Traditional religious values are emphasized in this week’s contributions.
In The Times Geoffrey Rowell writes Lent is a good time to celebrate the old-fashioned virtue of courtesy.
Alison Leonard writes for Face to Faith in the Guardian that the Quaker approach of open dialogue could help to improve the relationship between faiths.
And the Telegraph’s Christopher Howse writes about The view from Wittenham Clumps.
The Times also carries an extract from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book 2006: Forgiveness in a culture stripped of grace by Miroslav Volf director of the Yale Centre for Faith and Culture.
3 CommentsUpdated Saturday morning
Since my previous report, dated 13 February, these further reports have been posted:
10 February The Nation Editorial Opinion It’s Intolerance
24 February The Nation Anglicans hold archbishop under hostage
24 February Daily Times Cracks in Anglican Church over bishop-elect worsen
Update Saturday morning
The Guardian has African rebels hail English vicar by Rory Carroll
Updated Saturday morning
The latest reports of religious strife in Nigeria are very disturbing:
New York Times Lydia Polgreen Nigeria Counts 100 Deaths Over Danish Caricatures
BBC Bodies pile up after Nigeria riot
Guardian Revenge attacks kill 20 Nigerian Muslims
Independent Five days of violence by Nigerian Christians and Muslims kill 150
IRIN via Reuters At least 123 killed as anger over cartoons fuels existing tensions
Update here is a link to the latest reports from this source.
Telegraph Sectarian killings strain the fragile unity of Nigeria
Ecumenical News International Anglican leader warns of reprisals over torching of Nigeria churches
Church Times Rachel Harden Muslim mobs murder African Christians
NB scroll down for Bishop’s wife in hospital after attack which is about the wife of the Bishop of Jos. See also CEN Mob attacks Bishops family. And also, see this letter from the bishop.
The statement made by Archbishop Akinola, in his role as President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, can be found in full on the Church of Nigeria website. That statement was criticised yesterday on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
Nigeria is suffering inter-faith violence as a result of the row over the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. Nearly a hundred people have been killed in the last few days. Bishop Cyril Okorocha of the Owerri Diocese in south-east Nigeria, joins the programme.
Listen with Real Audio (4 minutes).
21 CommentsThe Church Times has a leader this week about the synod vote: Caterpillar vote leaves its tracks.
In the same issue, Rachel Harden reports on the Paul Oestreicher article: Canon attacks Zionist moral blackmail’ and Giles Fraser explains that I’m not anti-Semitic, and neither is the Synod.
In last week’s issue there were several letters to the editor.
Two weeks ago, on 10 February, the debate was reported as Synod rounds on Caterpillar Inc and Bulldozer motion ‘based on ignorance’.
Back on 23 September 2005, the following report was made: Caterpillar holdings kept for time being.
0 CommentsUpdated Friday evening
The Living Church carries a report from the WCC Assembly in Brazil in which Rowan Williams is quoted as saying, in response to a question about the moratorium on consecrating non-celibate homosexual bishops:
“I believe if there is ever to be a change in the discipline and teaching of the Anglican Communion on this matter it should not be the decision of one Church alone,”
Read the full story with further quotes: Archbishop Williams: Episcopal Church Should Maintain Consecration Moratorium .
He made this statement on Friday, 17 February.
On Monday, 20 February, the Diocese of California announced the names of five candidates for its election of a diocesan (scheduled for May). The Church of England Newspaper reports on this matter under the headline New row brewing as USA considers another gay bishop. The final paragraph reads (emphasis added):
Dr Williams stressed his opposition to the move. “If there is ever to be a change on the discipline and teaching of the Anglican Communion [on homosexuality] it should not be the decision of one Church alone. “The Church must have the highest degree of consensus for such a radical change,” he argued, adding he was very uneasy about the way in which change has gone forward in the American Church over this issue.
That first sentence is misleading insofar as the California announcement had not yet been made.
Update A further report on Rowan Williams’ WCC attendance has been published by ACNS: Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams addresses WCC General Assembly. Part of this report:
18 CommentsArchbishop Williams began the day with an open discussion for Anglicans attending the Assembly, where he talked about the life of the Anglican Communion generally, and laid out his vision for the way that we can move forward together as a world-wide group of Christians. He described how, in his view, neither of the two polarised positions taken by some in the Communion represent a good way forward, and described this by saying: ‘I would be very sad to see Anglicanism becoming either the Church of a western liberal elite or the Church of anti-intellectual post-missionary society. I am putting it very bluntly here, and I think the dangers that we face in the Communion very serious.’
He concluded by saying: ‘who knows what God has in store for the Anglican Communion? When I try to look into the future of the Anglican Communion eighteen months forward, I have no idea what might happen. But if God has a purpose for us in the Communion, then we can relax. I do not mean to say we can stop, and do nothing. I mean we can stop at least being so desperately and bitterly anxious. So often our Anglican world gives off in the media a sense of bitterness and anxiety. Well that is the last thing we want to share with the world. We need to be honest. We need to work. We need to recognise there are no short answers. We need to do all that because we believe God has something to say to us, and with us, in the context of the World Church, which is why we are here in this Assembly. That is, because we believe God is faithful to his calling and his promise.’
