The Living Church has several reports:
Historic Two Days Ahead for House of Bishops
Writing Group Presents House of Bishops With Draft
Bishops Struggle to Craft Satisfactory Statement
Stand Firm has published a draft document which is described as The 7 points of the Preliminary Draft Document: A Message from the House of Bishops (updated). And there is an even more obscure document titled Draft Copy of Notes from an informal meeting of 57 Bishops listing agreements and disagreements. Some explanation of all this can be found at Episcopal Café see Works in progress.
Episcopal News Service has House of Bishops begins to prepare Primates’ Communiqué response.
1 CommentUpdated Tuesday morning
Chicago Tribune Anti-gay Anglican archbishop speaks in Wheaton
Chicago Sun-Times ‘God wants unity’ but doesn’t get it
Northwest Herald Critic of Episcopal support for gay clergy speaks in Wheaton
Associated Press Nigerian archbishop, foe of gay clergy, visits church gathering
Update
The Chicago Tribune also has a video report linked from this page.
Episcopal News Service has David Skidmore Followers, protestors greet Akinola at Wheaton chapel.
14 CommentsIn the Guardian Stephen Bates writes US bishops try to find compromise on gay clergy.
…American conservative bishops complained that the archbishop refused to see them, or return their calls during his stay. A handful have now left the meeting and are planning to re-gather in Pittsburgh this week to discuss strategy, which is likely to include seeking oversight from an African province. Their leader, Bishop Bob Duncan of Pittsburgh, predicted that about five of the US church’s 112 dioceses would seek to affiliate outside the US…
For the Associated Press Rachel Zoll writes Analysis: Anglicans Already Breaking Up.
In the New Orleans Times-Picayune Kate Moran has Bishop emphasizes inclusiveness.
From Episcopal News Service there are several more reports:
Shawls will enfold bishops in Episcopal Church’s prayers
Bishops asked to join ‘We the People’ leadership
Episcopal Communicators help rebuild lives in Gulf Coast recovery efforts
Rio Grande bishop announces intention to resign
Updated Sunday evening
The Sunday Telegraph has extensive reporting by Jonathan Wynne-Jones:
Archbishop prays for miracle in gay rights row
Homosexuality not a ‘disease’, says Archbishop
Church leaders on the brink of schism
Reuters Anglican gay deadline looms in New Orleans
Episcopal News Service ‘Day of Service’ puts bishops to work in Mississippi, New Orleans
Living Church Multiple Resolutions Await Bishops on Monday and Bishop Steenson Will Become a Roman Catholic
The BBC radio programme Sunday has a report from New Orleans by Stephen Bates which is available here, go forward about 20 minutes. Better URL tomorrow. As The Lead mentions:
The interview broadened into attendance at Lambeth Conference. In Bates’ telling the majority of Nigerian bishops want to go to Lambeth — contrary to the position of their primate, Peter Akinola.
Sunday evening updates
Episcopal News Service Trumpet the gospel, Presiding Bishop tells New Orleans cathedral congregation and Presiding Bishop’s sermon at Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans
There are further proposals from bishops as to what to do, including this: A Proposal to the House of Bishops from Bishop John Howe.
33 CommentsReligion and Ethics Newsweekly, in addition to its main story, U.S. Episcopal Bishops Meeting in New Orleans has four interviews:
Bishop Charles Jenkins
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
Bishop John Chane
Bishop John Guernsey
The speech of Bishop Mouneer Anis Bishop of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, has been published, and can be read in full here.
The statement of Bishop Marc Andrus of California has also been published here.
Bishop Kirk Smith of Arizona wrote an email about his reactions to the first day.
Andrew Goddard wrote a letter on 16 September which only got published yesterday, in which he writes about New Orleans and the Anglican Communion.
Friday’s press conference can be viewed in full by going to Episcopal News Service here.
Andrew Carey wrote in the Church of England Newspaper Schism is not the Answer.
Kendall Harmon wrote on titusonenine What Would a Radical Solution Look Like?
