Thinking Anglicans

OUTLINE REPORT TO THE DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH

OUTLINE REPORT TO THE DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH (Bishop Duncan)

Sunday, 19 October 2003, Ascension Church, 3 p.m. (following Evensong)

THE PRIMATES MEETING – WHAT HAPPENED?

1. The “most honest, most difficult” meeting any could recall.
2. Power of prayer and fall of the Holy Spirit reported.
3. Questions of law and “constitutionality” nearly derailed the meeting.
4. The Communion’s center and its power shifted to the Global South.
5. The Primates Meeting replaced the Anglican Consultative Council as the Communion’s key decision-making body (between Lambeth Conferences).
6. Rowan Williams achieved presidency on his terms and his turf.
7. The “limits of Anglican diversity” were clearly delineated:
   1. Scripture and Lambeth Conference teaching are determinative
   2. Provinces may break communion with errant partners
   3. Ecumenical and Inter-Faith considerations matter profoundly.
8. Time to organize provincial responses to schism provided (10/16-11/2).

THE PRIMATES MEETING – WHAT DID NOT HAPPEN?

1. Primates did not enter into ECUSA’s constitutional & legal battles.
2. ECUSA was rebuked and given an ultimatum, but not expelled.

MEETING WITH ARCHBISHOP ROWAN WILLIAMS – WHAT HAPPENED?

(Lambeth Palace, 17 October 2003, with the Bishops of Pittsburgh, Albany, Central Florida, and Fort Worth at the request of the American Anglican Council)

1. The Communion will experience significant realignment
   1. New Hampshire will proceed despite ultimatum
   2. Uncertain whether the Presiding Bishop will participate
   3. Most provinces will break with ECUSA and/or participants
   4. An orthodox (in Communion) network in U.S. will emerge.
2. In U.S. the “territorial principle” will give way to something more complex, more like Celtic missionary model.
3. The Commission called for will deal with 1 and 2 (above) seeking an “ecclesial path forward,” but not with sexuality.
4. The “Network of Confessing Dioceses and Parishes” has Archbishop Rowan’s encouragement .
   1. Specifics will be developed Stateside
   2. Mechanism for requesting “adequate episcopal oversight “ is urgent
   3. Mission will be at the heart of the network’s concern
   4. Assumption that the Network will be open toward Canada and “continuing” Anglicans
   5. Resistance to “free enterprise” quick fixes and Balkanization
5. The Primates Statement provides a mandate to move forward and direct conversations with “815” can be undertaken
6. Legal issues cannot be settled by Canterbury or Primates
7. The hour-long meeting was gracious, pastoral, affirming and prayerful.