Updated Saturday morning
The Diocese of Central Florida has joined the list of American dioceses requesting “immediate alternative primatial oversight”.
See General Convention 2006:An open letter to the people and clergy of Central Florida.
In connection with this kind of thing, Jim Naughton had a note yesterday which he labelled Individuals, groups and the nature of membership.
And Fr Jake has some background on Bishop John Howe here.
Another news story, from the Orlando Sentinel Mark Pinsky Talk of split upsets some Episcopalians.
Updated
The Diocese of Springfield has also joined this list. See this report in the Living Church. There is also a pastoral letter from the bishop, which has very very stupidly been published as a 2.3 Mbyte PDF file. You have been warned.
Update Global South Anglican has published an html copy. (Thanks guys)
Last week’s Church Times carried an article with this title. I didn’t write the title, but I did write the article. It is about the most recent proposals for further UK legislation concerning discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
The Church of England response which is discussed in the article can be found here (RTF format). The press release about it is here.
The original government consultation document is a PDF file. It is here.
Gluttons for punishment can read the Anglican Mainstream response, also briefly mentioned, here. On the other hand, for a sensible discussion of some of the serious practical issues, particularly with regard to schools, the LGCM response (PDF format) is interesting reading.
Simon Jenkins in the Guardian expresses an opinion: Dr Williams should abolish bishops and end this missionary creep. He has a point.
The Times has some more letters to the editor.
The Church Times reports: Dr Williams spells out future for Anglicans - ‘Choose between sacrifice and separation’.
Doug LeBlanc reports on events after the General Convention in Left and right show their frustration.
And Giles Fraser mentions the Bishop of Rochester in Why I thank God for political correctness.
Most important, there is editorial opinion: Without generosity there is no future.
Update
On the BBC Today radio programme this morning, Jim Naughtie interviewed Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. Listen here (Real Audio - about 7 minutes).
For immediate release
June 27, 2006
Anglican Archbishops here look forward to the proposed international Anglican covenant
The Anglican Archbishops in this country welcome the prospect of contributing to the shaping of a worldwide Anglican Communion covenant on doctrine, as outlined today by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
And they say that describing such a covenant as an “ultimatum” to the liberal wing of the church is a misrepresentation of his address.
Furthermore, suggestions that New Zealand’s Anglican church might find itself on the outer with the Archbishop of Canterbury is hard to imagine, says Archbishop David Moxon, one of the co-presiding bishops of the church here.
“I believe we will always be in communion with him,†says Archbishop Moxon. “And also, with this particular Archbishop of Canterbury, there’s a widespread trust in his scholarship, integrity and spirituality. Being in communion with him is a pleasure.”
The Times in England has reported a significant address by Dr Williams, which he made in response to the recent convention of the Episcopal Church of the United States (ECUSA). The American church had sparked concern among the worldwide Anglican Communion when it unilaterally ordained a man in a gay partnership as a bishop.
The ECUSA convention made significant concessions to the worldwide communion, including an acknowledgment that it had “strained” the communion by its actions. Even so, the American church’s moves did not satisfy Biblical conservatives, especially in some parts of Africa.
Dr Williams, in a major address, was responding to the ECUSA actions, and he suggested that a two stage “opt-in” covenant, to be developed over time by the Anglican Communion - whereby those who didn’t wish to fully subscribe to a covenant defining Biblical standards could become “associate” members of the communion, rather than full members, if they wished.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Moxon has said that the English press has gone off on the wrong foot.
“They’re assuming,” he says, “what the covenant will say” and that has yet to be shaped. Their assumptions are premature.
“There are many liberals and conservatives who trust Dr William’s scholarship and reason. He will be a key player in the wording.
“And if you look at the people, including two New Zealanders, who wrote the Windsor Report, and who suggested the covenant, there are some very deep, reflective scholars “liberal and conservative” on that group.
“They weren’t suggesting a straitjacket. They were suggesting clear claims about the Bible in coherent, contemporary terms, which we would all gather around, if we can.
“Anglicanism has only ever survived because of the genius of the wording we’ve been able to gather around, with integrity and hospitality.
“Because the classic Anglican texts, including liturgical texts, are “roomy”. We can say them, we can pray them, we can believe them - but there is also room for a reasonable variety of Christian points of view.
“Anglican Christianity has tried to say that we want a large room, of unity in diversity, which is clearly and simply described, and a covenant can do that.”
Ends
Lloyd Ashton
Media Officer to the Anglican Church
in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Phone: (09) 521-0192
Fax: (09) 528-2219
Mob: (021) 348-470
Email: mediaofficer@ang.org.nz
First, from Abuja, Nigeria this Reuters story:
Top Nigerian has doubts about Anglican split plan. And this press release which says CANA “To provide safe harbour†and “in tradition of missionary bishops†Akinola
Second, from Sydney, Australia these reports by Linda Morris in the Sydney Morning Herald:
US church leader could not preach here: Jensen
Losing their religion
and editorial comment A battle for hearts and souls
Inclusive Church is grateful to the Archbishop of Canterbury for his reaffirmation of the breadth and diversity of the Anglican tradition.
His recognition of this fundamental principle and mark of Anglicanism - the catholic, reformed and liberal strands of the Communion - offer a sound basis for our journey forward together.
But we have profound concerns about the process of agreeing any Covenant. The quick response of some of the more conservative parts of the Communion indicates that they see a Covenant more as an instrument of division than an instrument of unity.
The terms and wording of any document will need to “renew our positive appreciation of the possibilities of our heritage†in the Archbishop’s words. A Covenant must therefore give value to the strands in our tradition, not excluding reason from our theological method but finding a new way of expressing the Anglican approach to the faith in today’s world.
If we are to approach the process of agreeing a Covenant with honesty and integrity we must as Provinces and local churches be willing to be open about our own present situations. Many provinces have practices which other parts of the Communion may not support. For example, the blessing of same-gender relationships happens regularly in this Province even if not officially acknowledged. There are ongoing issues around the world over the tacit acceptance of lay presidency and polygamy.
