The Nation reports: Anglican Church to bishops: attend London conference at your own risk:
11 CommentsThe Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) yesterday threatened to impose “serious sanctions” on any Nigerian bishop who attends the forthcoming Lambeth Conference in London.
Registrar of the church, Mr. Abraham Yisa, issued the warning following reports that a Nigerian bishop had broken ranks and would attend the conference opening in London tomorrow.
Yisa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that “Lambeth is a once-a-decade meeting of all Anglican bishops. We have not confirmed whether any Nigerian bishop is attending the Lambeth or not; we are waiting till the conference opens.
“Should any Nigeria bishop be at the Lambeth, then we cannot rule out serious sanctions against him because it would be contrary to the position of the House of Bishops”.
A source said at least one bishop “is already in London for the conference”.
The source said the bishop, a former employee of Lambeth, might be the only Nigerian attending the conference.
The source added that the bishop was absent at the just-concluded Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem, Israel.
“The bishop had explained that he was absent from GAFCON because he submitted his travel documents late,” the source added.
Nigerian bishops led by the Primate, Archbishop Peter Akinola, said they were boycotting Lambeth because of the invitation of pro-homosexual bishops to the conference.
The bishops also decided to stay away from the conference because of the exclusion of Rev. Martyn Minns, an American, who was consecrated as a bishop by the Anglican Church of Nigeria.
Officials of the Lambeth Conference recently said 230 of the 880 bishops in the worldwide Communion were staying away from the Lambeth Conference.
The entire Anglican provinces of Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria and at least four bishops from the Church of England are boycotting the event.
The official Lambeth Conference site is here and the official press release is here.
Lambeth Palace published this History.
It’s interesting that only 2 of the 38 provinces now have no bishops registered to attend.
Several sites have published primers about the conference:
The Guardian has this Q&A, the main players, and the absentees.
The BBC has What is the Lambeth Conference?
The Times had this history article.
Many bloggers will be there.
Dave Walker of the Church Times blog explains what he will be doing in this post.
Episcopal Café has a list of Blogging bishops and other Lambeth resources.
Fulcrum has two blogging bishops.
The Conference takes place within the parish of St Stephen’s, and the parish priest has noticed this.
The first press conference will not occur until next Sunday.
6 CommentsBishop Gregory Venables has written a letter to Bishop Schofield and others in San Joaquin, which has been published in full here as a PDF file. It includes the following:
12 Comments…In addition, I have been in conversation with Archbishop Rowan. Over the weekend I received the following message from him: “I understand that Bishop John-David Schofield has been accepted as a full member of the episcopal fellowship of the Province of the Southern Cone within the Anglican Communion and as such cannot be regarded as having withdrawn from the Anglican Communion. However, it is acknowledged that his exact status (especially given the complications surrounding the congregations associated with him) remains unclear on the basis of the general norms of Anglican Canon Law, and this constitutes one of the issues on which we hope for assistance from the Windsor Continuation Group. Bishop Schofield has elected to decline the invitation to the Lambeth Conference issued to him last year although that decision does not signal any withdrawal from the Communion. I hope there may be further careful reflection to clarify the terms on which he will exercise his ministry.”
This statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury is clear, even though we are in somewhat new territory; you remain within the Anglican Communion. Given the rigors of international travel and the work that there is to do in the Diocese, I am in agreement with Bishop John-David’s decision not to attend the Lambeth Conference. I am also aware of statements by Bishop Jerry Lamb in which he makes statements and demands that miss the mark of Christian leadership and fall short of what many consider propriety. I would encourage the clergy and lay members of the diocese to ignore this.
We are glad to have you as full members of the Southern Cone. As you can see, you are well regarded as members of the Anglican Communion. May God richly bless you!
Stephen Bates has written a major essay: Church of England: Beset by liberals, hounded by conservatives, Williams needs a miracle to keep church intact.
26 CommentsPreaching to the converted
Gene Robinson is the Anglican church’s only openly gay bishop. He was denied an invitation to this week’s Lambeth conference but came anyway and on Sunday gave a dramatic sermon in London disrupted by heckling. What’s all the fuss about? Stephen Bates explains, while political sketch-writer Simon Hoggart, theatre critic Lyn Gardner and gay atheist Gareth McLean review the bishop’s performance.
Giles Fraser made his own comments earlier, in Here’s to you, Mr Robinson.
