Maybe I'm just too cynical, but I was waiting for a reference to the Dear Leader. I'm trying to think of this as something other than a cult of personality. Maybe it's the wording. After all, different varieties of English put things differently, and there is an elaborate tone to the way the African Press puts things. But what does this mean:

"GAFCON will be on the front burner, we have to win it."

Win what? I thought he was one of the movers and shakers in GAFCON. Is there a battle for power inside GAFCON? Or is the "it" that must be won the war against homos, liberals, white people, anyone who isn't Evangelical, Americans who do not support him, what is this that must be won?

See this link for more details: http://www.nannigeria.com/latestnews.asp?Numpage=1
General News - Bishops reject Akinola's voluntary retirement.

Oh that is a shame. Anglicanism could have benefited from his early retirement.

Oh, yippee...

On a related note, CANA bishop David Anderson says that the British government has no right to appoint the ABC. So GAFCON are now directly challenging the constitutional rights of a sovereign nation!:

"AAC is very interested in the outcome of GAFCON. We have a deep desire to bring together all the churches that claim Anglican heritage in order to form a new province - one that would be orthodox and part of a global family of Anglicans, but not necessarily recognizing the right of the British government to appoint archbishops of Canterbury and run the Anglican Communion."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215330923090&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Anglican bishops reject Akinola’s voluntary retirement

Of course it is the Bishops that will reject the voluntary retirement of Archbishop Akinola and not the ordinary Nigerian Anglicans sitting on the pews who’s primary concern is how to survive in a country that is so blessed with mineral resources and yet nothing is working well.

Bearing in mind that some Nigerian bishops are phoning the organizers of the Lambeth Conference to say that Archbishop Akinola has ordered not to attend the conference are we sure this retirement news is not another avenue to hit headlines as the Lambeth conference progress?

Archbishop Akinola “For the next 15 months, from January 2009, the focus would be on discipleship, youth development and of course GAFCON will be on the front burner, we have to win it.”

My question to you is what provision does the leaders of GAFON made to those of us Anglicans Nigerian and in other Provinces who disagrees with the views of our Primates?

I am reminded of Shakespeare, as Caesar rejects the crown three times.

This is an interesting exerpt:
“… the decision in May 2003 by Standing Committee (by a vote of 32-10) to extend the retirement age of Archbishop Jensen from 65 to 70. On the one hand, the decision brought the retirement age of Sydney’s leading cleric into line with that of other diocese around the country. But it also reversed a decision taken only ten years earlier, on the eve of Harry Goodhew’s election. Jensen insisted the idea didn’t come from him but rather a committee of senior clergy ……..”
The Chosen Ones: The Politics of Salvation in the Anglican Church by Chris McGillion – 2005 http://tinyurl.com/6ohaj6
It appears that some Global South bishops and retirement have a complex relationship.
Might it be that a “committee of senior clergy” could soon be approaching some of them to remain indefinitely or take on a greater role?

Yes, this odd spectacle of nothing but acclamation for the shining and nearly imperial witness of conservative leaders like Peter Akinola rings many bells.

Bells of contradiction, insofar as the English crown must not have such a say in the life and leadership of CoE, while church leaders from afar claim exceptional privileges to cross boundaries and interfere with England for its own holy good. (And loudly tell everybody including the seriously bright academy of scholars how to investigate and read, and not, the scriptures?)

If we listen to this acclaim, the rest of the communion is groaning and yearning so conservatively and so traditionally for de facto absolute royal sovereignty, embodied by its bishops/archbishops who suddenly must be understood as something close to medieval princes, Machiavellian?

Bells of war, insofar as something still has to be won by GAFCON? One supposes this great prize yet to won must likely be the relentless tearing apart and utter destruction of historic big tent Anglicanism, globally, along with its replacement by the exclusive and narrow and closed minded traditionalisms preached by the whole realignment spectrum. Such a win has long been an object of true lust on the USA extreme religious and even secular right. If these leaders are essentially Anglican, they clearly owe more by far to Calvin than to Hooker.

Alas. Lord have mercy.

Martin Reynolds: "It appears that some Global South bishops and retirement have a complex relationship."

Indeed. Southern Cone ignored their own Canons, which stipulate a bishop must retire at 68, when they claimed San Joaquin and +Schofield as theirs. +Schofield is 69.

Pat, thanks for your literary reference. My reflection was a bit more pop and contemporary. It reminded me of the late James Brown. Toward the end of a concert the star, appearing exhausted, would be wrapped in his cape and, apparently, assisted - almost carried - off stage by an attendant. And then, just before actually leaving the stage, he would be taken with a new surge of energy and inspiration, coming back to sing again.

I do think, though, that we highlight the same point: perhaps it was all just a part of the act....

Does pre-empted have a different meaning in Britain or Nigeria? Here in the US it implies prevented or made meaningless.
Columba Gilliss

I'd say pre-empted means 'pipped at the post', myself.