Recently, the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu was reported in the Independent as saying:
The Americans are breaking international law it is a society heading towards Animal Farm.
There is a report on this also in the CEN Archbishop attacks Guantanamo camp.
There is also a report in the Church Times Guantanamo is Animal Farm, Sentamu says.
On Thursday, he issued a further press statement, which is reproduced below the fold.
Update Friday’s Times newspaper carries this:
Blair condones Amin-style tactics against terrorism, says Archbishop
Yesterday the Guardian carried a major comment article by Paul Oestreicher entitled Israel’s policies are feeding the cancer of anti-semitism.
There was an accompanying news story by Stephen Bates Leading Anglican hits back in ‘anti-Israel’ row. Today there are lots of letters to the editor.
Elsewhere the Jerusalem Post carried a comment article entitled Remembering William Temple and from Porto Alegre came this Associated Press report from the WCC Assembly Campaign for pro-Palestinian divestment seeks momentum at world church gathering.
1 CommentFirst, what is a possible timetable for the process?
The General Synod papers included a note which was an Annex to GS 1605A. The text of this is given below the fold.
Second, what are the views on TEA of those entirely opposed to women bishops?
FiF reacts to General Synod debate on Guildford Report
Andrew Burnham Bishop of Ebbsfleet wrote a pastoral letter about it in January, and has since prepared a leaflet: Explaining T.E.A. in Parishes.
The February issue of New Directions has several articles on TEA from opponents, including Paul Benfield, Bishop Lindsay Urwin, and John Hunwicke, who apparently objects to being in communion with any [male] bishop who has one or more women priests in his diocese.
The conservative evangelical view is put forward by Bishop Wallace Benn and others in A Way Forward.
7 CommentsJerusalem Post UK top rabbi takes on Anglican Church by George Conger
BBC Bishop defends Church Israel move and listen (Real Audio – 5 mins) to Bishop of Hulme and Chief Rabbi from the Sunday radio programme (programme features The Right Reverend Stephen Lowe and Rabbi Alan Plancey, who covers Jewish-Christian Relations for the Chief Rabbi’s Cabinet)
New York Times Alan Cowell Divestiture Dispute in Britain Raises Jewish-Christian Tensions
Associated Press Churches Debate Pro-Palestinian Divestment (from the WCC meeting in Brazil)
2 CommentsFirst of all, Rowan Williams gave an address yesterday to the World Council of Churches meeting, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The archbishop’s website has the full text.
For more background on this meeting, see the ACNS report, and also the WCC assembly website itself. Earlier Lambeth Palace press release here. Subsequent WCC press release here. And see also this. Update And this WCC press release.
Back in England, the newspapers offer:
Guardian David Monkton Methodist chaplain to Nottingham police, writes about his work in Face to Faith.
The Times Tony Bayfield thinks that Believers are at home in a secular society and Lavinia Byrne says The internet is new ground for the Gospels — some stony, some good.
In the Tablet Robert Mickens has an interesting piece on Indulgences, He who holds the keys to the kingdom.
6 CommentsStatement by the Church of England’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group
issued 8 February 2006
We welcome the General Synod’s debate on the work of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group (EIAG). The EIAG will of course reflect on the message Synod has sent, as we continue an active process of engagement and monitoring. The resolution passed by Synod on Monday is, however, an advisory one only; a resolution cannot take away from each investment body of the Church its own legal responsibility to take decisions on these matters (see http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr6605.html).
Reports that ‘the Church of England has decided to disinvest from Caterpillar’ – let alone to boycott Israel, as some e-mails from the USA allege – are wholly untrue.
John Reynolds
Chairman, EIAG
Notes: continued below the fold.
4 CommentsChief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks has written an article criticising the action of the General Synod to review its investments in firms whose products are used by Israel in the occupied territories. Some news reports on this:
BBC Church’s Israel policy criticised and listen to this Radio 4 Today discussion (Real Audio – 5 minutes) Jeff Barak of the Jewish Chronicle and Keith Malcouronne, a General Synod member.
Telegraph Jonathan Petre Synod has damaged relations with Jews, says Chief Rabbi
Guardian Stephen Bates Sacks accuses synod of bulldozer ill-judgment
The Times Helen Nugent Chief Rabbi flays Church over vote on Israel assets
Independent Ian Herbert Chief Rabbi attacks Church of England for its Israel protest
The full text of the article, which appears in the Jewish Chronicle today, was issued to the press beforehand. It can be found below the fold.
