I’ve been looking at the websites of conservative lobbying organizations, and I am confused as to how many separate bodies there really are.
The Anglican Communion Institute which despite its name has no official status but appears to be based in Colorado, USA has published this statement and this brief analysis. This is the body which lists George Carey as a director. Then there is also the Anglican Institute also based in Colorado, and seems to overlap the above. And then there is Communion Parishes which clearly has close links with the first of these at least.
The American Anglican Council, which organised the recent Texas meeting has published this interview [sorry, broken link] with Emmanuel Kolini, Archbishop of Rwanda. And then there is this letter from David Anderson and David Roseberry.
Anglican Mainstream seems to have mostly repeats of AAC statements about the primates meeting, apart from this one.
Maybe someone closer to these groups can explain to us.
1 CommentThis morning’s Press Association report is Only God Can Make Me Quit, Says Gay Bishop-Elect.
On Monday, the Telegraph carried a signed opinion column by the new editor Martin Newland, The Church’s unity is more important than sexuality along with a news story, God urging me on, says gay bishop. The next day, they published this letter from Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes.
The Times on Monday had It may be messy, says gay canon, but I’m following God’s calling.
The Guardian had Gay canon feels ‘God approved’ promotion.
On Sunday night, the BBC had Gay bishop reaffirms role which includes a link to a video clip including part of an interview with Gene Robinson. On Monday morning, the BBC had Gay US bishop-elect replies to critics. There is a radio interview here (Real Audio required).
Turning to reports from elsewhere, in addition to those already reported here…
Revised Item
I reproduce below, with the author’s permission, the whole of a note which he has prepared as an eyewitness to the Pittsburgh meeting at which Robert Duncan spoke on Sunday.
Among other points, he has reported the following additional detail on point 4 of the original summary which now also appears on the AAC website.
4. The “Network of Confessing Dioceses and Parishes” has Archbishop Rowan’s encouragement.
“Some of you heard me talk about a network of confessing Dioceses and parishes in the remarks that I made at Plano. I can now attribute them: that’s a direct quotation from Archbishop Rowan. It was at Plano I knew that, but now he’s prepared to talk about that network of confessing Dioceses and Parishes. … This has Archbishop Rowan’s encouragement. He said clearly to the four of us Bishops who were there that the details of that would have to be developed Stateside in each Province in which it is developed.”
Simon’s comment
I have some trouble understanding this, since Duncan’s speech at Plano does not, as far as I can tell, contain any unattributed quotations. My suspicion is that Duncan is back-projecting, and what happened at Friday’s meeting is that RW used the phrase quoting Duncan. But we await any comment from Lambeth about this meeting.
Original Report:
4 CommentsAgain, the British national newspapers have quite a lot to say.
The Observer
Jamie Doward Warning to Williams: backing gays will cause riots and death
Leader Why the Church must not split
David Aaronovitch Way of the cross
Richard Ingrams Bishops confuse liberals
Also a feature with references to the CofE, Have you told your mum yet?
There is a veritable flood of writing about this.
The Times
Ruth Gledhill Threat of schism over gay bishop is empty, say liberals
Home town split over Robinson
Leader Tolerating intolerance
Andrew Brown So that’s all agreed, then, my fellow bishops. We don’t agree
Mary Ann Sieghart The burden of being a fair-minded Archbishop
Letters
The Church Times has this report by Bill Bowder on its website (not in the paper), Primates face up to rift.
Anglicans Online has this report by me, Primates acknowledge reality.
1 CommentRowan Williams this morning gave his first “news programme interview” since becoming Archbishop of Canterbury to the BBC Today radio programme. Here is the audio link.
He states that he personally opposes the consecration of Gene Robinson going ahead, because of the difficulties it is causing to other provinces, and that he would not be able to ‘license’ Gene Robinson to function as a bishop in England (all visiting Anglican clergy from overseas have to obtain prior archiepiscopal approval to ‘minister’ in either York or Canterbury provinces).
Update the full transcript of the interview, as broadcast is now on ACNS.
For the bit that wasn’t broadcast, see here.
Earlier this morning, the programme covered the Primates Meeting and related matters in this discussion between John Humphrys and Robert Piggott, listen here (Real Audio required).
