Updated Sunday
There has been a chorus of happy responses to the Kigali communiqué from North American conservatives:
NACDAP aka Anglican Communion Network Global South Confirms Support of North American Anglicans
American Anglican Council AAC Commends Bold Kigali Communiqué Issued by Global South Primates
Anglican Network in Canada Global Anglican Leaders Issue Grave Warning to Canadian Church
Episcopal News Service has issued this report Global South meeting issues communiqué.
Mark Harris has published his opinions: Some Unkind Thoughts on the Communiqué from the Global South Primates. (revised)
Ruth Gledhill at Times Online has published Anti-gay bishops vote to split the evangelical church in two (headline, but not TITLE field now changed from “evangelical” to “Anglican”)
George Conger at the Living Church has significant additional detail on attendance and other aspects in Global South Coalition: Time for Alternative U.S. Church Structure
Saturday morning additions
ENS has a further article: Observers respond to Kigali, Camp Allen statements
Associated Press Anglican conservatives to snub female
Telegraph Jonathan Petre Traditionalists plan parallel anti-homosexual Church and his blog entry is titled The Archbishop’s ‘Third Way’.
Washington Times Julia Duin Anglicans freeze out liberal, female bishop
Episcopal Majority has issued: Akinola Throws Down Gauntlet
Fr Jake has published Global South to the Communion: “We Rule!”
Jim Naughton has Aggression and also Deja vu all over again
Saturday Afternoon Additions
Marshall Scott Catholic Order, Impaired Communion, and Anglican Boundaries
Matt Kennedy The Camp Allen Statement: Gifts Squandered, Allies Rebuffed
Jim Naughton again: What to do next
Sunday Additions
Njongonkulu Ndungane on the Communiqué
Integrity INTEGRITY RESPONDS TO KIGALI COMMUNIQUÉ
Can someone explain Ruth Gledhill’s comment “Such a structure exists in Europe, where both the Church of England and the Episcopal Church have a diocese that exists alongside each other in the same geographical territory.”?
I do not see any part of Scotland in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Church_of_England_dioceses , for starters..
I was puzzled that Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane would sign off on such a homophobic & misogynist document, but his early departure would seem to be a possible explanation. Ruth Glendhill’s piece is interesting in being quite clear that the proposal emanating from Kigali of a separate & parallel Anglican church in the USA is specifically anti-gay — the notion that it could be a precedent for other liberal provinces such as England, Wales and Scotland (here I thought the evangelicals dominated the C of E) is an eye-opener — as is the notion that both anti-gay & liberal church structures… Read more »
Thus saith Ruth G: “The two Anglican Churches [in the U.S.—and then, perhaps in other countries, too!] would not be in communion with each other, but both would remain in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, one of the Communion’s “instruments of unity”. The concept is not unprecedented. Such a structure exists in Europe, where both the Church of England and the Episcopal Church have a diocese that exists alongside each other in the same geographical territory.” But TEC(Europe) and CofE(Europe) ARE in communion with each other! So Ruth, your so-called “precedent” is hooey! >:-/ ***** “The Kigali communiqué asked… Read more »
I was struck by the word the Evangelical church.
So that is what you are now?
“In a globalised world with new communications, the medieval notion of one Church, one bishop, one territory is totally outdated. “The Global South primates are saying: ‘Let’s live in the modern world and recognise there are various possible configurations and these should not be determined by geography alone’.” In other words, they are accepting the fact of diversity and plurality in the AC, however grudgingly. This could have been achieved quietly and without all their fuss! From their din, one could be forgiven for thinking that they are highly princpled people, who could have nothing to do with a church… Read more »
Laurence I can understand your frustration, but God’s grace demand that we keep trying to move forward. There have been things happening on a global level e.g. fall-out Pope’s faux pas which are demonstrating that humanity must embrace a vision of a magnificant God who is capable of reconciling each and every soul back to God in the way that is most suitable to that soul. It is not our place to judge. But we will be judged on whether we hampered or hindered. I am hoping for honesty in these actions and will act in faith that we are… Read more »
Cheryl: I’m glad you raised “Change management”. It is a helpful lens through which to view the current situation. The ABC’s dilemma is, of course, that, as a theologian, he was expected to be way out in front of the parade, at the forefront of thought; and now, as ABC, is expected to be in front, but not too far in front. My sense is that, publicly, he has been desperately backpeddling to reconnect with the parade. All to no avail, for it now looks as if there will be two parades, each marching out of step with the other,… Read more »
There is a subediting mistake which had the word ‘evangelical’ instead of ‘episcopal’ in the title to Ruth Gledhill’s article, both in the hard copy and still currently online. It only makes sense if it reads ‘episcopal’.
Göran Koch-Swahne — Much of Central Africa was missionized by the Church Missionary Society — an extremely Protestant and Evangelical organization. When I tried to explain to a Roman Catholic Benedictine nun from Nigeria that I was an Anglican and a Benedictine monk, she was unable to grasp the concept — her experience of Anglicanism being of an exclusively & extremely Protestant type. One observor at the last Lambeth referred to the junking of the sexuality report of the the committee chaired by Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane & its replacement by virulent homophobia as, “The revenge of the Church Missionary Society.”… Read more »
Jim Naughton’s “Deja Vu All Over Again” says what I have been saying for some time — the Network playbook (with Gobal South support or vice versa — hard to say) has always been to work for schism (“we want the franchise,” etc.) — ALPO reinforces that — for the majority to continue to act as if there is common ground for mutual respect & compromise is unrealistic — it just prolongs the painful process — this is either naive or (just maybe) Machiavellian. When the dust settles I guess The Episcopal Church may be in Communion with Canterbury or… Read more »
It is becoming very clear that continuing to enter into dialogue with the ACN, AAC, ANC folk is a recipe for interminable wrangle with no hope ever of reasonable resolution. Their irresponsible proposals have pushed the Communion to the brink of schism. They are not uncomfortable [as Anglicans historically have been] with thoughts of schism. Their parallel-church solution is sorta like getting a soap opera divorce – they never really go away. You’re just not in bed with them – which was really their main concern, anyway. Their expert plotting, scheming, and the bickering at which they excel, still goes… Read more »
O, no. This Freudian slip makes much more sense as it is ;=)
Andrew I agree and feel that I am being utopionally optimistic that cohabitation is possible. But I would rather keep holding out the hand and hoping. I wonder if they yet understand the difference between forgiveness and trust. God might forgive them for their arrogance, but He no longer trusts them as shepherds. The victims of abuse (e.g. women, GLBTs, “the other”) are being given their voice so that when they are attacked they can speak to their defence – gone are the days of quiet submission. If they wanted it any other way then they should have kept Jesus’… Read more »
“Evangelical (in the English, not the German, sense)” Venerable Prior, they are the same. They say Evangel, they mean Law (and LXX n´mos means Tradition, not law, even less Law). In Germany the reason for dissembling was evident and Constitutional: the 1555 Peace of Augsburg, requirin the Confessio augustana (and giving outrageous privileges to the Princes that subscribed to it). So the Protestant Princes started calling themselves Evangelical. Then we have the 1608 Evangelical or Protestant Union, which was the actual plotting of the War of 29 Years. Your Chapman-memo. The grand-children, great-grandchilren and in-laws of Phillipp the Bigamist of… Read more »