Thinking Anglicans

Ugley controversy continues

From Trinidad comes this report in the Trinidad and Tobago Express about the withdrawal of an invitation to John Gladwin to visit there: ‘How terribly unfortunate’.

An invitation extended by the Anglican Bishop of Trinidad and Tobago, Calvin Bess, to Bishop John Gladwin of the United Kingdom to visit Trinidad has been withdrawn, after it was learnt that the latter has expressed solidarity with the pro-gay Anglican churches in Canada and the United States…

However, according to the Outlook, a mid-March story in the UK’s Telegraph newspaper indicated that a group of clergy in Britain had broken sacramental ties with Gladwin in an unprecedented revolt against his liberal views on homosexuality. The Telegraph story stated: “In what could be the start of an escalating conflict, at least eight conservative clerics have told the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev John Gladwin, that they will refuse to share Holy Communion with him.”

Gladwin reportedly responded by saying that it was his right to express his opinion and that he wanted to give space to those who were anxious about such matters.

This revelation, according to the Outlook article, was the catalyst for Bess-who has the support of the local Cathedral Chapter-to withdraw the invitation, and this was done via a letter dated April 12…

This matter was reported fully here on TA under the heading Ugley Puritans. As noted previously, the original letter to The Times simply restates the fact that the Church of England (and every member thereof, regardless of their personal opinion) is at present in communion with both the Canadian and the American provinces of the Communion.

Update Wednesday
Ruth Gledhill has reported this same Trinidad story in The Times today: Bishop told to forget Caribbean trip after airing liberal gay views. This version of events omits all mention of the Telegraph newspaper. (Those who are unable to access The Times website may find this copy useful.)

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Tim
Tim
18 years ago

I like your annotation; the whole point of the communion is that it is unity in action, *despite* the occasional regional / inter-personal differences. Methinks some people should wake up and smell this coffee.

Neil
Neil
18 years ago

“As noted previously, the original letter to The Times simply restates….”
Your selective reporting and interpretation is astounding!
– as also previously noted by numerous posters on this site over this very incident.
Michael Howard would call your statement a lie.
The minority Bishop’s statement was – undeniably – a qualification on the Primates’ Dromantine Communique.

Christopher Shell
Christopher Shell
18 years ago

Tim-
Even you (and everyone else) would have some sticking point. The only disagreement is over where that sticking-point should be.

Simon Sarmiento
18 years ago

Dale Rye, writing on _titusonenine_, comments: http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/index.php?p=6438#comment-169138 My reading of the letter by the six diocesan bishops was that it stated a truism, that pending some final action by the Anglican Communion and its member churches, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada are still members of the Communion, and that pending some final action by the Church of England through its lawful authorities, they as English bishops are still in communion with the North American bishops. There is no current mechanism allowing the C of E to break relations with an individual diocese, much less an individual… Read more »

Derek
Derek
18 years ago

I am told that Bishop McCulloch of Manchester has said he would do a gay blessing of a gay couple he is friendly with, if asked. Does this mean his possibility of translation from Manchester is unlikely now?

Simon Sarmiento
18 years ago

The following two items mention Bishop Nigel McCulloch, but I don’t think they substantiate Derek’s allegation above:

http://www.lgf.org.uk/magazine_article.php?ID=209

http://www.lgf.org.uk/info_centre_article.php?ID=338

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