The possibility of a two-tier Communion should not therefore be seized upon as a way to exclude those who support the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church. The Church of England is in various ways very similar to the Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Anglican Church of Canada and many of us would hope to strengthen our links in the future. It is likely that any wording designed to exclude TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada would also exclude the Church of England.
We are also uncertain whether a Covenant would affect the unilateral activities the Windsor report hoped to end – for example the election by the Province of Nigeria of Revd Martin Minns as bishop for a missionary initiative in North America.
We have serious concerns about the way a Covenant might be applied locally in the future. Proposals before the Church of England’s General Synod for the ordination of women as bishops are specifically designed to avoid parallel jurisdictions. How can we reconcile that with the proposal to have “constituent†and “associate†members of the Communion? Is there not potential for division even at Deanery level?
Ultimately we believe that we are already brought together by the covenant of Baptism. An Anglican Covenant, to reaffirm the bonds of unity for our Communion, will have to reflect the essential inclusiveness of the Baptismal Covenant.
Revd Dr. Giles Fraser, President, InclusiveChurch
Revd Giles Goddard, Chair, InclusiveChurch 07762 373 674
office@inclusivechurch.net
www.inclusivechurch.net
Jim Naughton has had further thoughts since yesterday, see Hmm. Maybe this is what I was missing. Read it all, but here are some quotes:
I think Dr. Williams release yesterday of a reflection on the future of the Anglican Communion, and his outlining of a two-tiered membership system was intended to head all of this off. Obviously it didn’t…
…This isn’t what good faith looks like.
This game may be played at levels I can’t discern, but I can’t imagine that Rowan Williams welcomes this initiative. Thirty-six hours ago, he laid out a comprehensive plan to re-form the government of the communion. This evening, despite media reports that they were ‘elated’ with his proposal, American conservatives have attempted to undermine it by issuing a very public appeal for Williams to insert himself into the internal affairs of a member province without that province”s consent. That can’t be the manner in which he hoped this process would begin. But I don’t know whether it is his way to voice the displeasure he might be feeling…
…In addition to undermining Williams’ efforts to achieve ‘the highest degree of communion possible despite our differences,’ the concerted actions undertaken today also present a challenge to the Episcopal Church. The primary question being: should we respond in kind? There are ample grounds for presentments against any number of prominent conservatives, but it strikes me that Bishop Duncan in particular is eager to be presented, and that pursuing a presentment simply hands him a bigger megaphone.
On the other hand, there are parishes in the dioceses seeking alternate oversight that want to remain loyal to the Episcopal Church. (I am most familiar with the numbers in Pittsburgh where about 12 or 13 parishes, including some large ones, have opted out of Duncan’s conservative Network.) How much longer do we allow these folks to languish? How do we assure their continuing membership in the Episcopal Church under Episcopal Church leadership as their dioceses pursue separation?…
Fr Jake has a rather different view, see ABC Gives Green Light, and They’re Off! The blog comments are also interesting. Again some quotes:
It appears that Archbishop Akinola, not satified with the Kingdom of Nigeria, has moved into the greener pastures of North America. His henchman on this shore will be none other than Marty Minns, formerly rector in Truro, Va., and well known extremist.
And so the plan, revealed to us some years ago, finally comes to fruition, only one day after the Archbishop of Canterbury issued a statement that was interpreted as giving the extremists a nod of approval for launching their plan…
…Well, now we have Marty Minns elected as Bishop of this attempted end run around the Windsor Report. The absurd thing is that those bishops begging for ALPO (Alternative Primatial Oversight) which are currently Fort Worth, South Carolina, Pittsburgh and San Joaquin, fancy themselves as “Windsor Bishops.” How much you want to bet the Primate they ask for is Peter Akinola? And then, of course, they will eventually attempt to move their entire diocese over to CANA, where their bud Marty will be waiting for them.
Thank you, Dr. Williams, for giving the green light for this drag race to destruction to commence. And please don’t act surprised; the plan has been quite clear, easily accessible to everyone, for many years now.
Or maybe neither of these is correct.
updated
Associated Press Rachel Zoll Episcopal Feud Over Gay Bishops Widens and earlier version.
New York Times Tina Kelly Gay Episcopal Priest Named as Possible Newark Bishop
and Neela Banerjee Three Dioceses Appeal to Distance Themselves From Episcopal Church
PIttsburgh Post-Gazette Steve Levin Pittsburgh Episcopalians seek separate conservative jurisdiction
Washington Times Julia Duin Virginia churches plan diocese exit
San Franciso Chronicle Matthai Chakko Kuruvila 4 Episcopal dioceses want out of church
Newark Star-Ledger Jeff Diamant Gay priest in running to lead Newark Episcopalians
Charleston Post and Courier Michael Gartland Episcopal diocese takes step toward split
Episcopal News Service ‘Alternative primatial oversight’ requested by three standing committees Virginia priest elected by Church of Nigeria to serve in North America
Living Church
Pittsburgh Seeks Alternative Primatial Oversight, Tenth Province
Canon Minns Elected Missionary Bishop for Church of Nigeria
South Carolina and San Joaquin Also Seek Alternative Oversight
BBC New row looms over US gay bishops
Updated Thursday afternoon
Before we return to the American war zone, whose news came too late in Britain to get more than this NIB in The Times, there is a comment article in today’s Guardian:
Andrew Brown The archbishop, we can only deduce, is a humanist mole
And Colin Slee had a letter published in The Times under this headline: Communion not Empire: the future of Anglicanism.
Meanwhile in Australia, Archbishop Peter Jensen gave his opinion: Two-tier Anglican church absurd: Jensen in the Sydney Morning Herald and Anglican church split won’t affect Australia: Archbishop on ABC.
updated to add
Andrew Carey has this analysis in tomorrow’s Church of England Newspaper Analysis: Facing a two-speed Communion? There is also this news report there.
