Updated again Thursday 14 August evening to include new letter from Deborah Pitt
The original batch of material in The Times itself was linked here, together with the first reports in other newspapers.
The response of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the letter to The Times from 19 CofE bishops was linked here.
The Times also published on 8 August, Dr Williams ‘has made a split inevitable in the Anglican Church’ by Ruth Gledhill.
Today, The Times published another article, Bishops back Rowan Williams in gay sex row – even though some don’t agree with him.
Here’s how some others covered this story:
Religious Intelligence first had Gay relationships ‘comparable to marriage’, says Archbishop of Canterbury , followed by Letters put fresh pressure on Archbishop and then had Bishops decalre their support for ‘magnificent’ Williams.
George Pitcher at the Telegraph has written Rowan Williams and sex: a clarification.
TIME magazine had Anglican Church Gay Row Heats Up.
The BBC had Gay ties like marriage – Williams.
Sunday update
Austen Ivereigh, writing for the journal America has No longer the ‘Labor Party at prayer’ in which he reveals:
What the 19 bishops do not realise is that the letters arrived on the desks of the religious correspondents of The Times, the Telegraph and the Guardian two whole weeks ago. But because the reporters were at Canterbury following the conference, they did not see the brown envelopes until after they got back. Amazing but true: no-one opened their mail in their absence. Because journalists no longer receive scoops by post — fax and email are the usual channel these days — their staff do not bother to open their mail.
Update Thursday See this letter to The Times from Deborah Pitt herself, Why I leaked the Archbishop’s letters.
13 CommentsThe Archbishop of Canterbury has issued the following statement in response to the release of the Pitt letters.
Friday 08 August 2008
In response to the recent coverage of the correspondence dated back to 2000, The Archbishop Canterbury has made the following statement:
In the light of recent reports based on private correspondence from eight years ago, I wish to make it plain that, as I have consistently said, I accept Resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference as stating the position of the worldwide Anglican Communion on issues of sexual ethics and thus as providing the authoritative basis on which I as Archbishop speak on such questions.
That Resolution also recognises the need for continuing study and discussion on the matter. In the past, as a professional theologian, I have made some contributions to such study. But obviously, no individual’s speculations about this have any authority of themselves. Our Anglican Church has never exercised close control over what individual theologians may say. However, like any church, it has the right to declare what may be said in its name as official doctrine and to define the limits of legitimate practice. As Archbishop I understand my responsibility to be to the declared teaching of the church I serve, and thus to discourage any developments that might imply that the position and convictions of the worldwide Communion have changed.
The Bishop of Durham and 18 other bishops have written a letter to The Times which begins:
35 CommentsSir, As bishops in the Church of England, we wish to protest in the strongest possible terms at what we regard as a gross misrepresentation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Here are more Lambeth Conference news items from last week’s Church Times that were only available to subscribers until today.
Williams urges generous love
Lawyers see 1662 as still able to unite
Bishops tackle extremism and ‘daily business of dialogue’
Spouses aim to build good faith
Step up moral pressure over climate, Conference is told
Millennium Goals must be met, say Lambeth walkers
Ecumenical participants grapple
Murphy-O’Connor warns of ‘ecumenical shadow’
Jim Naughton wrote the Church Times press column last week. It is now available online at What I ‘learnt’ at Lambeth.
4 CommentsFOR AN American church flak like me, learning to work with the British news media has been similar to learning to drive on British roads. The enterprises are fundamentally similar, and yet one’s reflexes need reconditioning to avoid accidents.
As a former journalist, I was struck first by the difference in the ways that American and British journalists attribute (or don’t attribute) the information in their stories. The British press is freer in its use of anonymous sources than its American counterpart. One is constantly reading that a paper “has learnt” something. Well, how, exactly?
Perhaps this wink-and-nod approach makes a certain sense in the cosy world of the Anglican Communion, but it’s open to abuse. A friend of mine recently found her fondest hopes transformed into the hidden agenda of the Episcopal Church by a reporter who assumed that my friend had much more influence that she has…
The Economist has several articles about the Lambeth Conference:
The high price of togetherness
The bishops got on fine for a while—but was it only a holiday romance?
