Thinking Anglicans

Lambeth: more Church Times Reports

Here are more Lambeth Conference news items from last week’s Church Times that were only available to subscribers until today.

Williams urges generous love
Lawyers see 1662 as still able to unite
Bishops tackle extremism and ‘daily business of dialogue’
Spouses aim to build good faith
Step up moral pressure over climate, Conference is told
Millennium Goals must be met, say Lambeth walkers
Ecumenical participants grapple
Murphy-O’Connor warns of ‘ecumenical shadow’

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Jim Naughton on the British press

Jim Naughton wrote the Church Times press column last week. It is now available online at What I ‘learnt’ at Lambeth.

FOR AN American church flak like me, learning to work with the British news media has been similar to learning to drive on British roads. The enterprises are fundamentally similar, and yet one’s reflexes need reconditioning to avoid accidents.

As a former journalist, I was struck first by the difference in the ways that American and British journalists attribute (or don’t attribute) the information in their stories. The British press is freer in its use of anonymous sources than its American counterpart. One is constantly reading that a paper “has learnt” something. Well, how, exactly?

Perhaps this wink-and-nod approach makes a certain sense in the cosy world of the Anglican Communion, but it’s open to abuse. A friend of mine recently found her fondest hopes transformed into the hidden agenda of the Episcopal Church by a reporter who assumed that my friend had much more influence that she has…

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Lambeth: the Economist weighs in

The Economist has several articles about the Lambeth Conference:

The high price of togetherness
The bishops got on fine for a while—but was it only a holiday romance?

Anyone for Schadenfreude?
What Roman Catholics fear from an Anglican split.

Leader: United we fall
The writhings of worldwide Anglicanism are another reason to disestablish the Church of England.

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SPCK bookshops saga update

The last update on here was CartoonChurch and the owner of the former SPCK bookshops.

Matt Wardman now reports: Dave Walker/SPCK Bookshops Campaign Moving Soon.

The place to which this move is taking place is: SPCK/SSG: News, Notes & Info.

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What Bishop Cathy Roskam said

I linked last week to three reports in London newspapers about what Bishop Cathy Roskam was alleged to have said about husbands beating their wives.

These reports all referred to the Lambeth Witness as the source of the quotes, rather than to any Episcopal Church news briefing.

The relevant issue of the Witness is available as a PDF here.

Bishop Roskam’s own response to the press reports can be found on her blog (scroll down to item 9) and is reproduced in full below the fold here (emphasis added).

(more…)

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Rowan Williams: the Pitt letters

Updated Thursday morning

The Times has released some correspondence between Rowan Williams ( who at the time was Archbishop of Wales) and Deborah Pitt.

Read all about it:

Ruth Gledhill Rowan Williams: gay relationships ‘comparable to marriage’ and

New light on Archbishop of Canterbury’s view on homosexuality

and on her blog, Archbishop Rowan: gay sex comparable to ‘marriage’

Mary Ann Sieghart Rowan Williams was selected as a liberal and now he should govern as one

Times Leader: Rowan Williams: pragmatism and belief

PDF of original letters here.

Update
The Telegraph has several reactions to this from conservatives (only) in Archbishop of Canterbury compares gay relationships to marriage. The Guardian and the Independent and the Mail also have reports.

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Lambeth: catching up on reports

The BBC Northern Ireland radio programme Sunday Sequence can be listened to via the BBC iPlayer. Last week’s programme hosted by William Crawley can be heard here, until next Sunday.

There is a segment on blogging at the conference, about 24 minutes in that lasts about 6 minutes. It includes contributions from Bishop David Chillingworth, and also from me.

Another article that I wrote on Saturday can be read at Wardman Wire titled Lambeth Conference – Touching Base: Guest Column by Simon Sarmiento.

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Lambeth: three more items

First, Tony Sadler formerly the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments, writes to The Times Arch appointment.

Second, Priyamvada Gopal who teaches postcolonial studies at Cambridge University, writes for Comment is free about Orombi: a child of empire?

Third, Will Self, columnist at the Evening Standard, writes It’s your job to stand up to the bigots, Archbishop.

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Lambeth: Tuesday after reports

Updated Tuesday evening

Robert Pigott of the BBC has published his final entry in Lambeth Diary. Read DARING THE EXTREMES TO LEAVE.

Anglican TV has Archbishop Orombi clarifies The Times letter.

The Living Church has What the Lambeth Conference Accomplished by Steve Waring.

Regarding the final press conference, there is now a transcript of it here (thank you Lichfield), and ENS has video recordings here (navigate by date to two segments dated 08/03/08).

ENS also has two further reports by Mary Frances Schjonberg:
Lengthy reflections document called ‘narrative’ of Lambeth experience and
Reactions to Lambeth Conference span the spectrum.

Tuesday evening additions

Yesterday’s Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 had a segment at 8.53, which includes both a report by Robert Pigott and an interview with Bishop Nick Baines.

And Premier Christian Radio has two segments: Lambeth Conference draws to a close and Anglican Church looks to the future. Those interviewed include Graham Kings and Rod Thomas.

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Glasgow news

The Scotsman reported Gay bishop thanks Scottish Church for recognising ‘all God’s people’.

The Herald has Applause and tears as gay US bishop preaches in Glasgow.

And The Times has Gay clerics certain to win struggle, Right Rev Gene Robinson says.

The full recording of the sermon is available here.

