The Church of England Newspaper reports, in an article Primates in no mood for US compromise that ‘about half of the Anglican primates are prepared to reject compromise solutions’ at the meeting of the primates at Lambeth in October. The primates, it is reported, will call for the Episcopal Church to overturn the election of Gene Robinson, and if it does not do so, to suspend its membership of the Communion, reduce it to observer status, and finally ‘expel’ it, setting up a new Anglican jurisdiction in its place.
It seems hard to determine who precisely can rule which Church is in communion with the See of Canterbury — but I imagine that in England it might require the agreement of the General Synod, whose agreement is certainly needed to bring a Church into communion with the See.
It seems that the running is still being made by the ultra-conservatives. Those desiring a more open, informed discussion — and an open, informed Church — need to ensure that this Gadarene rush is slowed.
I doubt very much that the Primates have authority to ‘expel’ the Episcopal Church of the US from anything. The Anglican Communion id a loose fellowship of autonomous fellowships in communuion with the See of Canterbury. Perhaps the Archbishop of Canterbury could annul that connection. Some of the Primates may decline to meet with some Americans in an official capacity – but they cannot bind all the other primates. But the gathering of primates cannot remove our fellowship with out sisters and brothers in the United States, be it in law or in spirit.