Revised
The Diocese of Pittsburgh has appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury for “alternative primatial oversight”. Read the full press release at Standing Committee Requests “Alternative Primatial Oversight”; Envisions Tenth Province Within Episcopal Church.
Pittsburgh, unlike Fort Worth and some others, is not a diocese that restricts the ministry of women as priests.
The Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold has commented:
I find the action by the Standing Committee and Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh unsurprising and altogether consistent with their implicit intention of walking apart from the Episcopal Church. The urgency of their appeal indicates an unwillingness to be part of the process of formulating a covenant so clearly set forth in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s reflection. I would very much hope that they would remain part of the Episcopal Church as we, along with the other provinces of the Communion, explore our Anglican identity - as the Archbishop has invited us to do.
The Diocese of South Carolina has also announced an appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury for alternative primatial oversight. Read their statement here.
The Diocese of Newark has announced its list of candidates for election of the next diocesan bishop. Read the full press release about this here. Here is the ENS press release.
The list includes Michael Barlowe and does not include Tracey Lind, who withdrew her name from consideration. The American Anglican Council remains outraged though.
The Diocese of San Joaquin has also appealed for alternative primatial oversight. Their statement is here.
Updated Thursday
For earlier items see this list.
Jim Naughton has more thoughts: Am I missing something?.
Commonweal magazine’s blog has Principle of subsidiarity?
Frank Griswold has issued this:
I am greatly encouraged by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s timely call to the provinces of the Anglican Communion to join together in exploring our Anglican identity. I am one with him in his desire to develop a covenant capable of expressing that identity amidst the complexities of the world in which we live. I believe it is possible for us hold up a renewed vision of what it means to be Anglican Christians.
The Archbishop has helpfully raised up in his text the constituent elements of classical Anglicanism, namely the priority of the Bible in matters of doctrine, the Catholic sacramental tradition and a “habit of cultural sensitivity and intellectual flexibility that does not seek to close down unexpected questions too quickly.†This both reminds us of the tradition that has formed us and points us to the future.
The conclusion of this lengthy process is now unknown. Therefore is it misleading that some, in responding to the Archbishop’s lengthy theological reflection, have focused their attention on speculations about a yet-to-be determined outcome. And, as we enter into that process of discernment, we must never forget that God can always surprise us, and that the church is not our possession but is an instrument of God’s reconciling love in the world.
Mark Harris has had further thoughts: Second Look at the Archbishop’s Reflection
Press release from the Church of Nigeria: For Immediate Release: ELECTION OF BISHOPS:
…The Rev Canon Martyn Minns of Truro Parish in Virginia, USA was also elected Bishop in the Church of Nigeria for the missionary initiative of the Church of Nigeria called Convocation of Anglican Churches in North America (CANA)…
Updated
In no particular order:
Affirming Catholicism UK see below the fold (now on the web here)
Update
The Archbishop of Cape Town
Updated again
Matthew Thompson on PoliticalSpaghetti first re Archbishop Akinola, and second re Bishop Duncan.
PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE USE
DIRECTOR OF AFFIRMING CATHOLICISM WELCOMES ARCHBISHOP’S STATEMENT BUT WARNS AGAINST “PARTITION”
The Director of the Anglican organisation, Affirming Catholicism, The Rev’d Richard Jenkins, welcomed the Statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury, “Challenge and Hope” for the Anglican Communion but warned against creating a “two-tier” Church. The Most Rev’d Rowan Williams published his reflections on the state of the Anglican Communion today, 27 June, in the wake of last week’s American Episcopal Church’s General Convention where delegates passed a motion expressing regret for “straining the bonds of affection” by consecrating a gay man as bishop in 2003, but fell short of offering the repentance which conservative Anglicans wanted to hear.
Responding to the situation the Archbishop called on Anglicans to value equally the liberal, catholic and reformed traditions in their Church, and asked them to exercise mutual restraint in making decisions which might split their Communion. For provinces not willing to enter into a proposed formal but voluntary covenant to limit their autonomy, Dr Williams suggested a “two-tier” Communion of constituent and associated Churches.
Richard Jenkins said,
The Archbishop has issued a challenge to Anglicans: learn to live together with mutual respect and restraint, or call time on the unique Anglican approach to diversity and unity. I’m grateful for the clarity of his statement which identifies the underlying theological issues we are dealing with, and also repeatedly condemns homophobia. However, I want to warn against the possibility of a two-tier Communion. As a Belfast-born Christian I have to say that partition doesn’t work. We are all diminished by division and need each other’s insights to flourish. If a formal covenant is intended to help us to live in solidarity with each other then it must function in a dynamic way, not simply acting as a brake on every development. This will be a difficult task but one which we will apply ourselves to.
The Archbishop’s statement paves the way for more formal consideration by the Communion of the Episcopal Church’s response to the Windsor Report which first recommended an Anglican Covenant.
Affirming Catholicism will make its own consideration of the issues at a day Conference “Anglican Unity and the Limits of Diversity” to be held later this year, on Saturday 4 November.
ENDS
Guardian
Stephen Bates Williams admits church faces split over gay bishops (includes comments from the Primate of Canada)
Telegraph
Jonathan Petre Williams sets out his blueprint for twin-track Church and
editorial comment in Inside the Anglican shell
The Times
Ruth Gledhill Gay clergy ultimatum set to split Anglicans and
editorial comment in The Lambeth walk.
Associated Press
Robert Barr Anglican leader suggests two-tiered fellowship system
earlier report:
Leader of Anglicans Urges Coexistence
Religion News Service
Daniel Burke Williams Lays Out Two-Tier Membership for Anglicans
New York Times
Laurie Goodstein and Neela Banerjee Anglican Plan Threatens Split on Gay Issues
Washington Post
Alan Cooperman Head of Anglicans Seeks End to Divisions on Gay Clergy
Reuters
Kate Kelland Anglican leader sees church split over gay bishops
Press reaction is mostly focused on the potential for a split in Anglicanism. Some examples:
BBC Archbishop raises idea of split
The Telegraph has Archbishop of Canterbury plans Anglican split
The worldwide Anglican Communion could be divided into “associated” and “constituent” provinces in an attempt to resolve the impasse over homosexuality, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.