The sermon preached by the Archbishop of Canterbury is here: Sermon Preached at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans.
10 CommentsNew Orleans Times-Picayune Anglican leader seeks to lower temperature and later, for the Saturday paper, Anglican leader downplays conflict
Guardian Stephen Bates Williams escapes bishops’ poison to see church at work in New Orleans
BBC Crisis talks over US gay clergy
New York Times Neela Banerjee Episcopal Church Remains Divided on Gay Issues
Washington Post Michelle Boorstein Anglican Leader Plays Down Schism
Boston Globe Michael Paulson Archbishop holds out hope for compromise
Chicago Tribune Russell Working For Episcopal bishops, stress running high
USA Today Cathy Lynn Grossman Archbishop addresses religious fissure
Associated Press Rachel Zoll Anglican Head Downplays Split Over Gays
Agence France Presse Anglican leaders hope to avoid schism over gay clergy
Episcopal News Service Archbishop of Canterbury ‘encouraged’ by bishops’ meetings
Anglican Journal No ultimatum in request for September response, says Williams
4 CommentsThe Daily Telegraph has Archbishop accused of ‘dehumanising gays’ by Jonathan Petre
Ruth Gledhill has more about what Archbishop Akinola said to her yesterday, on her blog, at Peter Akinola ‘blows the fourth trumpet’.
The Living Church has Concluding His Visit, Archbishop Seeks to Lower Expectations by Steve Waring. And also Details Sketchy on Episcopal Visitor Proposal by George Conger and Steve Waring.
The Boston Globe has Episcopal leader pushes for a compromise on gay rights by Michael Paulson
Associated Press Rachel Zoll Anglican Head Downplays Split Over Gays
Reuters Bruce Nichols and Ed Stoddard U.S. Episcopals to respond on gay issue next week
4 CommentsEpiscopal News Service has published the Archbishop of Canterbury’s opening remarks at today’s news conference:
10 Comments…It has been a valuable opportunity to listen carefully to the thinking of the bishops here on the problems that face the Communion; and also for us to share with the House some perspectives from elsewhere in the Communion. I think that in the light of the conversations we have come to a better understanding of the House in response to the questions and proposals of the Dar es Salaam Primates’ Meeting. I hope that the House, equally, has understood more fully what those questions and proposals were meant to achieve. The House will continue to reflect on them over the weekend.
Despite what has been claimed, there is no “ultimatum” involved. The Primates asked for a response by September 30 simply because we were aware that this was the meeting of the House likely to be formulating such a response. The ACC and Primates Joint Standing Committee will be reading and digesting what the bishops have to say, and will let me know their thoughts on it early next week. After this I shall be sharing what they say, along with my own assessments, with the Primates and others, inviting their advice in the next couple of weeks. I hope these days will result in a constructive and fresh way forward for all of us.
Stand Firm has published another proposal, this one by four bishops, which also appears to be consistent with the Dar es Salaam communique.
See Resolution offered by Bruce MacPherson, Russell Jacobus, Geralyn Wolf, and C. Franklin Brookhart.
15 CommentsStand Firm has published a draft resolution which is described by SF thus:
This is a statement crafted during the last meeting of “Windsor Bishops,” and we’re told forms the basis of the resolution Bishop Jenkins is going to propose. However, we’ve also been told that he’s been “consulting” with bishops Bruno and Chane to make it more palatable to them. The document has been circulating among the bishops at the meeting here in New Orleans.
The draft is here.
13 CommentsThe Church Times published an article written by me in last week’s issue in which I made an attempt at counting the number of parishes breaking away from the Episcopal Church in the US.
This is now available on the web at Global South reaches into the United States.
This article was written and printed before the announcement made last week by CANA concerning additional bishops and additional congregations.
28 CommentsThe New Orleans Times-Picayune has reports by Bruce Nolan:
Top Anglicans in N.O. for meetings and later
Discord put aside to pray for N.O.’s healing.