23 CommentsChristopher Landau of the BBC has a report Sexuality stance ‘embarrasses’ Anglicans.
Episcopal News Service has this report by Matthew Davies of her Sunday activities in Salisbury, Salisbury diocese welcomes Presiding Bishop, Sudanese bishops for pre-Lambeth hospitality initiative.
7 CommentsTwo items that fall into this category:
Martin Beckford reports Archbishop Desmond Tutu warns Anglican leaders not to abandon tradition of tolerance
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has warned Anglican leaders not to abandon the church’s tradition of tolerance ahead of a critical conference which is set to be dominated by divisions over homosexuality and women bishops.
Ephraim Radner has written, at Covenant an Open Letter to the Lambeth Bishops. This is also available at Fulcrum, see here.
10 Comments…I write to urge you to prayerful action in the face of widespread concerns that the upcoming Lambeth Conference will prove not only wholly irrelevant to the needs of our common life, but perhaps also the last such conference that our Communion will engage. Yet, in large measure, God has placed these matters in your hands. Although I am not privy to the planning, the intentions, and the ordering of the Conference, there are clear signs that the Conference runs the risk of failing to face and respond faithfully to the needs of God’s people within our Communion and her churches…
Madeleine Bunting has written an article in the Guardian about Rowan Williams.
It is titled If they did it over transubstantiation, they can find a way over gay priests.
The cliches have been used so often in recent months that one wonders how the reporters will find any thing new to say about the Lambeth conference, which starts on Wednesday. We have already had the headlines announcing “the end is nigh”; the Church of England is collapsing; the Anglican communion is falling apart; and “Rowan Williams’ authority is in tatters”. They have all become so mechanical that one wonders if they have been keyed into some media keyboards: type Lambeth and out they all pour. They betray an astonishing ignorance of much of what is at stake…
Ten years ago, Madeleine was the Guardian’s Religious Affairs correspondent covering the 1998 Lambeth Conference.
0 CommentsThe Vanguard reports:
12 CommentsAnglican bishops reject Akinola’s voluntary retirement
Bishops of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) yesterday rejected a notice of voluntary retirement from Archbishop Peter Akinola, as Primate of the Church.
They requested him to complete his tenure, which ends in 2010.
The Dean of the Church, the Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa, said yesterday in Abuja that the bishops prevailed on Akinola to rescind his decision to retire by January 2009.
Anikwenwa, who spoke at a consecration service, said the bishops took the decision after they received the Primates retirement notice on Saturday.
He said the veto by the bishops was pre-empted by wide consultations with other Anglican leaders, particularly from the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON)…
Guardian
Riazat Butt Church of England: Gay bishop accuses church leaders of mistake over invitation snub
Stephen Bates Repent! Biker’s blast at bishop
The Times
Ruth Gledhill Gay American Bishop Gene Robinson accuses opponents of ‘idolatry’
Telegraph
Martin Beckford Gay bishop Gene Robinson criticises Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams
Daily Mail Steve Doughty ‘Heretic’: The first openly gay bishop is pilloried in the pulpit by a long-haired heckler
Episcopal News Service Church need not be afraid, New Hampshire bishop tells Putney gathering
Jim Naughton Live: The sermon, the press, the protestor, etc.
Integrity Fear Not! Gene Robinson preaches at Putney
BBC Heckle that symbolises Church split
Earlier reports are here.
10 CommentsPress Association Protester hits gay bishop’s sermon
BBC Protest disrupts bishop’s sermon
Channel 4 News Katie Razzall Protestor disrupts the sermon by the world’s first openly gay bishop
This video report includes fragments of an interview made earlier today before the service, and summarises the background events leading up to the Lambeth Conference.
Riazat Butt writes at the Guardian that Ian McKellen accuses Anglican church of homophobia.
Watch the entire interview with Andrew Marr on the BBC website here.
13 CommentsUpdated Sunday lunchtime
The Associated Press reports that Pope prays for end to rifts in Anglican church.
The Telegraph has several articles:
Jonathan Wynne-Jones writes Church of England should appoint Britain’s first gay bishop, says Archbishop of Wales and
US gay cleric Gene Robinson ‘received death threats’ from England and also
Dr Rowan Williams’ Anglican power to be tested at Lambeth Conference
and the Telegraph’s list of the 50 most influential figures in the Anglican church (sic) starts here
while George Pitcher writes Dr Rowan Williams: Robust in the face of torment.
The Independent has Gay bishop defies his Lambeth Conference ban.
