From the Independent today, Sarah Meyrick interviews John Sentamu
John Sentamu: Pilgrim’s progress
Judith Maltby writes in the Guardian’s Face to Faith column about Advent.
Also in the Guardian Martin Kettle reports on a New York City exhibition on Darwin’s life and work, America is caught in a conflict between science and God.
From the Telegraph The Chinese Marco Polo by Christopher Howse
The Times has material from two Orthodox bishops: Teaching the world to sing in perfect symphonia is a report of a visit to London by the Patriarch of Constantinople. And Bishop Basil of Sergievo writes the Credo column: Our tainted lives are a worthy gift to God, thanks to the Fiat of Mary.
2 CommentsToday’s Church Times has a detailed report by Pat Ashworth which reveals further information about the reactions of some supposed signatories, including lengthy comments from Drexel Gomez and Greg Venables, both of whom are unhappy about what happened.
‘Signatories’ of Akinola letter say they didn’t sign
The Church Times also has a related story by Bill Bowder concerning planning for the next Lambeth Conference, Dr Williams hopes for ‘Lambeth-lite’
And editorial comment at Invitations to Lambeth which includes this passage:
…There is, however, one thing that Dr Williams needs to do urgently. He must make it plain and public that all properly consecrated bishops will be invited to the next Lambeth Conference. The Akinola letter says: “We do not see why you cannot warn [the US and Canada] that they will not be invited to Lambeth 2008 unless they truly repent.” The reason (apart from the fact that these Churches largely pay for the conference) is that the usefulness of the conference would thus be fatally compromised. A blanket invitation issued at this stage — before the US General Convention muddies the waters further — would make it clear that the Lambeth Conference will stay true to its history, and be the debating chamber for the Communion. A blanket invitation might mean that Bishop Robinson is joined by Bishop Cavalcanti, and perhaps even Bishop Kunonga; but the gathering is large enough not to be unbalanced by a few such individuals…
CEN coverage of the GS letter on the web this week is rather brief.
26 CommentsThe 300 page report Women Bishops in the Church of England? spends far too long in skirting around peripheral issues, and in failing to address the central point.
If we start with scripture, it must be with Paul — ‘There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.’ The Church made excuses for not eradicating slavery for centuries, and has made similar excuses for not recognizing the equality of women with men. Certainly there is a complementarity, and the other scripture texts point to that. Men and women are very different. But, for the Church of God to be whole, just as in a human family, the roles of both mother and father need to be present. The Church has too long presented itself as a single parent family in which men ruled, and the women were grudgingly accepted as housekeepers.
It is very evident that clergy chapters throughout England, which were once boys’ clubs, have been enormously transformed by the presence of women as equal partners in ministry, and indeed, as leaders of the group in the role of rural dean. A great deal of the posturing about different styles of churchmanship has been tempered, and there has been a more gracious acceptance of those who are different, yet labouring in the same field.
Yet this has been achieved at a very high price in England; allowing a polarization about the ordination of women that has enabled those opposed to become caricatures of their churchmanship in the cosy clubs of traditional Catholics and Evangelicals. These boys’ clubs have become entrenched in their views, and have moved further out of touch with the mood of the nation as a whole. They define themselves by their opposition to women priests and bishops, and undermine their notable work in former times at home and abroad, working in slum parishes here, and ending slavery around the world.
The presence of large numbers of women in public life is slowly having a civilizing influence. Public policy and the conduct of parliament is being transformed. And in many parishes the presence of women priests has brought enormous change and new ways of working. The Church of England’s report needed to look carefully at the way in which the presence of women in public life has made a difference today. Ignoring this is a major omission, and a refusal to see the benefits of making the change. It looks as though the Church doesn’t even yet believe in women having the vote.
We know the arguments about the priest or bishop being an ikon of Christ. We need to see women in that role precisely because we need to show both men and women that the Church believes we are all one in Christ, and that it is humanity, not just men, who are made in the image of God.
24 CommentsA press release has been issued today about this. The full text of the release is below the fold.
Two letters accompany the release, and can also be downloaded:
appeal letter to the Archbishop dated 18 November
letter to Bishop of Southwark dated 3 November
(the latter also in Word format – the headers of which show who really wrote it)
The documents can also be found here.
74 CommentsUpdated Saturday
The Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has published its response to the Church of England’s report about women bishops.
The response can be found here as a Word file:
Women Bishops in the Church of England?
The Church of the Holy Apostles in Ft Worth has a copy of it as a web page.
The Daily Telegraph has a report by Jonathan Petre on this today:
Catholics warn C of E over women bishops
Church Times Glyn Paflin RCs and Free Churches criticise Rochester report
20 CommentsTwo documents have been published summarising what business occurred last week:
Day by day summary of November 2005 synod
Decisions made by the Synod at the Group of Sessions
The Times has an interview with John Sentamu today:
Ruth Gledhill
Multiculturalism has betrayed the English, Archbishop says
‘It is my job now to remind the English of what you taught me’
editorial
Outsider looking in
and Ruth has more on her weblog, Sentamu on multiculturalism
4 CommentsJohn Paterson who is Chair of the Anglican Consultative Council and Bishop of Auckland, and a former primate of New Zealand, has been visiting Canada and spoke to the Council of General Synod there.