The Washington Post has Anglican Leader Urges Church To Find Accord Amid Turmoil by Michelle Boorstein and Jacqueline Salmon.
The Boston Globe has Episcopal bishops, archbishop seek a middle ground by Michael Paulson.
Associated Press has Meeting Held on Anglican-Episcopal Split by Rachel Zoll.
Reuters has Episcopals reveal little of gay rift talks by Bruce Nichols.
Episcopal News Service has two reports:
House of Bishops sessions reflect ‘passionate commitment’ to Anglican Communion
Archbishop of Canterbury gets a taste of New Orleans
From the UK, the Church Times has US House of Bishops put their case to Dr Williams by Pat Ashworth and a leader: When all about are losing theirs:
The problem for Anglicanism is that it has never been clear whose discernment counts. This is an inevitable dilemma for a Church that attempts to be true to both its Catholic roots and Protestant experience. Anglicans value and defend individual conscience, but also maintain Catholic order (as they understand it). With this in mind, Dr Williams has a limited armory. It includes the ability to win people over by argument and personal influence. He is adept at the first and possesses the necessary charisma for the second. He should use them to convince the diverging sections of the Communion that a sincere difference of opinion exists, and that, since the time taken so far to resolve the issues has clearly not been enough, more time is needed.
If, after the US House of Bishops meeting, the conservative and liberal tendencies declare that they are seeking greater division, this will solve little. Since schism removes the challenge of working closely with critics, it invariably confirms prejudice. Dr Williams will work to keep Anglicanism together not because everyone agrees with each other, but because they don’t. Most of all, we hope he will keep his head and refuse to be manipulated into one camp or another. Giving visible support to all sides equally is a good example to set.
From Australia, the ABC radio programme The Religion Report interviewed Philip Aspinall, Archbishop of Brisbane, before he departed for New Orleans. Go here, and scroll down more than halfway,to read the full transcript of this.
4 CommentsEpiscopal News Service announces that Eight bishops agree to serve as ‘episcopal visitors’.
The Living Church has Bishops, Archbishop of Canterbury Begin Private Sessions.
The Chicago Tribune has Presiding bishop asks church to set aside ‘abundant disdain’ for differences.
From London, Ruth Gledhill of The Times reports that Pro-gay agenda pushes Church closer to schism and has an interview with Archbishop Akinola.
12 CommentsUpdated Thursday evening
Rachel Zoll of Associated Press has Episcopal Bishops in Key Meeting on Gays.
Mary Frances Schjonberg of Episcopal News Service has House of Bishops meeting set to open and also CHICAGO: Persell criticizes Akinola’s anticipated visit.
There is an article written by Gregory Cameron over here.
The Chicago Tribune has Anglican gay-bishop stance is put to the test in Chicago and U.S. church receives deadline.
The BBC has US Anglicans meet over gay clergy.
Rebecca Trounson Los Angeles Times Episcopal bishops meet to discuss future
Kendall Harmon has an article at titusonenine Honesty or Obfuscation in New Orleans?
Raleigh News-Observer Bishop in full support of gays
Thursday evening update
Jonathan Petre Daily Telegraph Anglican Church in crisis talks to avert schism
USA Today Anglicans meet amid growing discord
Lakeland (Florida) Ledger Episcopal Bishop Joins Meetings
24 CommentsUpdated again Wednesday evening
Jim Naughton has some advice to readers and also to journalists. He also reports that Archbishops Akinola and Orombi “both happen to be in the country this week”.
George Conger reports in the Living Church on who exactly will be accompanying the Archbishop of Canterbury, and what other meetings are scheduled this week. Joint ACC, Primates Committee to Meet Sept. 24.
Episcopal News Service recaps the Nigerian letter to the archbishop and other Nigerian developments in Bishops urge postponing Lambeth Conference, call for special Primates’ Meeting.