Theo Hobson wrote in The Tablet It’s good to talk:
The average family gathering relies on certain truths being left unspoken, carefully skirted around. As the bishops and their spouses travel to Canterbury for this decade’s Lambeth Conference, which begins on Wednesday, they resemble members of a large family congregating for a wedding. All are uneasily aware that at the last such event something went wrong: things were said that should not have been said, and a row ignited that has resulted in one branch of the family staying away. Should they try to return to the old friendly atmosphere, or has a new spirit of brutal honesty made that impossible?
Until recently, few British Anglicans gave much thought to the Lambeth Conference, which (in theory) brings all Anglican bishops together once a decade. It was a reminder that Anglicanism was thriving in the colonies and former colonies. It was an insight into the exotic issues that faced native evangelists in sunnier climes. It was a way of discovering what help they needed in spreading Canterbury’s light through the globe…
The Observer has The gospel on being gay.
The BBC has Gay bishop will preach in London.
Updates at lunchtime
The BBC has more reports: Archbishop’s gay ordination offer and Archbishop’s position ‘untenable’ (these two articles refer to different archbishops) and also Bishop supports gay row boycott (this is not an English bishop).
The Press Association has Gay bishop calls decision a mistake and Gay bishop to deliver UK sermon.
40 CommentsRachel Zoll of the Associated Press has interviewed Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and her report of that can be read here.
The Bishop of Arizona, Kirk Smith was interviewed in the Arizona Daily Star and his views are reported in this article: Ariz. Episcopal bishop: Gay’s exclusion ‘insult’.
The Bishop of New Hampshire spoke this week at the conference of the Modern Churchpeople’s Union and what he said is summarised in this article: Lead, don’t manage.
6 CommentsRuth Gledhill reports in As Lambeth beckons, Anglican rebels don’t know if they are coming or going that:
A Nigerian bishop has broken ranks to fly to Britain to attend next week’s Lambeth conference. More than a dozen other Nigerian bishops have telephoned the organisers privately to say that they wish they could come but dare not disobey their archbishop, who has ordered all his 100 bishops to stay away in protest at the liberalisation of the Western Church.
The Right Rev Cyril Okorocha, the Bishop of Owerri, will defy Dr Peter Akinola, the Nigerian primate, when he arrives at his host parish in Oxshott, Surrey, this weekend. He will be the only Nigerian bishop at the Lambeth conference when it opens on Wednesday.
A source close to the bishop, who used to be on the staff at Lambeth Palace, where he looked after mission, said that he was coming because he believed strongly in the unity of the Anglican Communion.
Martin Beckford writes in the Telegraph: Anglican Communion: More than one in four bishops to boycott Lambeth Conference, and says this about English bishops:
As The Sunday Telegraph disclosed last month, the Bishops of Rochester, Lewes and Willesden are boycotting Lambeth because pro-gay bishops will be there.
But following the controversial decision of the Church of England’s ruling body this week to ordain women as bishops without compromise measures, several Anglo-Catholic bishops may also stay away.
The Bishop of Ebbsfleet, who is likely to become the first English bishop to convert to the Roman Catholic church over female bishops, has said he is unlikely to attend while the Bishop of Richborough is still considering whether he can go.
The Bishop of Europe, the Rt Rev Geoffrey Rowell, said he would attend but could not take part in a Eucharist service held by the female head of the Episcopal Church of the USA, the Most Rev Katharine Jefferts Schori.
He added that he was “astonished” that so little information about events at Lambeth had been given out so far.
“We know the themes for each day and that we shall be in study groups of eight, but not much else.”
The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, added: “I too am very surprised that we have had little more than a sketchy outline. I’ve never been to a conference before where we have had such little information.”
The Times also has a series of comments from individual bishops printed under the headline In search of the wisdom between the extremes.
13 CommentsNew Vision has published this “clarification” of the earlier article:
Gays not after Orombi’s head
Kampala
Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi yesterday clarified that he did not say gays were planning to kill him or that he fears for his life over his campaign against the practice. This followed reports that the bishop had told Christians at Kitunga in Ntungamo district that he feared for his life over his anti-gay stance. Orombi noted that gays were not only in the church, but were a big movement and some of them were drug addicts, who could kill anybody.
The Daily Monitor reports Archbishop Orombi re-affirms anti-gay stand by Paul Aruho
Bushenyi
The Archbishop of Uganda has rallied Christians to stand by him in his fight against homosexuality in the Anglican Church. He said his life was under threat from the gay community.
“The team of homosexuals is very rich, Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi said, “They have money and will do whatever it takes to make sure that this vice penetrates Africa. We have to stand out and say no to them.”