Ruth Gledhill in The Times goes further, singling out the American Church as a target for exclusion:
in The Times: Worldwide Anglican church facing split over gay bishop
The Archbishop of Canterbury has outlined proposals that are expected to lead to the exclusion of The Episcopal Church of the United States from the Anglican Church as a consequence of consecrating a gay bishop.
and in her blog, Gledhill writes: an ABC of schism
Never again can anyone accuse him of failing to give leadership, or of not speaking plainly. … The thrust of the letter, an intense and passionate theological teaching document for any who are prepared to listen, seems to be that episcopalians in the US and anywhere else who are unwilling to sign up to a covenant setting out Anglicanism in its orthodox and traditional, biblical form will be consigned to “associate” status. They will no longer be full Anglicans.
The full text of The Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today: A Reflection for the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communion can be found on the ACNS website, and also on the Lambeth Palace site here.
The audio version can be found here (about 6.3 Mbytes mp3 format).
For press release, see TA item immediately below this one.
For immediate Use
27th June 2006
Press release from Lambeth Palace Link to ACNS copy Lambeth Palace copy does not render correctly in Firefox problem now fixed, Lambeth copy here.
Archbishop - ‘Challenge and hope’ for the Anglican Communion
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has set out his thinking on the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of the deliberations in the United States on the Windsor Report and the Anglican Communion at the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA). ‘The Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today, A Reflection for the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communion’, has been sent to Primates with a covering letter, published more widely and made available as audio on the internet. In it, Dr Williams says that the strength of the Anglican tradition has been in maintaining a balance between the absolute priority of the Bible, a catholic loyalty to the sacraments and a habit of cultural sensitivity and intellectual flexibility:
“To accept that each of these has a place in the church’s life and that they need each other means that the enthusiasts for each aspect have to be prepared to live with certain tensions or even sacrifices. The only reason for being an Anglican is that this balance seems to you to be healthy for the Church Catholic”
Dr Williams acknowledges that the debate following the consecration of a practising gay bishop has posed challenges for the unity of the church. He stresses that the key issue now for the church is not about the human rights of homosexual people, but about how the church makes decisions in a responsible way.
“It is imperative to give the strongest support to the defence of homosexual people against violence, bigotry and legal disadvantage, to appreciate the role played in the life of the church by people of homosexual orientation…”
The debate in the Anglican Communion had for many, he says, become much harder after the consecration in 2003 which could be seen to have pre-empted the outcome. The structures of the Communion had struggled to cope with the resulting effects:
“… whatever the presenting issue, no member Church can make significant decisions unilaterally and still expect this to make no difference to how it is regarded in the fellowship; this would be uncomfortably like saying that every member could redefine the terms of belonging as and when it suited them. Some actions - and sacramental actions in particular - just do have the effect of putting a Church outside or even across the central stream of the life they have shared with other Churches.”
Dr Williams says that the divisions run through as well as between the different Provinces of the Anglican Communion and this would make a solution difficult. He favours the exploration of a formal Covenant agreement between the Provinces of the Anglican Communion as providing a possible way forward. Under such a scheme, member provinces that chose to would make a formal but voluntary commitment to each other.
“Those churches that were prepared to take this on as an expression of their responsibility to each other would limit their local freedoms for the sake of a wider witness: some might not be willing to do this. We could arrive at a situation where there were ‘constituent’ Churches in the Anglican Communion and other ‘churches in association’, which were bound by historic and perhaps personal links, fed from many of the same sources but not bound in a single and unrestricted sacramental communion and not sharing the same constitutional structures”.
Different views within a province might mean that local churches had to consider what kind of relationship they wanted with each other. This, though, might lead to a more positive understanding of unity:
“It could mean the need for local Churches to work at ordered and mutually respectful separation between constituent and associated elements; but it could also mean a positive challenge for churches to work out what they believed to be involved in belonging in a global sacramental fellowship, a chance to rediscover a positive common obedience to the mystery of God’s gift that was not a matter of coercion from above but that of ‘waiting for each other’ that St Paul commends to the Corinthians.”
Dr Williams stresses that the matter cannot be resolved by his decree:
” … the idea of an Archbishop of Canterbury resolving any of this by decree is misplaced, however tempting for many. The Archbishop of Canterbury presides and convenes in the Communion, and may … outline the theological framework in which a problem should be addressed; but he must always act collegially, with the bishops of his own local Church and with the primates and the other instruments of communion.”
“That is why the process currently going forward of assessing our situation in the wake of the General Convention is a shared one. But it is nonetheless possible for the Churches of the Communion to decide that this is indeed the identity, the living tradition - and by God’s grace, the gift - we want to share with the rest of the Christian world in the coming generation; more importantly still, that this is a valid and vital way of presenting the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. My hope is that the period ahead - of detailed response to the work of General Convention, exploration of new structures, and further refinement of the covenant model - will renew our positive appreciation of the possibilities of our heritage so that we can pursue our mission with deeper confidence and harmony.”
The Primates of the Anglican Communion will meet early next year to consider the matter. In the meantime, a group appointed by the Joint Standing Committee of the ACC and the Primates will be assisting Dr Williams in considering the resolutions of the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA) in response to the questions posed by the Windsor Report.
ENDS
Notes for editors:
The audio version can be found at:
http://db.astream.com/cofe/060627%20Archbishop’s%20reflection%20on%20communion.mp3
Archbishop’s letter to Primates
“Following last week’s General Convention of the Episcopal Church (USA), I have been preparing some personal reflections on the challenges that lie ahead for us within the Anglican Communion. I have addressed these reflections to a wide readership in the Anglican Communion and they are being made public today on my website. I wanted to bring them to your attention accordingly, for you to draw to the attention of members of your Province in whatever way you see fit.
