The website of the diocese of Pittsburgh in the USA, whose Bishop, Robert Duncan, is a leader of the American Anglican Council, has published this extraordinary account of a meeting of members of the AAC with the Archbishop of Canterbury, following the meeting of the Primates last week. (The document is published as pdf file; we have made an html copy here.)
These skeletal notes, presumably by Bishop Duncan, include the suggestion of the breakup of the American Church, and the formation of a ‘Network of Confessing Dioceses and Parishes’ — and that this proposal ‘has Archbishop Rowan?s encouragement’.
I’m astonished – and worried. Should I be?
Re: Primates Meeting “5.The Primates Meeting replaced the Anglican Consultative Council as the Communion’s key decision-making body (between Lambeth Conferences).” By what authority? I would think the ACC and the next Lambeth might have something to say on these matters?! “7.The “limits of Anglican diversity” were clearly delineated: a.Scripture and Lambeth Conference teaching are determinative” Well, “Scripture” is a canard, as no one disputes this—only what Scripture *actually* says through any particular interpretive lens. As far as Lambeth being determinative: it is against all models of legislative practice that Lambeth can be declared *retroactively* determinative! “7.c.Ecumenical and Inter-Faith considerations matter… Read more »
“Or would the Global South prefer to surrender our Anglican autonomy to Mecca?”
Hardly. Whilst being open to dialogue amongst the faiths, many Anglican leaders in Muslim countries have worked hard to resist the Islamization in their societies.
It seems to me that the Global South Conservatives have far more in common with the religious right in America, Australia and England than with anyone else. Their communion with other Evangelicals regardless of denomination seems to be more far important than the Anglican Communion.
I think ++Rowan was somewhat vague, and +Duncan was putting the best(to him) spin on the ABC’s statements that he could. I think that the Archbishop sees the “Network of Confessing Dioceses and Parishes” as something like the “Flying Bishops” developed in the UK after the CoE decided to ordain women, where conservative bishops would be allowed to oversee parishes in liberal dioceses, at least in the matter of ordination, and liberal parishes in conservative dioceses could get the same sort of alternative oversight. Rowan Williams probably sees this as a way to get the AMIA and other smaller continuing… Read more »
According to Bishop Duncan at his briefing to the Diocese this last Sunday, the words in an early draft of the Primates’ statement called for “appropriate Episcopal care” for the dissenting minorites. This was changed to refer to “adequate Episcopal oversight”, to indicate that what is called for by the Primates is alternative Episcopal jurisdiction.
ECUSA breakup ‘encouraged by Rowan’ ?? Hardly. If a leader sees an event about to happen, which she does not welcome, but over which she has little or no control, and she thinks and discusses with other leaders as to how to repond to that event, that does not equate to her encouraging the event to happen. This is the position Rowan Williams is in. He clearly does not wish to see the breakup of the Anglican Communion (evidence: his unexpected success at keeping the Primates together for the moment at their recent meeting); he has no control over the… Read more »