Archbishop Orombi, on a week-long tour of the western region said the advocates of homosexuality, a crime under the Uganda code act, are taking advantage of the abject poverty in Africa to lure people into their club.“As a Church, we want to worship the living God; we want to obey God and we have to submit ourselves to God so you pray for us; we shall remain faithful to God,” Archbishop Orombi said.
Homosexuality has been a sticky issue in the Anglican Church lately, with the climax happening last week when the Church of Uganda and other Anglican provinces in Africa, South America and Australia formed a new movement which is not under the authority of Canterbury at the Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem, Israel.
The conference criticised the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, for failing to discipline the errant Episcopal Church of the US and the Anglican Church of Canada, which promote same-sex marriages. The two churches supported the consecration of a homosexual, Gene Robinson, as bishop in 2003.
Meanwhile, New Vision also reports this: Bishop Ssenyonjo invited to Lambeth but see comment below which contradicts this.
17 CommentsNew Vision reports that Gays want to kill me, says Orombi. The article is copied below in full.
Update There is a further article in New Vision which shows that Orombi is not alone in his views, see Canterbury should not tolerate gayism.
Gays want to kill me, says Orombi
Wednesday, 9th July, 2008
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi yesterday said he fears for his life because of the campaign he has waged against homosexuals.
“Nowadays, I don’t wear my collar when I am in countries which have supporters of homosexuals,” he said while addressing Christians at Kitunga archdeaconry, West Ankole diocese in Ntungamo district.
“I am forced to dress like a civilian because those people are dangerous. They can harm anybody who is against them. Some of them are killers. They want to close the mouth of anybody who is against them.”
Orombi is among the Anglican archbishops who have led the boycott against the Lambeth Conference, which takes places later this month, over the issue of homosexuality.
The Global Anglican Future Conference, which was held in Jerusalem last month, resolved to form a new movement and broke ties with the authority of Canterbury over the consecration of gay bishops.
Despite the threats, Orombi yesterday continued his anti-gay campaign, asking Christians to pray for him and others who are against homosexuals.
“Homosexuals are agitating that it is a human right. But how can it be a human right for a man to sleep with another man or a woman to marry a woman?” he asked.
“What we need is to wake up and protect our church and children against this practice.”
He argued that God created men and women so that they could have children and fill the world so that the generations could continue. “So where do the homosexuals want to get their children?” he asked.
Orombi noted that homosexuals were trying to take advantage of Africa’s poverty by making donations, building schools and offering scholarships.
“We should not accept any donation that comes our way and has strings attached. Some people have already fallen victims in Uganda and we need to stop it,” the archbishop said.
Bishop Yona Katonene, the bishop of West Ankole diocese, who accompanied the archbishop, said he had received a report that a male teacher in Bushenyi had married a male student.
54 CommentsThree recent items from Fulcrum
Further Thoughts on GAFCON and related matters by the Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright
The GAFCON Movement and The Anglican Communion by Andrew Goddard
A briefing paper for PCCs. It is “against the resolution suggested on the Anglican Mainstream site: ‘We stand in solidarity with the Jerusalem Declaration and Statement on the Global Anglican Future’”
An interview on ABC Sydney with Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, the primate of Australia
This is reported in The Sydney Morning Herald as Aspinall warns Jensen.
The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Alan Harper, spoke to the USPG conference last week on Holy Scripture and the Law of God in Contemporary Anglicanism in the Light of Richard Hooker’s “Lawes”. His address is online here and here.
Ruth Gledhill in the Times Archbishop of Armagh invokes scripture in defence of homosexuality
BBC We may allow gay unions: COI head
David Young and Alf McCreary in the Belfast Telegraph Church of Ireland may accept gay marriages
Belfast News Letter C of I may accept gay marriage – Harper
6 CommentsUpdated to include more Church Times articles
Today’s Church Times has three reports from GAFCON.
GAFCON draws a mixed reception
Paul Handley New fellowship to unite ‘confessing Anglicans’ is born
Ed Beavan Jensen: ‘sleeping giant is roused’
The Church Times has this leader Leader: Treat GAFCON with respect
Paul Vallely comments in the Church Times GAFCON’s thinking is out of date.
Barbara McMahon in The Guardian profiles Archbishop Peter Jensen He is a very astute, very intelligent and able man. He is almost worshipped – what he wants he gets – subtitled “Figure behind Anglican schism is a puritan who sees no room for compromise”.
7 Comments