Thinking Anglicans

Rowan Williams speaks about the Communion

on Tuesday, 27 June 2006 at 11.31 am by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as Anglican Communion

For immediate Use
27th June 2006
Press release from Lambeth Palace Link to ACNS copy Lambeth Palace copy does not render correctly in Firefox problem now fixed, Lambeth copy here.

Archbishop – ‘Challenge and hope’ for the Anglican Communion

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has set out his thinking on the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of the deliberations in the United States on the Windsor Report and the Anglican Communion at the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA). ‘The Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today, A Reflection for the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communion’, has been sent to Primates with a covering letter, published more widely and made available as audio on the internet. In it, Dr Williams says that the strength of the Anglican tradition has been in maintaining a balance between the absolute priority of the Bible, a catholic loyalty to the sacraments and a habit of cultural sensitivity and intellectual flexibility:

“To accept that each of these has a place in the church’s life and that they need each other means that the enthusiasts for each aspect have to be prepared to live with certain tensions or even sacrifices. The only reason for being an Anglican is that this balance seems to you to be healthy for the Church Catholic”

Dr Williams acknowledges that the debate following the consecration of a practising gay bishop has posed challenges for the unity of the church. He stresses that the key issue now for the church is not about the human rights of homosexual people, but about how the church makes decisions in a responsible way.

“It is imperative to give the strongest support to the defence of homosexual people against violence, bigotry and legal disadvantage, to appreciate the role played in the life of the church by people of homosexual orientation…”

The debate in the Anglican Communion had for many, he says, become much harder after the consecration in 2003 which could be seen to have pre-empted the outcome. The structures of the Communion had struggled to cope with the resulting effects:

“… whatever the presenting issue, no member Church can make significant decisions unilaterally and still expect this to make no difference to how it is regarded in the fellowship; this would be uncomfortably like saying that every member could redefine the terms of belonging as and when it suited them. Some actions – and sacramental actions in particular – just do have the effect of putting a Church outside or even across the central stream of the life they have shared with other Churches.”

Dr Williams says that the divisions run through as well as between the different Provinces of the Anglican Communion and this would make a solution difficult. He favours the exploration of a formal Covenant agreement between the Provinces of the Anglican Communion as providing a possible way forward. Under such a scheme, member provinces that chose to would make a formal but voluntary commitment to each other.

“Those churches that were prepared to take this on as an expression of their responsibility to each other would limit their local freedoms for the sake of a wider witness: some might not be willing to do this. We could arrive at a situation where there were ‘constituent’ Churches in the Anglican Communion and other ‘churches in association’, which were bound by historic and perhaps personal links, fed from many of the same sources but not bound in a single and unrestricted sacramental communion and not sharing the same constitutional structures”.

Different views within a province might mean that local churches had to consider what kind of relationship they wanted with each other. This, though, might lead to a more positive understanding of unity:

“It could mean the need for local Churches to work at ordered and mutually respectful separation between constituent and associated elements; but it could also mean a positive challenge for churches to work out what they believed to be involved in belonging in a global sacramental fellowship, a chance to rediscover a positive common obedience to the mystery of God’s gift that was not a matter of coercion from above but that of ‘waiting for each other’ that St Paul commends to the Corinthians.”

Dr Williams stresses that the matter cannot be resolved by his decree:

” … the idea of an Archbishop of Canterbury resolving any of this by decree is misplaced, however tempting for many. The Archbishop of Canterbury presides and convenes in the Communion, and may … outline the theological framework in which a problem should be addressed; but he must always act collegially, with the bishops of his own local Church and with the primates and the other instruments of communion.”
“That is why the process currently going forward of assessing our situation in the wake of the General Convention is a shared one. But it is nonetheless possible for the Churches of the Communion to decide that this is indeed the identity, the living tradition – and by God’s grace, the gift – we want to share with the rest of the Christian world in the coming generation; more importantly still, that this is a valid and vital way of presenting the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. My hope is that the period ahead – of detailed response to the work of General Convention, exploration of new structures, and further refinement of the covenant model – will renew our positive appreciation of the possibilities of our heritage so that we can pursue our mission with deeper confidence and harmony.”