Updates Wednesday morning
Stephen Bates reports in the Guardian Williams in showdown with US church over gay bishops:
Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, will demand concessions from the bishops of the US Episcopal Church tomorrow at a crisis meeting aimed at staving off the most damaging split in the church’s modern history, over the issue of homosexuality.
They will be asked to give guarantees that they will not allow the election of any more openly gay bishops or authorise public blessing services for same-sex couples and will create a structure for separate episcopal oversight for conservative congregations who disagree with the church’s liberal leadership…
Jane Lampman Christian Science Monitor Tension as Episcopal bishops meet
Christopher Quinn Atlanta Journal-Constitution Episcopalian church beginning to divide
Michael Conlon Reuters U.S. Episcopal church faces another showdown on gays
Bruce Nolan New Orleans Times-Picayune N.O. backdrop for meeting to save the Anglican communion and a later version on the front page of today’s paper: N.O. becomes the accidental backdrop for a high-stakes meeting to save the world’s Anglican communion. This contains an interview with Bishop Jenkins, conveniently excerpted here.
The Canadian Anglican Journal has a report by Solange de Santis with a different focus: Episcopal meeting brings helping hands to New Orleans
Wednesday evening
Church of England Newspaper has a report by George Conger Three Questions for the USA
11 CommentsUpdated Monday evening
As the Archbishop of Canterbury prepares to go to the USA and visit New Orleans, there is a website established by the Diocese of Louisiana devoted specifically to his visit. (h/t DL)
There are also various press reports about what may happen next.
Christopher Landau reports for the BBC What future for Anglicanism?
Jonathan Wynne-Jones reports for the Sunday Telegraph Archbishop fears split over gay clergy
Robert Barr reports for the Associated Press Anglican Leader in U.S. Over Gay Bishop
Neela Banerjee reports for the New York Times Episcopal Church Faces Deadline on Gay Issues
Daniel Burke reports for Religion News Service Episcopal Church faces same-sex deadline
Updated links
The Sunday programme on BBC radio had an item about this:
Go here (6 minutes long).
Archbishop Peter Akinola, and journalist Stephen Bates are interviewed.
For a longer version of the Peter Akinola interview go here ( URL valid this week only).
The Episcopal News Service has a new monthly video programme. The first programme, available to watch here, has fascinating material about the situation in Louisiana and Mississippi following Katrina.
ENS also has a report on the responses made across the Episcopal Church to “a study document aimed at helping the House of Bishops respond to the requests made to them by the Primates of the Anglican Communion”: One third of dioceses respond to Bishops’ communiqué study document.
The Living Church reports on two other aspects:
Modified Primatial Vicar Plan to Be Proposed to Bishops
Bishop Henderson Withdraws Report Endorsement; Doug LeBlanc has a succinct summary of this report here.
54 CommentsThe Diocese of Pittsburgh, a member of the Anglican Communion Network, has an annual convention (think diocesan synod) coming up on 2-3 November. A number of official documents have been published in relation to this.
For an alternative view of Pittsburgh, try reading either the website of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh or the most recent entries of Lionel Deimel’s weblog:
Agreeing to Agree
“… the bishop didn’t say that.”
Something Dramatic
The Bishop of Central Florida, John Howe has sent this letter to his diocese. Bear in mind that Central Florida is one of the Network dioceses.
The Central Florida Episcopalian for this month also contains another article which details further the position on property issues for congregations who might wish to leave the diocese. That can be found in the original PDF here, on pages 11 and 12, or there is an html copy here.
Both documents are worth reading right through. Some quotes from the letter:
…Nearly thirty of our Bishops – myself among them – have given the assurances requested, but a larger number than that have said they will never agree to these requests, and more than a third of the Bishops have yet to declare themselves. (Note: The Episcopal Church has never officially authorized the blessings, but some Bishops have done so in their own Dioceses.)
Everyone hopes that clarity and understanding will be improved on all sides when the Archbishop meets with us, but I know of no one who expects that at the end of the meeting the unequivocal assurances will have been given by the House as a whole.