13 CommentsUpdate Saturday
‘The Americans are breaking international law… it is a society heading towards Animal Farm’ – Archbishop Sentamu on Guantanamo
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has joined in the growing chorus of condemnation of America’s Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
Read the BBC News report Tutu calls for Guantanamo closure and listen (Real Audio – 8+ minutes) to the Radio 4 Today interview:
6 CommentsArchbishop Desmond Tutu has been very critical of Britain’s way of dealing with the threat from terrorism and he too, along with Kofi Annan and many others, supports the mounting pressure to close Guantanamo Bay.
Changing Attitude has published a press release, concerning an Open Letter to the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, the Anglican Communion Office and the Anglican Consultative Council.
You can read the full text of the Open Letter here. It summarises the history of events relating to Changing Attitude (Nigeria) and the press releases from The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and then concludes:
2 CommentsOn Wednesday 18 January 2006 the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria approved a bill for an Act prohibiting marriages between people of the same sex. The Bill also prohibits the public show of same sex amorous relationships. Any person involved in the registration of gay clubs, societies and organizations in private is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 5 years imprisonment. The bill received the support of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
We understand that the Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council is meeting in London in March 2006. We ask that you bring this matter to the attention of the Standing Committee and the Councils of the Anglican Communion. In particular:
We ask that attention be paid to those members of the Councils who are failing to honour the documents and statements agreed by those Councils to listen to the experience of lesbian and gay people.
We ask that the Primates of the Anglican Communion respect the dignity and integrity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Anglicans and oppose legislation designed to curtail our essential right to protection and freedom of association.
We are committed to the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are committed to engage with the Church in dialogue in a spirit of mutual respect, honouring difference.
In the Guardian today, Stephen Bates writes that: Dean considers blessing gay couples in civil partnerships.
The letter to which he refers is reproduced below the fold.
49 CommentsChanging Attitude has issued this press release:
Changing Attitude Nigeria responds to Government proposals to outlaw same-sex marriage
A recent comment on the Nigerian government’s proposals can be found in Vanguard (Lagos) via allAfrica.com Holy Nigeria ! or a direct link here. Another comment column from the same source is Homosexuality And Its Enemies.
Mark Harris writing on his blog The Silence Continues includes a portion of the wording of the proposed legislation. The full text can be downloaded in PDF format here from okrasoup.
Andrew Carey writing in the Church of England Newspaper recently said:
38 CommentsThe fact of the matter is that evangelical Anglicans elsewhere in the Communion are badly compromised by the Nigerian Church’s attitude to the human rights of homosexuals….
Evangelicals in the west who claim to ‘love the sinner’ while ‘hating the sin’, must work to persuade Anglican leaders elsewhere that a truly pastoral approach to homosexual people must be as concerned about their human rights as it is about their all-too-human wrongs.
I have no idea who is responsible for this blog, but it seems to contain useful information:
49 CommentsLists parishes that have left the Episcopal Church USA. When a group of parishioners has left, and the parish itself remains in the ECUSA, it is not listed here.
NIcholas Henderson, whose election as bishop of the diocese of Lake Malawi was not confirmed, is visiting Malawi.
There have been four reports recently, whose tenor suggests that considerable disquiet remains about earlier events there.
The Nation Malawi Pro-gay bishop to visit Malawi 3 Feb
The Chronicle Newspaper (Lilongwe) via allAfrica.com Anglican Christians for Bishop’s Impeachment 7 Feb
The Nation Malango okays pro-gay bishop visit 10 Feb
The Nation I’m not gay — rejected bishop 13 Feb
13 CommentsThree Anglican items from the BBC Sunday programme:
Disinvestment
“I am ashamed to be an Anglican”, said the former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, this week. “More sanctimonious claptrap from the C of E.” said Canon Andrew White in Iraq. He said he despaired of his church. They were both talking about a resolution passed at this week’s General Synod supporting disinvestment in the company Caterpillar because of the use of their products by Israel in the West bank and Gaza against Palestinians.
This row is of course hugely embarrassing for the C of E and is made even more so by the fact that George Carey’s successor Rowan Williams, supported the motion. But the present Archbishop was clearly worried by the adverse reaction that resulted and wrote to the Chief Rabbi, Dr Jonathan Sachs, expressing his deep regret at the effect on Jewish friends and neighbours of how the Synod’s decision had been perceived.
Interviews with Simon McIlwaine, spokesperson for Anglicans for Israel and the Bishop of Chelmsford, John Gladwin.
More items below the fold.
0 CommentsTwo items from the CofE Council for Christian Unity:
Some comments on Ecumenical Responses to “Women Bishops in the Church of England?” by Martin Davie. This is a follow-up to GS Misc 807 which was considered by General Synod last Monday.
A Response from the Faith and Order Advisory Group to the decisions of the Swedish Church Assembly concerning homosexual partnerships
In January 2006 FOAG sent to the Church of Sweden a response to its new official policy on homosexual partnerships and the “Life Together” document underlying it. This response was made available to members of the General Synod and sent to all the Anglican and Lutheran Churches of the Porvoo Agreement.
The Church of Sweden press release relating to this is here.
24 Comments