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Lambeth: yet more Monday news reports

The Telegraph added another article, this one by George Pitcher and headlined Archbishop of Canterbury upbeat after Lambeth Conference.

The New York Times which sent a war correspondent rather than a religion correspondent to cover the conference has Anglicans to Seek Pact to Prevent a Schism by John F Burns.

Rachel Zoll of Associated Press filed this from New York: Anglican Leader Seeks Moratorium On Gay Bishops.

The Washington Post filed this from London: Gay Bishop Dispute Dominates Conference by Karla Adam who concludes with:

Diarmaid MacCulloch, a professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, said many of Williams’s efforts to “prevent some from grandstanding,” like meeting in small groups, were “sensible in trying to keep the temperature as low as possible.”

MacCulloch predicted that the controversy about homosexuality would “rumble on because it can’t be resolved with two great cultural gaps” but that in time, the factions might learn to live with their differences.

“Overall, the conference did less damage than it could have,” he said, “and that’s something to be thankful for.”

Comment is free has an article by Theo Hobson titled The death of liberal Anglicanism.

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Lambeth: Monday church press reports

Anglican Journal Marites Sison Bishops end conference with ‘wide agreement’ on moratoria for same-sex blessings, cross-border interventions, and ordination of gay bishops, says Williams

ENS Archbishop of Canterbury seeks ‘covenantal commitment’

Also, Lambeth bishops attend closing Eucharist; Martyred Melanesian brothers honored in Canterbury Cathedral and Bishops say Lambeth has equipped them for leadership in mission

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Lambeth: Monday morning press reports

Guardian Riazat Butt
Lambeth conference: Archbishop blames liberals for church rift and
Healing the rift: how Williams kept his flock together

Guardian leader: Faith 1, Charity 0

The Times Ruth Gledhill
Dr Rowan Williams restores peace at the troubled Lambeth Conference and
Commentary: rebellion in the Church’s ranks

The Times leader last Saturday: Lambeth Conference: good news for Williams

Telegraph Martin Beckford
Lambeth Conference branded ‘exercise in futility’ and
Lambeth Conference Q&A: What has it achieved? and
Lambeth Conference by numbers

BBC Way ahead found in Church gay row

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Lambeth: closing sermon

From ACNS comes Sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Concluding Eucharist of the Lambeth Conference.

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Lambeth: final press conference

Audio of the entire press conference is now available here.

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Lambeth: Third Presidential Address published

The full text of The Archbishop of Canterbury Concluding Presidential Address to the Lambeth Conference 2008 is now available online.

PDF copy also.

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Lambeth: Reflections document published

The final version of the Reflections document is now available at Lambeth Indaba Reflections.

The Notes are separate as a PDF.

A PDF version of the main document is here.

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Lambeth: Global South statement

Global South Anglican has published this Statement at the Lambeth Conference 2008.

The note at the bottom says:

A note from Archbishop John Chew: “Signatures are still being gathered at the point of posting and will be released as soon as we are able to. Bishops who were at the special meeting on the 22nd of July are welcome to add their names to the undersigned list. To indicate, please email us at admin@globalsouthanglican.org

When a list of names is posted, I will update here too.

Monday morning update

The Most Revd Gerald James (Ian) Ernest (Indian Ocean)
The Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi (Burundi)
The Most Revd Dr. Dirokpa Balufuga Fidèle (Congo)
The Most Revd Archbishop John Chew (Southeast Asia)
The Most Revd Stephen Than Myint Oo (Myanmar)
The Most Revd Valentino Mokiwa (Tanzania)
The Most Revd Daniel Deng Bul Yak (Sudan)
The Most Revd Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis (Jerusalem & The Middle East)
The Most Revd Justice Ofei Akrofi (West Africa)
The Most Revd John Wilson Gladstone (South India)
The Rt Revd Donald Mtetemela (Tanzania)

(Ed: This list is still being updated)

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Lambeth: Sunday morning reports

The Sunday Programme on BBC Radio 4 is devoted entirely to the conference. Listen to Jane Little here (URL lasts for only one week).

Robert Pigott of the BBC has another diary update here: read A TWO-TIER COMMUNION: 2 AUGUST.

Bishops blogging: Episcopal Café has a new roundup here.

Jonathan Wynne-Jones at the Sunday Telegraph has Bishops ask Archbishop of Canterbury for an ‘orderly separation’.

For a different viewpoint, read Rod Liddle in the Sunday Times at That’s the spirit, Bishop Bigot. Let’s hate everybody.

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Lambeth: Saturday evening news

Updated Saturday 11 pm

The fourth draft of the Reflections document is available in full as a PDF here.

The Church Times blog has a commentary on it by Bill Bowder at The Bishops’ reflections – comprehensive, but rather hurried.

The Episcopal Café has extracted the two controversial sections of the text and they can be read at Live: Semi-final draft of Lambeth Reflection paper with some commentary by Jim Naughton.

And earlier, Jim wrote Live: bits and pieces as time ebbs at Lambeth.

See also Live: feudal morality.

The BBC’s Robert Pigott has updated his Lambeth Diary again, see A TWO-TIER COMMUNION: 2 AUGUST.

Update
Marites Sison at Anglican Journal has No concrete action anticipated on sexuality before Lambeth concludes

And also, Bishops of South Asia urge ‘continuing listening and healing’.

Solange de Santis at Episcopal News Service has Lambeth bishops air differing views on covenant.

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