The Church Times:
Primates teeter on brink of split
Dr Williams encourages ‘extended oversight’
The six conservatives who met RW “… were encouraged to consider the question of oversight as part of developing their relationship with ECUSA. The Archbishop was keen that they should work as closely as possible with the Presiding Bishop in developing the issue along these lines,” [Jonathan Jennings] said, … “encouragement” for the “Network of Confessing Dioceses and Parishes” should not be interpreted as the Archbishop’s seeking a relationship outside ECUSA.”
Comment: Is the American Anglican Council seriously listening to RW? See this new item on their website, American Anglican Council Begins Preparations for Realignment of Anglicanism in America.
Commission will comb Anglican canon law
Wandering into schism Leader
An extract:
Most disturbingly, the Primates wander into the minefield of schism and then content themselves with describing the scenery. It is common knowledge that the issue of homosexuality causes “profound pain and uncertainty”. If the perspective of “small and struggling Churches in the developing world”, as Dr Williams put it, is widely known, how did that come about?
Through engagement, not separation. How can the Primates best fulfil the promise made at the Lambeth Conference about listening to the experiences of homosexual people? By continued communion with those provinces in which homosexual people have the freedom to speak without fear of victimisation.
We are all liberals now column by Giles Fraser
Not on the web yet, but very well worth reading in the paper edition of the Church Times are four articles by Barry Morgan Archbishop of Wales, Michael Nazir-Ali Bishop of Rochester, Philip Giddings, and Michael Ingham Bishop of New Westminster. Also an article by John Rees, Provincial Registrar of Canterbury. And a lot of letters.
Update The Philip Giddings article has been posted on the blog of Kendall Harmon, link here.
The Church of England Newspaper:
Archbishop says a ‘great crisis’ is looming
Church of England to debate ECUSA links
Battle for the Church: behind the scenes at the Primates’ Meeting
This reads more like a screenplay for a TV soap opera than a church meeting report.
On course for schism column by Andrew Carey