The Church of England Newspaper has four articles this week relating to the major news stories of the Anglican Communion:
Mixed response to call for two-tier Communion by George Conger
Six dioceses appeal
Caution as US priest is made Nigerian bishop. This includes the following claim:
Four bishops affiliated with the Network voted for Bishop Schori with the express purpose of “bringing down the house of cards”. The four swung the close election to Bishop Schori, prompting a charge the three retired and one sitting diocesan bishops had behaved badly, and had acted with “unmitigated evil”.
Rival Lambeth warning by George Conger
There’s absolutely no chance of a process such as that suggested by Williams being complete within two years.
Conservatives casting votes for the new PB represents an “unmitigated evil”–Ouch!! I’m curious to know who the culprits are as well as who the “unmitigated evil” statement came from?
I have a long history of disagreeing with Abp. Jensen of Sydney, but he may be right when he claims in the Conger article that the Windsor vision of Anglicanism as an organic union tied by bounds of affection is a fantasy. The truth, he suggests, is that Anglicanism is a loose network of autonomous churches that have much in common, but also much that divides. We might be better off to admit (if not exactly embrace) that the Anglican Communion as much more than a voluntary fellowship is not a past, present, or likely future reality. If a church… Read more »
I’ve argued for a long time that we are neither a federation (which would require some sort of written Articles) nor a world-church (which would require a single hierarchy) but much more in the tradition of the Eastern churches: a communion. (J Robt Wright’s essay in the pre-GC Anglican Theological Review reflected this observation as well.) As I see it, the pressure now is between those who say the want a Communion but are really pushing for either a Federation or a World-Church. The idea of a fellowship of “national” churches bound by a common tradition and mutual respect and… Read more »
Dale ; I think that makes sense – whatever view we think is right, I don’t think its realistic to expect any group to abandon what they sincerely believe.
A simple solution to the issue of the Lambeth Conference potential schism. Don’t have the next Lambeth Conference.
We all know it is very expensive, it will be controversial and achieve very little. So why not give it a rest this time, and donate the money saved to a worthy cause.
Tobias-
Does the Lutheran World Federation (which self-describes as a communion) fit the model of a loose network united in mission?
Remember the bumper sticker that read “The Religious Right is Neither”? Well, hasn’t it become abundantly clear that “The Anglican Communion is Neither”?… at least not Anglican in the sense of broad, roomy, tolerant, generous, etc. we’ve always understood it to be. We are a communion only in that we do not come at each other with guns and knives. I really think its time to call it a day. The solution to all this is that there ain’t a solution to all this. The ABC is no more going to appease Adolph Akinola than Nevill Chamberland. Even if I… Read more »
Well said, Brant. I and many others from the UK will certainly join you in doing so – leaving the conservatives and Williams the Spineless to get on with it.
Frankly, if the ‘church catholic’is the highest priority have the courage of your convictions and return to Rome.