These reflections are in no way intended to pre-empt the necessary process of careful assessment of the Episcopal Church’s response to the Windsor Report. Rather they are intended to focus the question of what kind of Anglican Communion we wish to be and to explore how this vision might become more of a reality.
I am also sending you a copy of the press statement I issued at the close of General Convention, which you will see mentions the Joint Standing Committee working party that will be assisting in evaluating the outcome of the 75th General Convention.I shall be writing to you again later this week, to invite your own response to me to various questions as the Communion’s discernment process moves ahead.
Rowan CANTUAR:”
Earlier this month, the Sunday Times reported that Lambeth Palace had issued a statement about Bishop Kunonga.
The Church of England Newspaper had a report last week, Call for Zimbabwe Bishop to step down which gives further details:
THE ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury has called upon Zimbabwe’s Bishop Nolbert Kunonga to step down, pressing the Central African church to adjudicate misconduct charges brought against the controversial Bishop of Harare. A statement released on behalf of the Archbishop by Lambeth Palace notes that: “In the context of a prolonged and political crisis, the diocese of Harare faces intolerable strain in the form of the very grave and unresolved accusations against Bishop Kunonga.
“The primary way forward is by dealing with these charges through the church courts in the Anglican Province of Central Africa, but this process has been aborted and the matter is unresolved.†The statement went on: “In other jurisdictions, a priest or bishop facing such serious charges would be suspended without prejudice until the case had been closed. It is therefore very difficult for Bishop Kunonga to be regarded as capable of functioning as a bishop elsewhere in the communion.
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has pressed the authorities of the Province to bring the case to a conclusion in a way consistent with justice, transparency and truth, so that the damage to the health and credibility of the church can be addressed,†the statement read. Members of the Central African House of Bishops were caught unawares by the announcement from Lambeth Palace. Speaking to The Church of England Newspaper at the US General Convention in Columbus, Ohio, Bishop Trevor Mwanda of Botswana stated he had not seen the statement and declined to comment, noting that the Kunonga affair was under close scrutiny by the Central African bishops…
Two daily newspapers have published articles criticising the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In The Times Tim Hames wrote Beware the folly of clever men in power.
And in the Guardian Michael Hampson wrote The American way puts the Church of England to shame.
On the Anglican Communion Institute website, Andrew Goddard has analysed the GC resolutions for their compliance with the Windsor Report.
At The Witness Gene Robinson has written An Open Letter to my LGBT Brothers and Sisters.
Jim Naughton had his review of the Sunday websites.
And Nick Knisely has a whole series of thoughtful posts on his blog Entangled States.
So also does Fr Jake at his blog.
Last week I linked an article from Ekklesia about marriage. Nobody here commented at all. So first, here is another item a week old, which is a discussion of that on last week’s BBC Sunday radio programme:
Marriage
Under draft legislation to be debated by the church of England’s General Synod next month, couples should be able to marry in any church they like if they can show they have a connection with it.
The religious think tank Ekklesia suggests that the Church and society should go further. It suggests serious consideration should be given to the abolition of legal marriage and its replacement by a variety of civil partnerships through which couples could specify the type of legal commitment they wished to make to one another.
The Dean of Wakefield, The Very Reverend George Nairn-Briggs, sat on the working party which drafted the proposals to relax the rules on where couples can marry. He and Jonathan Bartley, director of Ekklesia, discuss these controversial proposals.
Listen (7m 4s)
This week, Geoffrey Rowell writes in The Times: The Church must not sway to the siren voice of postmodern culture
In the Guardian Face to Faith is written from a Quaker perspective by David Bryant.
Christopher Howse writes in the Telegraph about A helping hand from St John [the Baptist].
The BBC radio programme Sunday interviewed Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold. There is also a discussion about General Convention between Jane Little and Stephen Bates.
Item lasts about 9 minutes. Link here.
Apologies for the lateness of some of these links.
On Friday, Jonathan Petre filed his last report from Columbus for the Telegraph : Pressure is growing on Williams to take action over schism.
The Church Times published this report of the final events of the Convention.
On Saturday, Stephen Bates interviewed the PB-elect for the Guardian Into the breach and also had an article in the Tablet Ploughing their own furrow.
Meanwhile, the NACDAP published what it calls A Pastoral Letter from the Moderator of the Anglican Communion Network which it seems is to be read in “network churches” today.
For the faithful of his own Pittsburgh diocese, Bishop Duncan offered this pastoral letter.
Bishop Peter Lee of Virginia published a letter to his diocese headlined The Center has Held.
The Living Church provided this very interesting analysis of Resolution B033: An Extraordinary Compromise.
Today’s Sunday Telegraph contain a longer explanation by the Bishop of Rochester (England, not the ECUSA diocese of the same name) of his “two religions” opinion: Truth should be more important than unity
Jim Naughton had a roundup item on daily episcopalian.
And finally Matthew Davies had an ENS report which summarises events: General Convention: Windsor debate results in six resolutions.
Last week Rachel Harden of the Church Times interviewed the Dean of St Albans, Jeffrey John.
You can now read this here.
The sermon mentioned in the interview can be found here.
The African primates of CAPA have expressed their opinions on the ECUSA General Convention:
CAPA - An Open Letter to the Episcopal Church USA signed by Peter Akinola.
The Bishop of Rochester’s opinions previously expressed in the Telegraph are repeated by the CEN in Backdoor claim over civil marriages.
Lionel Deimel has updated his excellent earlier analysis Is the Episcopal Church About to Surrender? with a lengthy addendum (scroll down).
Christina Rees has an article about the new PB in the CEN A Leader for our Time .