The Primates of the Anglican Communion will meet early next year to consider the matter. In the meantime, a group appointed by the Joint Standing Committee of the ACC and the Primates will be assisting Dr Williams in considering the resolutions of the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA) in response to the questions posed by the Windsor Report.
ENDS

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Kunonga: more about that Lambeth statement

on Tuesday, 27 June 2006 at 7.07 am by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as Anglican Communion

Earlier this month, the Sunday Times reported that Lambeth Palace had issued a statement about Bishop Kunonga.

The Church of England Newspaper had a report last week, Call for Zimbabwe Bishop to step down which gives further details:

THE ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury has called upon Zimbabwe’s Bishop Nolbert Kunonga to step down, pressing the Central African church to adjudicate misconduct charges brought against the controversial Bishop of Harare. A statement released on behalf of the Archbishop by Lambeth Palace notes that: “In the context of a prolonged and political crisis, the diocese of Harare faces intolerable strain in the form of the very grave and unresolved accusations against Bishop Kunonga.

“The primary way forward is by dealing with these charges through the church courts in the Anglican Province of Central Africa, but this process has been aborted and the matter is unresolved.” The statement went on: “In other jurisdictions, a priest or bishop facing such serious charges would be suspended without prejudice until the case had been closed. It is therefore very difficult for Bishop Kunonga to be regarded as capable of functioning as a bishop elsewhere in the communion.

“The Archbishop of Canterbury has pressed the authorities of the Province to bring the case to a conclusion in a way consistent with justice, transparency and truth, so that the damage to the health and credibility of the church can be addressed,” the statement read. Members of the Central African House of Bishops were caught unawares by the announcement from Lambeth Palace. Speaking to The Church of England Newspaper at the US General Convention in Columbus, $5 deposit casino Ohio, Bishop Trevor Mwanda of Botswana stated he had not seen the statement and declined to comment, noting that the Kunonga affair was under close scrutiny by the Central African bishops…

Monday in London

on Monday, 26 June 2006 at 10.24 am by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as Church of England

Two daily newspapers have published articles criticising the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In The Times Tim Hames wrote Beware the folly of clever men in power.

And in the Guardian Michael Hampson wrote The American way puts the Church of England to shame.

yet more comment on General Convention

on Monday, 26 June 2006 at 10.17 am by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as ECUSA

On the Anglican Communion Institute website, Andrew Goddard has analysed the GC resolutions for their compliance with the Windsor Report.

At The Witness Gene Robinson has written An Open Letter to my LGBT Brothers and Sisters.

Jim Naughton had his review of the Sunday websites.

And Nick Knisely has a whole series of thoughtful posts on his blog Entangled States.

So also does Fr Jake at his blog.

weekend opinions

on Sunday, 25 June 2006 at 3.20 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as Opinion

Last week I linked an article from Ekklesia about marriage. Nobody here commented at all. So first, here is another item a week old, which is a discussion of that on last week’s BBC Sunday radio programme:

Marriage

Under draft legislation to be debated by the church of England’s General Synod next month, couples should be able to marry in any church they like if they can show they have a connection with it.

The religious think tank Ekklesia suggests that the Church and society should go further. It suggests serious consideration should be given to the abolition of legal marriage and its replacement by a variety of civil partnerships through which couples could specify the type of legal commitment they wished to make to one another.

The Dean of Wakefield, The Very Reverend George Nairn-Briggs, sat on the working party which drafted the proposals to relax the rules on where couples can marry. He and Jonathan Bartley, director of Ekklesia, discuss these controversial proposals.
Listen (7m 4s)

This week, Geoffrey Rowell writes in The Times: The Church must not sway to the siren voice of postmodern culture

In the Guardian Face to Faith is written from a Quaker perspective by David Bryant.

Christopher Howse writes in the Telegraph about A helping hand from St John [the Baptist].

BBC Sunday interviews Griswold

on Sunday, 25 June 2006 at 3.12 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as ECUSA

The BBC radio programme Sunday interviewed Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold. There is also a discussion about General Convention between Jane Little and Stephen Bates.

Item lasts about 9 minutes. Link here.

catching up on ECUSA news

on Sunday, 25 June 2006 at 12.28 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as ECUSA

Apologies for the lateness of some of these links.

On Friday, Jonathan Petre filed his last report from Columbus for the Telegraph : Pressure is growing on Williams to take action over schism.

The Church Times published this report of the final events of the Convention.