Anyone for Schadenfreude?
What Roman Catholics fear from an Anglican split.
Leader: United we fall
The writhings of worldwide Anglicanism are another reason to disestablish the Church of England.
Updated Thursday morning
The Times has released some correspondence between Rowan Williams ( who at the time was Archbishop of Wales) and Deborah Pitt.
Read all about it:
Ruth Gledhill Rowan Williams: gay relationships ‘comparable to marriage’ and
New light on Archbishop of Canterbury’s view on homosexuality
and on her blog, Archbishop Rowan: gay sex comparable to ‘marriage’
Mary Ann Sieghart Rowan Williams was selected as a liberal and now he should govern as one
Times Leader: Rowan Williams: pragmatism and belief
PDF of original letters here.
Update
The Telegraph has several reactions to this from conservatives (only) in Archbishop of Canterbury compares gay relationships to marriage. The Guardian and the Independent and the Mail also have reports.
The BBC Northern Ireland radio programme Sunday Sequence can be listened to via the BBC iPlayer. Last week’s programme hosted by William Crawley can be heard here, until next Sunday.
There is a segment on blogging at the conference, about 24 minutes in that lasts about 6 minutes. It includes contributions from Bishop David Chillingworth, and also from me.
Another article that I wrote on Saturday can be read at Wardman Wire titled Lambeth Conference – Touching Base: Guest Column by Simon Sarmiento.
2 CommentsFirst, Tony Sadler formerly the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments, writes to The Times Arch appointment.
Second, Priyamvada Gopal who teaches postcolonial studies at Cambridge University, writes for Comment is free about Orombi: a child of empire?
Third, Will Self, columnist at the Evening Standard, writes It’s your job to stand up to the bigots, Archbishop.
33 CommentsUpdated Tuesday evening
Robert Pigott of the BBC has published his final entry in Lambeth Diary. Read DARING THE EXTREMES TO LEAVE.
Anglican TV has Archbishop Orombi clarifies The Times letter.
The Living Church has What the Lambeth Conference Accomplished by Steve Waring.
Regarding the final press conference, there is now a transcript of it here (thank you Lichfield), and ENS has video recordings here (navigate by date to two segments dated 08/03/08).
ENS also has two further reports by Mary Frances Schjonberg:
Lengthy reflections document called ‘narrative’ of Lambeth experience and
Reactions to Lambeth Conference span the spectrum.
Tuesday evening additions
Yesterday’s Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 had a segment at 8.53, which includes both a report by Robert Pigott and an interview with Bishop Nick Baines.
And Premier Christian Radio has two segments: Lambeth Conference draws to a close and Anglican Church looks to the future. Those interviewed include Graham Kings and Rod Thomas.
58 CommentsThe Scotsman reported Gay bishop thanks Scottish Church for recognising ‘all God’s people’.
The Herald has Applause and tears as gay US bishop preaches in Glasgow.
And The Times has Gay clerics certain to win struggle, Right Rev Gene Robinson says.
The full recording of the sermon is available here.
18 CommentsThe Telegraph added another article, this one by George Pitcher and headlined Archbishop of Canterbury upbeat after Lambeth Conference.
The New York Times which sent a war correspondent rather than a religion correspondent to cover the conference has Anglicans to Seek Pact to Prevent a Schism by John F Burns.
Rachel Zoll of Associated Press filed this from New York: Anglican Leader Seeks Moratorium On Gay Bishops.
The Washington Post filed this from London: Gay Bishop Dispute Dominates Conference by Karla Adam who concludes with:
Diarmaid MacCulloch, a professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, said many of Williams’s efforts to “prevent some from grandstanding,” like meeting in small groups, were “sensible in trying to keep the temperature as low as possible.”
MacCulloch predicted that the controversy about homosexuality would “rumble on because it can’t be resolved with two great cultural gaps” but that in time, the factions might learn to live with their differences.
“Overall, the conference did less damage than it could have,” he said, “and that’s something to be thankful for.”
Comment is free has an article by Theo Hobson titled The death of liberal Anglicanism.