Anglican Communion Institute Initial Observations on General Convention
Jim Naughton Conflicted people in a conflicted Church
Telegraph Jonathan Petre Anglican Church on brink of schism
Associated Press Rachel Zoll Episcopal Delegates to Adopt Resolution
Nick Knisely the center of the Episcopal Church found its voice on Tuesday evening
A statement from a group of bishops dissenting B033 read by Bishop Chane [the Bishop of Wsashington DC] A Statement of Conscience
“We, the undersigned Bishops of this 75th General Convention, in the confidence of the Gospel and out of love for this great Church, must prayerfully dissent from the action of this Convention in Resolution B033 (on Election of Bishops).”
“Any language that could be perceived as effecting a moratorium that singles out one part of the Body by category is discriminatory.”
Anglican Communion Network General Convention Actions Inadequate
“The responses which the Convention has given to the clear and simple requests of the Lambeth Commission, the clear and simple requests indeed of the Anglican Communion, are clearly and simply inadequate.”
signed by 13 bishops
Mary Ann Sieghart comments in The Times Women bishops and gays? That’s the church for me
Some articles from the press
Guardian Stephen Bates US Episcopal church offers compromise to avoid Anglican expulsion
BBC US Church eases gay bishop stance
The Times Ruth Gledhill and James Bone Our Mother Jesus . . . a sermon by US church’s new head
Updated to add
Andrew Brown comments in the Guardian Fear and loathing in Anglicanism
The Archbishop of Canterbury tonight issued a statement,following the adoption by the General Convention of Resolution B033.
He said he was ‘grateful’ to the Bishops and Deputies for the seriousness with which they addressed the issue, and for their hard and devoted work. He added that ‘it is not yet clear’ whether the adopted reolutions are enough to satisfy the requests of the Windsor Report.
The statement in full reads:
I am grateful to the Bishops and Deputies of the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church (USA) for the exceptional seriousness with which they have responded to the request of the Primates of the Anglican Communion that they should address the recommendations of the Windsor Report relating to the tensions arising from the decisions associated with the 74th General Convention in 2003.
There is much to appreciate in the hard and devoted work done by General Convention, and before that, by the Special Commission on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, in crafting the resolutions. This and the actions taken today show how strong is their concern to seek reconciliation and conversation with the rest of the Communion.
It is not yet clear how far the resolutions passed this week and today represent the adoption by the Episcopal Church of all the proposals set out in the Windsor Report. The wider Communion will therefore need to reflect carefully on the significance of what has been decided before we respond more fully.
I am grateful that the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and ACC has already appointed a small working group to assist this process of reflection and to advise me on these matters in the months leading up to the next Primates’ Meeting.
I intend to offer fuller comments on the situation in the next few days. The members of Convention and the whole of the Episcopal Church remain very much in our prayers.
At a joint meeting of Deputies and Bishops called by Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, the Convention was presented with Resolution B033 titled “On Election of Bishops” proposed by the Rt Revd Dorsey Henderson of Upper South Carolina. The resolution reads:
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, that the 75th General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Report’s invitation to engage in a process of healing and reconciliation; and be it further
Resolved, that this Convention therefore call upon Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on the communion.
(UPDATE official text of the resolution here)
ENS carries the text of Bishop Griswold’s speech to the joint session.
The bishops then left the Hall of Deputies to consider the resolution.
After several attempts to amend the second clause the Bishops adopted B033 on a voice vote. The resolution was delivered to the House of Deputies at 12:15, shortly after its President surrendered the Chair to the President Elect.
The Deputies interrupted their debate to hear a plea from Presiding Bishop Elect Katharine Jefferts Schori who urged them to concur in the resolution despite its shortcomings, saying it was the best that could be expected.
After several failed amendments the time allotted for debate expired and the vote-by-orders ballot began. At 1:30 p.m. the result of the vote was announced.
| Yes | No | Divided | |
| Lay | 72 | 21 | 7 |
| Clerical | 75 | 24 | 4 |
The House of Deputies concurs in Resolution B033.
UPDATE ENS report on the resolution and debate here
Other reports:
BBC has US Church eases gay bishop stance
Reuters Episcopal Church votes to curb gay bishops
Telegraph Episcopal delegates reject temporary ban on gay bishops
The Presiding Bishop elect, Katharine Jefferts Schori, preached the sermon at the Eucharist at the end of business on Tuesday.
ENS carries the full text of the sermon here.
Jim Naughton comments on it in his blog here.
General Convention 2006 closes at 6pm local time today. The House of Bishops and the House of Deputies will meet in joint session after the 9 am Eucharist to consider a resolution responding to the Windsor Report.
Here is Jim Naughton’s commentary on what it may or may not be able to do about Windsor before everybody goes home.
Some further articles from the press and the blogs:
Guardian Stephen Bates Pressure on Williams as US church ponders gay bishops
Associated Press Rachel Zoll Episcopalians Reject Ban on Gay Bishops
Times Ruth Gledhill What happens next at TEC GenCon?
Update midnight Tuesday
Stand Firm reports that the HoB is debating a new resolution in place of 162 which represents most of 161.
A161, which now includes A162, has been voted down by both orders in the House of Deputies.
Voting by dioceses:
LAY: 38 yes 53 no 18 divided: Motion fails
CLERGY: 44 yes 53 no 14 divided: Motion fails
(A divided vote i.e. 2-2, counts as a No.)
Rachel Zoll for Associated Press Episcopalians Reject Ban on Gay Bishops
Here is Jim Naughton’s commentary.
And here is further analysis by Sarah Dylan Breuer.
Reuters Episcopal Church group rejects curb on gay bishops
The Times James Bone ‘Boston tea party’ as US radicals defy Canterbury
Ruth Gledhill Schism threat after failure of middle way and If I were…
Some further articles from the press and the blogs:
Earlier Tuesday items at the bottom of this article.
Associated Press Rachel Zoll Episcopalians Address Gay Bishop Impasse
The Times Ruth Gledhill Canterbury oversight offers chance of truce and some information in this blog item too
Steve Bates filed rather more copy than the Guardian had room for yesterday, some of his additional comments are below the fold here.