On Saturday, Stephen Bates interviewed the PB-elect for the Guardian Into the breach and also had an article in the Tablet Ploughing their own furrow.

Meanwhile, the NACDAP published what it calls A Pastoral Letter from the Moderator of the Anglican Communion Network which it seems is to be read in “network churches” today.

For the faithful of his own Pittsburgh diocese, Bishop Duncan offered this pastoral letter.

Bishop Peter Lee of Virginia published a letter to his diocese headlined The Center has Held.

The Living Church provided this very interesting analysis of Resolution B033: An Extraordinary Compromise.

Today’s Sunday Telegraph contain a longer explanation by the Bishop of Rochester (England, not the ECUSA diocese of the same name) of his “two religions” opinion: Truth should be more important than unity

Jim Naughton had a roundup item on daily episcopalian.

And finally Matthew Davies had an ENS report which summarises events: General Convention: Windsor debate results in six resolutions.

St Albans: dean interviewed

on Friday, 23 June 2006 at 1.49 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as Church of England

Last week Rachel Harden of the Church Times interviewed the Dean of St Albans, Jeffrey John.

You can now read this here.

The sermon mentioned in the interview can be found here.

more responses to ECUSA

on Thursday, 22 June 2006 at 3.25 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as Anglican Communion

The African primates of CAPA have expressed their opinions on the ECUSA General Convention:
CAPA – An Open Letter to the Episcopal Church USA signed by Peter Akinola.

The Bishop of Rochester’s opinions previously expressed in the Telegraph are repeated by the CEN in Backdoor claim over civil marriages.

Lionel Deimel has updated his excellent earlier analysis Is the Episcopal Church About to Surrender? with a lengthy addendum (scroll down).

Christina Rees has an article about the new PB in the CEN A Leader for our Time .

Columbus: more reports and comments

on Thursday, 22 June 2006 at 8.45 am by Peter Owen
categorised as ECUSA

Anglican Communion Institute Initial Observations on General Convention

Jim Naughton Conflicted people in a conflicted Church

Telegraph Jonathan Petre Anglican Church on brink of schism

Associated Press Rachel Zoll Episcopal Delegates to Adopt Resolution

Nick Knisely the center of the Episcopal Church found its voice on Tuesday evening

Reactions to B033

on Wednesday, 21 June 2006 at 11.20 pm by Peter Owen
categorised as ECUSA

A statement from a group of bishops dissenting B033 read by Bishop Chane [the Bishop of Wsashington DC] A Statement of Conscience
“We, the undersigned Bishops of this 75th General Convention, in the confidence of the Gospel and out of love for this great Church, must prayerfully dissent from the action of this Convention in Resolution B033 (on Election of Bishops).”
“Any language that could be perceived as effecting a moratorium that singles out one part of the Body by category is discriminatory.”

Anglican Communion Network General Convention Actions Inadequate
“The responses which the Convention has given to the clear and simple requests of the Lambeth Commission, the clear and simple requests indeed of the Anglican Communion, are clearly and simply inadequate.”
signed by 13 bishops

Mary Ann Sieghart comments in The Times Women bishops and gays? That’s the church for me

Some articles from the press

Guardian Stephen Bates US Episcopal church offers compromise to avoid Anglican expulsion

BBC US Church eases gay bishop stance

The Times Ruth Gledhill and James Bone Our Mother Jesus . . . a sermon by US church’s new head

Updated to add
Andrew Brown comments in the Guardian Fear and loathing in Anglicanism

Canterbury on B033: 'grateful' but 'not clear'

on Wednesday, 21 June 2006 at 8.59 pm by Simon Kershaw
categorised as ECUSA

The Archbishop of Canterbury tonight issued a statement,following the adoption by the General Convention of Resolution B033.

He said he was ‘grateful’ to the Bishops and Deputies for the seriousness with which they addressed the issue, and for their hard and devoted work. He added that ‘it is not yet clear’ whether the adopted reolutions are enough to satisfy the requests of the Windsor Report.

The statement in full reads:

I am grateful to the Bishops and Deputies of the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church (USA) for the exceptional seriousness with which they have responded to the request of the Primates of the Anglican Communion that they should address the recommendations of the Windsor Report relating to the tensions arising from the decisions associated with the 74th General Convention in 2003.

