, gathered by PEP, posted by Father Jake. “Claim: That Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has defied the Windsor Report by making her diocese a center for blessings of same-sex unions. Fact: The Diocese of Nevada did approve a resolution at its December 2003 convention allowing blessings of same-sex unions, subject to approval of each case by the bishop. Bishop Jefferts Schori has required that parishes wishing to do such blessings have a fully developed policy on the matter. In two-and a-half years since the resolution was passed, there have been two such… Read more »
We have a piece of empirical dilemma here, since SSB’s only make any real positive sense to the different folks who have at least distanced themselves, if not stepped completely outside of, the legacy flat earth theory of sexual orientation variance and/or gender variance. Queer life simply does not exist, empirically, only or completely according to the received negative legacy flat earth theories of its repugnantly defined essential nature. Pointing vigorously to ancient near eastern or other maps which purport to show clearly, just where two men or two women fall right off the flat earth heterosexual sanctity map rather… Read more »
“believers who call themselves definitively biblical did not like underground sex”
presumably because the commuters kept jostling them as they got in and out of the carriages?
Continuing SMUDGE ALERT on Presiding Bishop elect Katharine Jefferts Schori by Obadiahslope: 1. “One of the problems the new PB will have to overcome is that she has REJECTED THE WINDSOR REPORT in authorising liturgies for SSB’s in her diocese. While the General Convention has not moved on this question, her diocesan standing committee did.” Obadiahslope 2. “Fair point, Leonardo. But here’s the information you requested… “Claim: That Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has DEFIED THE WINDSOR REPORT by making her diocese a center for blessings of same-sex unions. Fact: The Diocese of Nevada did approve a resolution at its DECEMBER… Read more »