At the end of the programme there was a further interview with Njongonlulu Ndungane and with Peter Jensen (who is not a primate). Link to audio of this.
Update
The BBC has published this report of the interview ‘Huge crisis’ over gay bishop with substantial quotes. I hope the full text becomes available later. There is a link on that page to a further video report from Robert Pigott which also includes quotes from the radio interview and a short clip of Paul Handley, editor of the Church Times.
Update (added by Simon Kershaw, Monday 20 October 2003)
Monday’s Guardian carries this letter from Jonathan Jennings, press secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury, in which he simultaneously denies that Lambeth Palace asked for the interview to be edited or parts to be cut, and that ‘representations were made’ to the BBC. He also says that he wants to ‘clarify’ the situation. The story is further reported in the Sunday Telegraph and in today’s Guardian
Here is the statement issued by the Diocese of New Hampshire, yesterday, after the Primates Meeting.
The Bishop and Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire met today in response to the London meeting of the Primates from the 38 autonomous Provinces of the worldwide Anglican Communion for prayer, bible study and discussion….
STATEMENT FROM THE DIOCESE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
And here is the one from the Diocese of New Westminster
Bishop Michael Ingham’s response to the statement of the Primates of the Anglican Communion
0 CommentsThe Primates’ statement from Lambeth today should be welcomed by members of the Diocese of New Westminster….
The BBC reports Church split over gay bishop election including the news that the Diocese of New Hampshire will proceed with the consecration of Gene Robinson.
TV report (needs Real Player), Robert Pigott, watch here
Alex Kirby, BBC News Online religious affairs correspondent. has filed Is the Church too timid to act? in which he says
The Church of England and the other Anglican churches around the globe are sometimes unfairly caricatured as vague and unworldly.
This time, though, it really is hard to think they share the same planet as most of humanity.
Whichever side of the debate about homosexuality and the church you find yourself on, this meeting has actually solved nothing.
The threat of a split remains as potent as it ever was, and the crisis will come very soon.
The Times says Church heads for schism over gay bishop and All sides claim victory over gay priests . . . for now.
The Independent has Clergy avert schism but say gay bishop will damage church
The Telegraph has Anglican Church at breaking point over gay bishop
The Guardian says Church heads for schism
The Daily Mail, 17 days to save the Anglican Church
Press Association report via the Scotsman, Anglicans ‘Agree to Disagree’ over Gay Clergy
Reuters:Anglican leaders fear split
Update: the Financial Times, Anglican leaders defer action over gay clergy
British press reports:
The Times, Meeting on gay bishops shows no sign of deal
The Telegraph, Anglicans hopeful that summit has prevented split
The Independent, Hardline preaching greets crisis summit on gay clergy
The Guardian, Church leaders struggle to agree
BBC, Hopes high for church summit and Today radio programme excerpt here (needs Real Audio)
Later additions another Times article What Anglican primates can learn from hairy primates
Reuters latest report
Some letters, in the Guardian, including a very interesting one from Andrew Deuchar, former Lambeth Palace staffer.
The world press is present at Lambeth in huge numbers. Some reports from abroad this morning:
A press conference was held at short notice at Lambeth Palace, this afternoon at 4.00 pm BST. Here is the BBC report of that, Church leaders ‘moving to consensus’.
Later
Here is the full text of what Robin Eames said, as published by ACNS.
ACNS also has some pictures of primates.
Reuters latest report here.
Press Association latest report here.
1 CommentTwo reports of the services held this morning:
St Matthew’s Westminster, the Press Association filed Church Exclusion of Gays ‘Like Apartheid’, reporting the sermon given by Walter Makhulu, the former Archbishop of Central Africa. The service was also mentioned in this earlier filing.
Later addition: Here is a longer account via Associated Press, with additional comments, as published in South Africa.
St John’s Waterloo, the local press reports Waterloo prayers for Lambeth primates summit. I was present at this service and can report that the church was full.
0 CommentsUpdate (added by Simon Kershaw)
BBC Radio 4’s Today programme broadcast this interview (Real Audio required) with the Archbishop of Cape Town, Giles Fraser, and Andrew Carey.
Further update
Later in the morning, the BBC published this news report, and this survey Q&A: Anglican gay summit. And, this head to head with Philip Giddings versus Gareth Williams of St Michael’s College, Llandaff.