There is much to appreciate in the hard and devoted work done by General Convention, and before that, by the Special Commission on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, in crafting the resolutions. This and the actions taken today show how strong is their concern to seek reconciliation and conversation with the rest of the Communion.

It is not yet clear how far the resolutions passed this week and today represent the adoption by the Episcopal Church of all the proposals set out in the Windsor Report. The wider Communion will therefore need to reflect carefully on the significance of what has been decided before we respond more fully.

I am grateful that the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and ACC has already appointed a small working group to assist this process of reflection and to advise me on these matters in the months leading up to the next Primates’ Meeting.

I intend to offer fuller comments on the situation in the next few days. The members of Convention and the whole of the Episcopal Church remain very much in our prayers.

Columbus: Resolution B033

on Wednesday, 21 June 2006 at 5.47 pm by Simon Kershaw
categorised as ECUSA

At a joint meeting of Deputies and Bishops called by Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, the Convention was presented with Resolution B033 titled “On Election of Bishops” proposed by the Rt Revd Dorsey Henderson of Upper South Carolina. The resolution reads:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, that the 75th General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Report’s invitation to engage in a process of healing and reconciliation; and be it further

Resolved, that this Convention therefore call upon Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on the communion.

(UPDATE official text of the resolution here)

ENS carries the text of Bishop Griswold’s speech to the joint session.

The bishops then left the Hall of Deputies to consider the resolution.

After several attempts to amend the second clause the Bishops adopted B033 on a voice vote. The resolution was delivered to the House of Deputies at 12:15, shortly after its President surrendered the Chair to the President Elect.

The Deputies interrupted their debate to hear a plea from Presiding Bishop Elect Katharine Jefferts Schori who urged them to concur in the resolution despite its shortcomings, saying it was the best that could be expected.

After several failed amendments the time allotted for debate expired and the vote-by-orders ballot began. At 1:30 p.m. the result of the vote was announced.

The House of Deputies concurs in Resolution B033.

UPDATE ENS report on the resolution and debate here

Other reports:

BBC has US Church eases gay bishop stance

Reuters Episcopal Church votes to curb gay bishops

Telegraph Episcopal delegates reject temporary ban on gay bishops

Columbus: Bishop Jefferts Schori sermon

on Wednesday, 21 June 2006 at 5.10 pm by Simon Kershaw
categorised as ECUSA

The Presiding Bishop elect, Katharine Jefferts Schori, preached the sermon at the Eucharist at the end of business on Tuesday.

ENS carries the full text of the sermon here.

Jim Naughton comments on it in his blog here.

Columbus: last day dawns

on Wednesday, 21 June 2006 at 11.00 am by Peter Owen
categorised as ECUSA

General Convention 2006 closes at 6pm local time today. The House of Bishops and the House of Deputies will meet in joint session after the 9 am Eucharist to consider a resolution responding to the Windsor Report.

Here is Jim Naughton’s commentary on what it may or may not be able to do about Windsor before everybody goes home.

Some further articles from the press and the blogs:

Guardian Stephen Bates Pressure on Williams as US church ponders gay bishops

Associated Press Rachel Zoll Episcopalians Reject Ban on Gay Bishops

Times Ruth Gledhill What happens next at TEC GenCon?

Resolution A161 rejected by ECUSA Deputies

on Tuesday, 20 June 2006 at 8.08 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as ECUSA

Update midnight Tuesday
Stand Firm reports that the HoB is debating a new resolution in place of 162 which represents most of 161.

A161, which now includes A162, has been voted down by both orders in the House of Deputies.

Voting by dioceses:
LAY: 38 yes 53 no 18 divided: Motion fails
CLERGY: 44 yes 53 no 14 divided: Motion fails

(A divided vote i.e. 2-2, counts as a No.)

Rachel Zoll for Associated Press Episcopalians Reject Ban on Gay Bishops

Here is Jim Naughton’s commentary.

And here is further analysis by Sarah Dylan Breuer.

Reuters Episcopal Church group rejects curb on gay bishops

The Times James Bone ‘Boston tea party’ as US radicals defy Canterbury
Ruth Gledhill Schism threat after failure of middle way and If I were…

Columbus: further reports

on Tuesday, 20 June 2006 at 5.57 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as ECUSA

Some further articles from the press and the blogs:
Earlier Tuesday items at the bottom of this article.