The Living Church reports that Two More Dioceses Will Consider Alternative Oversight and Doug LeBlanc collected these comments about the PB-elect.
For what’s happening in the House of Deputies about the resolutions, Jim Naughton has the latest here, and also see his earlier comments here.
Lionel Deimel has published an essay titled Is the Episcopal Church About to Surrender?
Kendall Harmon has an essay published by Beliefnet What Do Conservative Episcopalians Want?
This BBC story is dated Monday, but US Church vote highlights tension
Stephen Bates writes:
Yesterday, Archbishop Rowan Williams, a supporter of women’s ordination, took 18 hours to offer even a lukewarm welcome to her election, pointing to the impact on ecumenical relations.
Whether this will be the event that precipitates the long-predicted schism of the third largest Christian denomination remains to be seen. Only a minority of its 38 provinces ordain women at all, though the Americans have now done so for more than 30 years and the CofE for more than a decade. Despite that, the communion has so far held together in a way than seems less probable in its divisions over gays - another issue on which the liberal US church has led the way.
The odds on Katharine Jefferts Schori, 52, being elected first woman primate in the Anglican communion as presiding bishop of the US Episcopal Church, must have been pretty long. Firstly, she was raised as a Roman Catholic and secondly she specialised in marine biology at university.
Bishop Jefferts Schori - married to a retired theoretical mathematician and with a grown up married daughter who is herself a US airforce pilot - has a list of accomplishments rare in a bishop.
An expert in the squids and oysters inhabiting the sediment in the North East Pacific - the subject of her doctorate - she will be able to deal with the more antediluvian members of the Anglican communion’s bench of bishops.
Perhaps even more important, the subject gives her no truck with the fundamentalist Christians who still believe the Bible’s account of Creation.
The new presiding bishop is also a qualified pilot - lessons bought for her by her father when she was a student - and enjoys flying high above the deserts of her diocese of Nevada.
In Episcopal terms, she is a liberal, having voted three years ago for the election of the gay bishop Gene Robinson, though she did not attend his subsequent consecration. What she lacks in pastoral experience - she has never been a parish priest - she makes up perhaps in her membership of numerous church committees.
She dealt adroitly with her first press conference responding to a British conservative evangelical questioner who demanded to know where she stood on the homosexual issue by saying briskly that there were many more pressing issues for Anglicans, particularly in the Third World: “I think the majority of the church is concerned with more fundamental issues of hunger, housing, unclean water and the availability of education for their children.”
But in a measure of the problems she will face, American conservative evangelical journalists are already deriding both her liberal views and her looks.
Updated Tuesday afternoon
The Special Legislative Committee has now reported out several of these resolutions. To make it easier to follow, here are links to the latest texts:
A159 Commitment to Interdependence in the Anglican Communion to be merged with A166
A160 Expression of Regret passed by Deputies, now goes to Bishops
A161 Election of Bishops debate by Deputies continues Tuesday Alternative text that was discussed
A162 Public Rites of Blessing for Same-Sex Unions now merged into A161
A163 Pastoral Care and Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight
A164 Continued Attention to the Millennium Development Goals
A165 Commitment to Windsor and Listening Processes
A166 Anglican Covenant Development Process to be merged with A159
The Church of England held its press briefing for next month’s General Synod yesterday. So far we have only found one item published as a result of this. Despite its title this does cover other Synod topics, such as women bishops.
Times
Jenny Booth and agencies Couples to gain wider choice of wedding churches
The proposals on marriage law were picked up by the Telegraph last week.
Jonathan Petre Church wedding rules may be eased
The CofE’s own news item on the Synod agenda is Key debates on women bishops, Faithful Cities report, further education, and major legislative proposals on agenda for General Synod.
Our links to the agenda and papers are here.
Tuesday evening update
A few more articles that mention the Synod agenda
The Mercury (South Africa) First female bishop ‘will not influence England’
Christian Post (USA) Episcopal Election of New Leader Highlights Anglican Rifts
Guardian Episcopal Choice Highlights Anglican Rifts
Updated again Tuesday morning
The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued this statement (see ACNS original here)
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has issued a statement on the election of the Rt Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori as the next Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, in succession to the Most Revd Frank Griswold.
“ I send my greetings to Bishop Katharine and she has my prayers and good wishes as she takes up a deeply demanding position at a critical time. She will bring many intellectual and pastoral gifts to her new work, and I am pleased to see the strength of her commitment to mission and to the Millennium Development Goals.
Her election will undoubtedly have an impact on the collegial life of the Anglican Primates; and it also brings into focus some continuing issues in several of our ecumenical dialogues.
We are continuing to pray for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church as it confronts a series of exceptionally difficult choices.â€
Earlier today Dr Rowan Williams spoke to Bishop Schori by telephone to assure her of prayers as she prepares to take up her post.
The Diocese of Fort Worth has appealed to Lambeth for “immediate alternative Primatial oversight and Pastoral Care.” See this statement by the diocesan standing committee:
The Bishop and the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth appeal in good faith to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primates of the Anglican Communion and the Panel of Reference for immediate alternative Primatial oversight and Pastoral Care following the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
This action is taken as a cooperative member of the Anglican Communion Network in light of the Windsor Report and its recommendations.
Tuesday newspapers
Tuesday’s articles in The Times are already online:
Ruth Gledhill and James Bone Anglicans ‘are close to anarchy’ in dispute over female bishop
editorial comment A house divided
The strapline is: “The Archbishop of Canterbury must be bolder or schism is inevitable”
See also Ruth’s blog entry.
Stephen Bates in the Guardian has Anglican acclaim and fury over woman bishop. And also Showing the way?