Anglican Journal Churches unlikely to pass motion adding primates to ACC, says chair
and
ACC website Canadian church remains “important part of the Communion”
Changing Attitude has issued a press release announcing a forthcoming meeting in Abuja, Nigeria:
Changing Attitude Nigeria network General Meeting.
Meanwhile, This Day announced that Again, Akinola Decries Gay Marriage.
25 CommentsUpdated Tuesday
Several reports on ekklesia today:
First, another BBC radio report from Sunday that had material in it about this:
Pro-gay Anglicans say Nigerian Church ‘obsessed’ with gays
Second, two stories about the issue of Clive Handford’s signature:
Akinola denies rift over Primates’ letter to Williams followed later by:
Bishop’s name removed from disputed letter to Archbishop of Canterbury
Also, Fulcrum has published some comments about the Global South website in its forum and this was followed up on titusonenine
Updates
Ruth Gledhill had more comments on her blog at ‘Obsessed with sex?’
The press release issued by the Church of Nigeria about the Global South website had some flowery language, see Anglicans of the Global South publish interactive Website
0 CommentsThe cartoonist David Austin has died.
You can read a Guardian obit of him by Steve Bell.
But Andrew Brown has published a wonderful ecclesiastical cartoon by David Austin on his blog here.
This list of Delegates at the 3rd Encounter may be of interest to many readers.
Note that both the Anglican Communion Network (including two ECUSA diocesan bishops) and the Anglican Network in Canada had delegations. Also present were representatives from both New Zealand and Australia (Abp Peter Jensen in the latter case) and Chris Smith from Lambeth Palace (he is listed as a delegate although Rowan Williams does not appear on this list). Robinson Cavalcanti is listed as a delegate from the Southern Cone, and the Episcopal Church of Brazil was not represented at all.
13 CommentsBBC radio Sunday programme:
Gay clergy
The Archbishop of Canterbury is trying to prevent the Anglican Communion falling apart over the issue of homosexuality and the ordination of gay clergy.
This week a letter appeared on web sites, which was supposed to have been signed by fourteen Anglican Archbishops from the global south, and which attacked Rowan Williams personally. After stating that they appreciated Dr Williams’ acknowledgement that there was an overwhelming consensus in the church believing that same sex is unacceptable, the Archbishops write “We wonder, however, whether your personal dissent from this consensus prevents you from taking the necessary steps to confront those churches that have embraced teaching contrary to the overwhelming testimony of the Anglican communion”.
Rowan Williams has not publicly responded to the letter so far, although one or two of the alleged signatories to it say they did not sign and that the letter should not have been sent in the form it was.
Interview with Ruth Gledhill of The Times. Listen (5m 37s Real Audio)
Observer Joan Bakewell comment column Bishops in a muddle about marriage
And, an additional item from yesterday’s Guardian. Philip Pullman writes, in connection with proposed UK legislation to curb incitement to religious hatred, about Identity Crisis
3 CommentsFrom the Telegraph:
Simon Heffer comments on the visit of The Queen to the General Synod, More mediaevalism wouldn’t go amiss
Christopher Howse remembers Peter Anson, A failure, though sharply observant
From the Guardian:
Nicholas Buxton writes on secularism in Face to Faith
From The Times:
Roderick Strange Bleak November is the month to consider, and apportion, our talents
Ruth Gledhill interviewed Gene Robinson, ‘In the end, there is no one God does not love’
From the Church Times
Paul Vallely on Priest Idol, Give the priest a proper chance
Robin Gill The patient doesn’t always know best
Mark Vernon Partnerships could save marriage
1 CommentThe Times Ruth Gledhill Bishops want signatures taken off anti-gay letter
Guardian comment column Rebuff this mad, bad clique with a bullying version of the Gospel by Giles Fraser
Sydney Morning Herald Jensen urges Anglican communion to rethink gay clergy
Earlier reports at The Living Church:
Global South Primates’ Letter Draws Rebuke
Nigerian Primate Responds to Outcry
And a further report on Ekklesia Primates disown open letter to Archbishop of Canterbury
0 CommentsAn important news report from last week’s Church Times and only now available: Dr Butler blasts irregular ordinations by Pat Ashworth. This includes among other information the following about Anglican Mainstream spokespersons:
After the ordinations, the Co-Mission Initiative invited signatories to a statement of “full support” and “recognition of the validity” of the ordinations. An early signatory among the 177 names was Canon Chris Sugden, executive secretary of Anglican Mainstream and a newly elected member of the General Synod. He confirmed on Tuesday that he had attended the ordinations, and had signed the statement in full knowledge that the rite used had been unauthorised.
He said on Tuesday: “My presence there indicated our support for gospel ministry and the growth of the Church. While not approving of an irregular ordination, we were expressing our understanding of the pressures behind the decision which the people of Dundonald had made, to do something which they were well aware was irregular . . .”