Associated Press Rachel Zoll Episcopalians Address Gay Bishop Impasse

The Times Ruth Gledhill Canterbury oversight offers chance of truce and some information in this blog item too

Steve Bates filed rather more copy than the Guardian had room for yesterday, some of his additional comments are below the fold here.

The Living Church reports that Two More Dioceses Will Consider Alternative Oversight and Doug LeBlanc collected these comments about the PB-elect.

For what’s happening in the House of Deputies about the resolutions, Jim Naughton has the latest here, and also see his earlier comments here.

Lionel Deimel has published an essay titled Is the Episcopal Church About to Surrender?
Kendall Harmon has an essay published by Beliefnet What Do Conservative Episcopalians Want?

This BBC story is dated Monday, but US Church vote highlights tension

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Windsor Resolutions: texts

on Tuesday, 20 June 2006 at 11.20 am by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as ECUSA

Updated Tuesday afternoon
The Special Legislative Committee has now reported out several of these resolutions. To make it easier to follow, here are links to the latest texts:

A159 Commitment to Interdependence in the Anglican Communion to be merged with A166

A160 Expression of Regret passed by Deputies, now goes to Bishops

A161 Election of Bishops debate by Deputies continues Tuesday Alternative text that was discussed

A162 Public Rites of Blessing for Same-Sex Unions now merged into A161

A163 Pastoral Care and Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight

A164 Continued Attention to the Millennium Development Goals

A165 Commitment to Windsor and Listening Processes

A166 Anglican Covenant Development Process to be merged with A159

General Synod Agenda

on Tuesday, 20 June 2006 at 9.15 am by Peter Owen
categorised as General Synod

The Church of England held its press briefing for next month’s General Synod yesterday. So far we have only found one item published as a result of this. Despite its title this does cover other Synod topics, such as women bishops.

Times
Jenny Booth and agencies Couples to gain wider choice of wedding churches

The proposals on marriage law were picked up by the Telegraph last week.
Jonathan Petre Church wedding rules may be eased

The CofE’s own news item on the Synod agenda is Key debates on women bishops, Faithful Cities report, further education, and major legislative proposals on agenda for General Synod.

Our links to the agenda and papers are here.

Tuesday evening update

A few more articles that mention the Synod agenda
The Mercury (South Africa) First female bishop ‘will not influence England’
Christian Post (USA) Episcopal Election of New Leader Highlights Anglican Rifts
Guardian Episcopal Choice Highlights Anglican Rifts

more on ECUSA new presiding bishop

on Tuesday, 20 June 2006 at 7.24 am by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as ECUSA

Updated again Tuesday morning

The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued this statement (see ACNS original here)

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has issued a statement on the election of the Rt Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori as the next Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, in succession to the Most Revd Frank Griswold.

“ I send my greetings to Bishop Katharine and she has my prayers and good wishes as she takes up a deeply demanding position at a critical time. She will bring many intellectual and pastoral gifts to her new work, and I am pleased to see the strength of her commitment to mission and to the Millennium Development Goals.

Her election will undoubtedly have an impact on the collegial life of the Anglican Primates; and it also brings into focus some continuing issues in several of our ecumenical dialogues.

We are continuing to pray for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church as it confronts a series of exceptionally difficult choices.”

Earlier today Dr Rowan Williams spoke to Bishop Schori by telephone to assure her of prayers as she prepares to take up her post.

The Diocese of Fort Worth has appealed to Lambeth for “immediate alternative Primatial oversight and Pastoral Care.” See this statement by the diocesan standing committee:

The Bishop and the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth appeal in good faith to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primates of the Anglican Communion and the Panel of Reference for immediate alternative Primatial oversight and Pastoral Care following the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
This action is taken as a cooperative member of the Anglican Communion Network in light of the Windsor Report and its recommendations.

Tuesday newspapers

Tuesday’s articles in The Times are already online:
Ruth Gledhill and James Bone Anglicans ‘are close to anarchy’ in dispute over female bishop
editorial comment A house divided
The strapline is: “The Archbishop of Canterbury must be bolder or schism is inevitable”
See also Ruth’s blog entry.

Stephen Bates in the Guardian has Anglican acclaim and fury over woman bishop. And also Showing the way?

The Telegraph has:
Jonathan Petre Conservative Texas speeds schism over female bishop
and an opinion piece by Damian Thompson Anglicans should welcome a schism