The British press this morning is remarkably united in its views on this.
Stephen Bates reports in the Guardian, Church in need of a saviour.
The Guardian also has a leader, A church divided.
Ruth Gledhill in The Times has Anglicans should love gays as Jesus would, African primate says about what Njongonkulu Ndungane says.
The Times also has an opinion column by Mary Ann Sieghart, Certainty is so unnerving and another one by Magnus Linklater, Thank God for Henry VIII: Anglican doubt is better than Catholic hypocrisy.
The Independent has an analysis by Paul Vallely, Talk of schism is rife as bishops debate homosexuality which states the five point plan as follows:
1 CommentUpdate
This press release from ACNS, Anglicans call for inclusive church and a new call to mission, reports that the primates meeting has prompted many lobbying groups and organisations to draft statements in support of an inclusive church.
Some later reports from UK and elsewhere can be found here.
Today, the following British press items:
In The Times Ruth Gledhill reports, in Bishops’ five-point plan to heal Church gay rift, that Philip Giddings has proposed this 5-point plan for the primates to save the communion:
Generally, I post near-daily News updates to my personal blog rather than on here. But really major events (NEAC was a recent example) are reported here on TA.
Clearly the upcoming Primates Meeting is also a really major event. So during this week, I will post about that on here, but any other routine news stories will still be on my personal blog.
Simon Sarmiento
The Church Times has a splendid 12 page pull-out section of articles relevant to the forthcoming Primates Meeting next week. Most of these are not on the web, so it is well worth buying or borrowing a copy. Not online are articles by David Edwards, Bishop Peter Lee of Virginia, and a major piece on Homosexuality in Africa by Kevin Ward, plus four other items.
Update for several more of these items online see newer entry here
Major items online are:
A primer for the Primates: Reflections on the choices that will face Anglican leaders editorial overview
1 Commentwww.inclusivechurch.net Surround them with prayer
Leading anti-apartheid Archbishop to preside at inclusivechurch service.
1 CommentLambeth vigil supported by 6000 Anglicans prays for inclusive church
PRESS RELEASE Tuesday, October 7, 2003 For immediate release
The leaders of the Anglican Church will be literally surrounded by prayer as a network of over 6000 Anglicans organizes a vigil in churches around Lambeth Palace on 15th October. At 11 am, grassroots church-goers will assemble at the parish churches of St Matthew’s Westminster, St John’s Waterloo and St Peter’s Lambeth – the three parishes that immediately surround Lambeth Palace – to pray for the future of the church. The vigil has been organised by Inclusivechurch.net.
1 CommentIn this At your service column in today’s Times Ruth comments on her visit to NEAC, which she says, ’ finally provoked me into “coming out” in my true liberal Catholic colours’. Her piece concludes with these words:
‘The Anglican Church is currently one Church. It is the Church I grew up in. In a few days the 38 primates meet at Lambeth Palace at an extraordinary meeting called by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, in an attempt to resolve the crisis over gays. If these people, through their unbending fundamentalism, force some new schism, I for one will never forgive them. Because forgiveness, as the Bible makes clear, is not in my gift. But I will pray to God that He might, one day.’
Amen to that!
0 CommentsStephen Bates has an article in the Guardian this morning, Church’s gay activists beg to be heard reporting on a letter (about which more anon) that LGCM (not named in the article) has sent to all those coming to the Primates Meeting.
But later in the article he also mentions that “in a stern counterblast in the religious journal New Directions, the leading evangelical Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, insisted that the time for listening was over”.
For more from Australia about Jensen’s article, see also News from Melbourne, and Expel US, Canadian Anglicans, says Jensen in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Additional note: Also this, Gay issue a ‘contest for soul of the west’, says Jensen published later from the same paper.
Also, Australia’s ABC radio has transcribed this interview with Jensen.
It’s a pity that Sydney diocese’s normally splendid website Anglican Media Sydney has been unable to update since 24 September. I expect the full text of this article will be available from FiF soon.
Update: it is now available in full, but in PDF format, download from here. FiF press release is here.
Friday 3 October update: AMS website came back to life and here is the full text of the article as a web page.
Oh yes, and another set of advice from Church Society can be found here.
0 Comments