14 CommentsAnglican Journal Marites Sison Bishops end conference with ‘wide agreement’ on moratoria for same-sex blessings, cross-border interventions, and ordination of gay bishops, says Williams
ENS Archbishop of Canterbury seeks ‘covenantal commitment’
Also, Lambeth bishops attend closing Eucharist; Martyred Melanesian brothers honored in Canterbury Cathedral and Bishops say Lambeth has equipped them for leadership in mission
61 CommentsGuardian Riazat Butt
Lambeth conference: Archbishop blames liberals for church rift and
Healing the rift: how Williams kept his flock together
Guardian leader: Faith 1, Charity 0
The Times Ruth Gledhill
Dr Rowan Williams restores peace at the troubled Lambeth Conference and
Commentary: rebellion in the Church’s ranks
The Times leader last Saturday: Lambeth Conference: good news for Williams
Telegraph Martin Beckford
Lambeth Conference branded ‘exercise in futility’ and
Lambeth Conference Q&A: What has it achieved? and
Lambeth Conference by numbers
BBC Way ahead found in Church gay row
5 CommentsFrom ACNS comes Sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Concluding Eucharist of the Lambeth Conference.
14 CommentsAudio of the entire press conference is now available here.
13 CommentsThe full text of The Archbishop of Canterbury Concluding Presidential Address to the Lambeth Conference 2008 is now available online.
PDF copy also.
18 CommentsThe final version of the Reflections document is now available at Lambeth Indaba Reflections.
The Notes are separate as a PDF.
A PDF version of the main document is here.
4 CommentsGlobal South Anglican has published this Statement at the Lambeth Conference 2008.
The note at the bottom says:
A note from Archbishop John Chew: “Signatures are still being gathered at the point of posting and will be released as soon as we are able to. Bishops who were at the special meeting on the 22nd of July are welcome to add their names to the undersigned list. To indicate, please email us at admin@globalsouthanglican.org
When a list of names is posted, I will update here too.
Monday morning update
14 CommentsThe Most Revd Gerald James (Ian) Ernest (Indian Ocean)
The Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi (Burundi)
The Most Revd Dr. Dirokpa Balufuga Fidèle (Congo)
The Most Revd Archbishop John Chew (Southeast Asia)
The Most Revd Stephen Than Myint Oo (Myanmar)
The Most Revd Valentino Mokiwa (Tanzania)
The Most Revd Daniel Deng Bul Yak (Sudan)
The Most Revd Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis (Jerusalem & The Middle East)
The Most Revd Justice Ofei Akrofi (West Africa)
The Most Revd John Wilson Gladstone (South India)
The Rt Revd Donald Mtetemela (Tanzania)(Ed: This list is still being updated)
The Sunday Programme on BBC Radio 4 is devoted entirely to the conference. Listen to Jane Little here (URL lasts for only one week).
Robert Pigott of the BBC has another diary update here: read A TWO-TIER COMMUNION: 2 AUGUST.
Bishops blogging: Episcopal Café has a new roundup here.
Jonathan Wynne-Jones at the Sunday Telegraph has Bishops ask Archbishop of Canterbury for an ‘orderly separation’.
For a different viewpoint, read Rod Liddle in the Sunday Times at That’s the spirit, Bishop Bigot. Let’s hate everybody.
10 CommentsUpdated Saturday 11 pm
The fourth draft of the Reflections document is available in full as a PDF here.
The Church Times blog has a commentary on it by Bill Bowder at The Bishops’ reflections – comprehensive, but rather hurried.
The Episcopal Café has extracted the two controversial sections of the text and they can be read at Live: Semi-final draft of Lambeth Reflection paper with some commentary by Jim Naughton.
And earlier, Jim wrote Live: bits and pieces as time ebbs at Lambeth.
See also Live: feudal morality.
The BBC’s Robert Pigott has updated his Lambeth Diary again, see A TWO-TIER COMMUNION: 2 AUGUST.
Update
Marites Sison at Anglican Journal has No concrete action anticipated on sexuality before Lambeth concludes
And also, Bishops of South Asia urge ‘continuing listening and healing’.
Solange de Santis at Episcopal News Service has Lambeth bishops air differing views on covenant.
5 Comments