The Telegraph has:
Jonathan Petre Conservative Texas speeds schism over female bishop
and an opinion piece by Damian Thompson Anglicans should welcome a schism
Papers for next month’s sessions of the General Synod of the Church of England are starting to appear online and are listed below. The list will be updated as more papers become available. [last update - Wednesday 2.45 pm]
Agenda
Outline Agenda
Friday 7 July
Saturday 8 July
Sunday 9 July
Monday 10 July
Tuesday 11 July
Special Agenda I - Legislative Business
Special Agenda V - Financial Business
Papers
(with the days on which they are scheduled to be debated or otherwise considered. Where no day is given there will only be a debate if a member requests one.)
GS 1597A Draft Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure (Saturday)
Part I (pages 1 to 15); Part II (pages 16 to 30); Part III (pages 31 to 45); Part IV (pages 46 to 59)
GS 1598A Draft Amending Canon No 27 (Saturday)
GS 1599A Draft Vacancy in See Committees (Amendment) Regulation (Saturday)
GS 1597-9Y Report by the Revision Committee (Saturday)
GS 1611 Faithful Cities: The Report of the Commission on Urban Life and Faith (Monday)
See also here
GS 1613 Report by the Business Committee (Friday)
GS 1615 Archbishops’ Council Annual Report
GS 1616 Draft Church of England Marriage Measure (Saturday)
GS 1616X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1617 Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2006
GS 1618 Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order 2006
GS 1617&18X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1619 Parochial Fees Order 2006
GS 1619X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1620 Church of England (Legal Aid) (Amendment) Rules 2006
GS 1620X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1621 40th Report of the Standing Orders Committee
GS 1622 The Draft Clergy Discipline (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Order 2006 (Saturday)
GS 1622X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1623 Annual Report of the Archbishops’ Council Audit Committee
GS 1624 Church Accounting Regulations (Saturday)
GS 1624X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1625 Scheme Amending the Diocese in Europe Constitution 1995 (Saturday)
GS 1625X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1626 Care of Cathedrals Rules 2006
GS 1626X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1627 Church of England Funded Pensions Scheme (Amendment) Rules 2006
GS 1627X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1628 Pushing Further: Report by the Board of Education (Friday)
GS 1629 Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches (Sunday)
GS 1630 Women in the Episcopate: note by the Presidents (Monday)
GS Misc 826 Women in the Episcopate: Report to the House of Bishops from the Bishops of Guildford and Gloucester (Monday)
GS Misc 827 Resources for Reflection on the subject of Women Bishops in the Church of England (Monday)
GS 1631 Clergy Terms of Service (Monday)
GS 1632 The Archbishops’ Council’s Draft Budget for 2007 (Sunday)
GS 1633 Appointed Members of the Archbishops Council (Saturday)
GS Misc 824A Married Couple’s Tax Allowance: note by Mrs Monckton (Tuesday)
GS Misc 824B note by the Mission and Public Affairs Council (Tuesday)
GS Misc 825A Carbon Dioxide Emissions: note by the Diocese of Southwark (Sunday)
GS Misc 825B note by the Mission and Public Affairs Council (Sunday)
Church Commissioners’ Annual Report 2005 (Sunday)
Letter from the General Convention 2006: Sunday June 18, 2006
Columbus, Ohio.
IIt has been an eventful twenty four hours. Last evening there was a gathering to honour the ministry of the retiring Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold. It was a moving, humorous and respectful tribute employing video, music and drama to celebrate a remarkable ministry. Presentation was made of a book of reflections on reconciliation, ‘I Have Called You Friends’, published by the Cowley Press, and the evening was strong evidence of the spiritual heart of this Convention. One bishop afterwards said they failed to see how anyone present could not have been touched by the grace of God’s presence.
The ending of one ministry led today to the start of a new one. The election this afternoon of the Bishop of Nevada, Katharine Jefferts Schori, as the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church electrified the General Convention, dramatically moving the Windsor Report from top of the agenda. The news was greeted with unrestrained delight by the majority of the thousands waiting for the result who were also clearly aware that this is a momentous decision with wide reaching consequences. The Episcopal Church has become for some the scapegoat of the Communion and the election of the first woman primate will undoubtedly be seen by them as hastening the division that has been darkly predicted at the edges of this Convention. (Conspiracy theorists suggest bishops of the Anglican Communion Network actually voted for her to precipitate the break). Whatever happens next this election will undoubtedly change something of the chemistry of the Episcopal Church, many believe for the better.
There is no substitute for actually being here, and it is a pity there are so few of us here from the Church of England to experience the vitality of this remarkable church. Not everyone sees it. The Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, has commented on the resolution passed by the House of Bishops that opposes ‘any state or federal constitutional amendment that prohibits same-sex civil marriage or civil unions’, seeing this as evidence of a different religion at work. Following on from the Bishop of Durham’s intervention earlier in the week many people have questioned the prelates’ purpose, and how the Church of England would react to such direct intrusion from bishops from the Episcopal Church. The Bishop of Rochester preached at a eucharist on Friday organised by the AAC, ACN and Forward in Faith, at which we understand there were about eighty people present (Anglican Mainstream has the figure at 200).
Columbus is an unlikely setting for a gathering which is receiving so much attention from around the world, but what is happening here in these days is important, and in the right sense of the word, momentous. The overriding impression is of a church that is healthy, passionate and God centred. The commitment to Anglicanism is heartfelt, and it is worth repeating that the sense of Anglican identity is undoubtedly stronger here than in some other churches of the Communion. With so much focus on the pressures facing the Communion it is not surprising that there is so much introspection, but as the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Kenneth Kearon, today reminded the House of Deputies, the danger of spending too much time close to the problem is that we can lose sight of the big picture. Perhaps we all need to take a step back and celebrate the richness of the tapestry of God of which we are but a part.
Giles Goddard
Philip Chester
Updated Monday afternoon
Telegraph
Jonathan Petre Anglican crisis as woman leads US Church
Victory for liberal could lead to schism
Rival services illustrate Church gulf
editorial opinion The spectre of schism
Guar