Archbishop Williams will need to consult with the other Primates to consider and evaluate whatever responses we will have given them. The Archbishop has recently said he is “hopeful, but not optimistic” that the Anglican Communion will be able to stay together after that point.
What this will mean for parishes, Dioceses, and The Episcopal Church as a whole is not yet clear. There is, however, increasing talk among several of our Central Florida clergy about the possibility of their declaring their “separation from The Episcopal Church” and their seeking “realignment” with some other Province of the Anglican Communion. They would hope to take as many of their parishioners with them as possible, and they would try to retain the property belonging to those congregations.
If they decide to do this it will be extremely messy, difficult, and costly in every way imaginable.
Both the canons of The Episcopal Church and the state law of Florida stipulate that congregational properties are held “in trust” for the Diocese and the national Episcopal Church. This means that even if every single person in a given congregation wanted to leave they could not simply “take the property with them.”
…I believe that in virtually every one of our congregations, even those in which the desire to separate is widespread, there are many who do not wish to leave The Episcopal Church or the Diocese of Central Florida. If those who desire to remain can become a viable congregation, that congregation becomes the continuing body of that parish, with a claim upon the property.
So: I foresee an extremely difficult period ahead of us, in which congregations may be pulled apart, and arguments over property become horribly distracting and costly.
I am committed to being as gracious and generous as possible to those who, for conscience sake, believe they must separate. But I am pledged to stand alongside those who, for conscience sake, choose to remain, and I am committed to the rebuilding of congregations and this Diocese in the wake of any such departures…
Also, Bishop Howe recently wrote this letter in reaction to this one from retired Bishop Spong.
36 CommentsUpdated again Monday evening
The elected President of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church is currently a lay person, Bonnie Anderson.
She recently visited Fort Worth Texas, to address a local meeting, co-hosted by the Brite Divinity School and Fort Worth Via Media, neither of which is an official organ of the Diocese of Ft Worth. Indeed, the divinity school is associated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), another Christian denomination.
Nevertheless the Bishop of Fort Worth Jack Iker objected to her visit. He issued a press release [PDF file] in which he says:
…“This visit by Mrs. Anderson was arranged without any prior consultation with me or any of the other elected leaders of this diocese. I consider it a breach of protocol and a violation of the basic polity of The Episcopal Church. It is a clear effort on her part to recognize and empower a small group of people who dissent from the stated theological positions of this diocese and who claim that they alone are the true ‘loyal Episcopalians‘ here in Fort Worth.
“This visit by Mrs. Anderson further exacerbates an already tense, adversarial relationship that has developed between national leaders and diocesan officials. Unfortunately, she has sought to further divide the people of this diocese rather than to promote reconciliation. I regret that Mrs. Anderson has chosen to fan the flames of division and to advocate a rather one-sided view of the controversies that have overtaken The Episcopal Church in recent decades. Rather than working with me and other diocesan officials, she has chosen to go around us in a blatant attempt to work with the revisionist opposition known as the Via Media.
“I regard her visit as part of a concerted effort to undermine the existing diocesan leadership in favor of those who support the liberal agenda of the General Convention Church. It is disconcerting to see this deepened alienation fostered by one of the top leaders of The Episcopal Church. However, we will not be deterred or side-tracked from our Gospel mission by this kind of political manipulation.”
Some other recent statements by Bishop Iker can be found here:
The Realignment Moves Forward
Williams ‘set to be manipulated’ George Conger Church of England Newspaper 17 August.
Monday update
It turns out that Bishop Iker was invited to this meeting, and Bishop Iker did not indicate any displeasure over the visit in his note declining the invitation. The exchange of notes between FWVM and the bishop before the event can be read in full here: Bishop Iker is Unhappy.
For links to other blog comments about this event, go here.
Monday afternoon Episcopal News Service has a very detailed report from Mary Frances Schjonberg titled Bonnie Anderson promises support, tells Fort Worth Episcopalians to ‘saddle up’.
Monday evening
Fort Worth Via Media has issued this statement.