Dr Philip Giddings, convener of Anglican Mainstream, was not a signatory. Asked on Tuesday whether he approved of the action, he said: “I don’t approve or disapprove. I understand the reasons that have produced this, just as I understand the frustration and irritation of neighbouring parishes and the diocese. . . As far as I’m concerned, it’s symptomatic of a breakdown in pastoral relations, and what should be addressed is not this particular symptom, but how reconciliation can be achieved.”
And on a lighter note, the Guardian today has an item of church news hidden in a Diary column by Stephen Moss.
The item reads as follows:
Almost impenetrable story from the Diary’s ecclesiastical department (actually there are two departments, hopelessly at loggerheads over the issue of how long eggs should be boiled). The Church of England’s most senior civil servant, William Fittall, may soon be out of communion with his own church. Fittall, secretary general of the C of E’s general synod, which has been meeting this week in London, is a lay reader with a church in Battersea whose vicar has fallen out with his bishop. The vicar in question, Paul Perkin, is a hard-line, evangelical, anti-gay supporter of a rebellious Wimbledon cleric who has had his licence removed by Tom Butler, the Bishop of Southwark, for calling in a non-Anglican South African bishop to ordain three lay members of his flock without Butler’s permission. Are you following this? Mr Perkin is a pillar of Reform, the conservative evangelical pressure group, which has come out against all the bishops of the C of E who, like Butler, have signed up to allowing clergy to register under the new civil-partnerships legislation. That means he’s in rebellion against his own bishop. Which way will Fittall jump?
Sorry, that was hopelessly long-winded and complicated. Professor John Sutherland has kindly done a simplified text message version for us. Godsez man+wmn=gd rckn sum clrx. Ovr bshps w brds dont. bit o prob 4 burcr@ sposed 2 kp anglican shw on road. who rlly gvs toss?
Sutherland has I think got it right.
1 CommentThis can be read in the original here. What it says is this:
Press Release
Friday, 18 November 2005
Our attention has been drawn to some media reports of one or two primates alleging wrongful inclusion of their names in a document they were privy to its formation.
While every person is entitled to a change of opinion, the incontrovertible and indisputable fact remain that at our meeting in El Sukhna, the first draft of the response was circulated to all present to peruse, and give us any additional input or objection. It is pertinent to say NO ONE objected. All those that responded will see that the final draft reflected their inputs.
The presentation of the Archbishop of Canterbury to us was made public and has been widely discussed by many who were not present at our Encounter. It is only fair that our collective response to that publication should also be publicly available. Our response was released when it was fully ready and timing was not deliberately planned as being suggested.
We find it pitiable that the media spin is drawing attention away from the deep Biblical discussions contained in our response.
This controversy has been brought upon us, by those that would undermine all that we stand for in preserving the sanctity of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic faith. They are the ones who are dividing the Church. Of course, anyone who wishes to have their name removed from this letter is free to do so. All formal requests to dissociate will be immediately effected.
This information has earlier been communicated to all concerned.
Signed
Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola DD, CON
Chair,
South –South Encounter
Ruth Gledhill has some comments about all this in Comment on Global South letter
22 CommentsThe Times Ruth Gledhill Bishops want signatures taken off anti-gay letter
Telegraph Jonathan Petre Attack on archbishop rebounds on rebels
Guardian Stephen Bates Archbishop disowns attack on Williams
and a leader column, Sex and schism
Church Times Letter from the Global South
The site that originally published the letter has added this note:
(GSA Admin note:
This letter is posted here for the benefit of those who attended the Encounter and the people they represent. Archbishop Rowan William’s talk and sharing was appreciated and well received with deep gratitude, though as expected, it will raise some questions as well, some which were conveyed by the delegates to the Primates. This letter is a part of the on-going process of dialogue between Global South and the Archbishop of Canterbury and should not be interpreted in other unhelpful ways.)
And Ekklesia has Anglican Primates deny attack on Archbishop of Canterbury and also Global leaders query Church of England state link
8 CommentsThe Diocese of Southwark website now has:
original press release
full text of Bp Tom’s letter to clergy
full text of Bp Tom’s presidential address to diocesan synod
Christ Church Sanderstead has
letter of support to Bp Tom from Evangelical clergy in Southwark
Fulcrum has a background note about CESA by Colin Craston
And also, an article by Stephen Kuhrt about Why I as an Evangelical Anglican in the Diocese of Southwark support Bishop Tom Butler
Anglican Mainstream has
Irregular Ordinations at Southwark A Comment by Anglican Mainstream UK
The statement of support for the ordinations has (at the time of this posting) 290 names.
32 CommentsFirst, the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) announced a covenant with two North American church bodies:
press release
text of covenant
TLC Nigerian Ecumenical Agreement Snubs ECUSA
Also Nigeria issued this press release:
The miracle of CANA continues!
Second, some follow-up to events in Pittsburgh last week:
TLC Maryland Won’t Recognize Ordination
and Network Strengthens Resolve at Pittsburgh Conference
Maryland – Ihloff letter to the clergy
letter from the Bishop of Washington
Christian Challenge NETWORK BISHOPS TO DISCUSS NIGERIAN ARCHBISHOP’S CALL
15 Comments