BBC World Service broadcasts a daily radio programme Analysis. Wednesday’s edition was as follows:
The Anglican Church – ready to split? 30.11.2005
Listen here (13 minutes – Real Audio)
The Church of England today enthrones its first black archbishop.
The Right Reverend Dr John Sentamu, who was born in Uganda, is being enthroned as Archbishop of York, the second most powerful position in the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury.
His appointment comes at a difficult time for the Anglican communion, which is still deeply divided over the ordination two years ago in America of an openly homosexual bishop.
So is a break up of the church now inevitable?
Interviews with Stephen Bates, Cyril Okorocha, Colin Slee, Martyn Percy and Graham Kings.
3 CommentsThe Church in Wales: Bishops’ statement on homosexuality 2005
Official Press Release here
The Bishops of the Church in Wales recognise that its members hold a wide range of views on a variety of ethical, social and theological matters. One such issue is the Church’s approach to homosexuality.
For some time, we have recognised that there are honest and legitimate differences on this subject. The church needs to engage prayerfully in this debate with humility, generosity of spirit, reflection on biblical witness, mature thought and careful listening. The harsh and condemnatory tone, which at times has coloured this debate, is unacceptable.
We uphold the traditional Anglican emphasis on Scripture read in the light of reason and tradition. We recognise that the interpretation of Scripture is in itself an area of divergence among Christians. We are at pains to emphasise the need to respect one another and remind the Church that everyone is created in the image and likeness of God. Sexuality is only one aspect of a person’s humanity.
As with many issues there, exists a wide range of Scriptural interpretation within the Christian church. On same-sex relationships we acknowledge that the following fairly reflect the range of views held within the Church in Wales.
Some people, reading the Scriptures with integrity, reach the conclusion that the only proper context for sexual activity is marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union. Homosexual practice of any kind is therefore rejected.
Others, reading the Scriptures with integrity, adopt a more sympathetic understanding of homosexuality, but would not at present wish the Church to sanction homosexual practice.
Others, reading the Scriptures with integrity, conclude that orientation and practice are to be distinguished and that the Church can welcome same sex relationships provided they are celibate.
Others again, reading the Scriptures with integrity, conclude that the Church cannot dismiss as intrinsically disordered permanent and committed same-sex relationships; they believe that through their internal mutuality and support, these bring creativity, generosity and love into the lives of those within them.
Others, reading the Scriptures with integrity, conclude, in the light of a developing understanding of the nature of humanity and sexuality, that the time has arrived for the Church to affirm committed homosexual relationships.
The challenge and call of our discipleship is to live, worship and work together in all our diversity. Rejecting all forms of stigmatisation we commit ourselves to listening to people whose sexual orientation may be different from our own.
25 November 2005
61 CommentsToday’s Church Times has a detailed report by Pat Ashworth which reveals further information about the reactions of some supposed signatories, including lengthy comments from Drexel Gomez and Greg Venables, both of whom are unhappy about what happened.
‘Signatories’ of Akinola letter say they didn’t sign
The Church Times also has a related story by Bill Bowder concerning planning for the next Lambeth Conference, Dr Williams hopes for ‘Lambeth-lite’
And editorial comment at Invitations to Lambeth which includes this passage:
…There is, however, one thing that Dr Williams needs to do urgently. He must make it plain and public that all properly consecrated bishops will be invited to the next Lambeth Conference. The Akinola letter says: “We do not see why you cannot warn [the US and Canada] that they will not be invited to Lambeth 2008 unless they truly repent.” The reason (apart from the fact that these Churches largely pay for the conference) is that the usefulness of the conference would thus be fatally compromised. A blanket invitation issued at this stage — before the US General Convention muddies the waters further — would make it clear that the Lambeth Conference will stay true to its history, and be the debating chamber for the Communion. A blanket invitation might mean that Bishop Robinson is joined by Bishop Cavalcanti, and perhaps even Bishop Kunonga; but the gathering is large enough not to be unbalanced by a few such individuals…
CEN coverage of the GS letter on the web this week is rather brief.
26 CommentsJohn Paterson who is Chair of the Anglican Consultative Council and Bishop of Auckland, and a former primate of New Zealand, has been visiting Canada and spoke to the Council of General Synod there.
Anglican Journal Churches unlikely to pass motion adding primates to ACC, says chair
and
ACC website Canadian church remains “important part of the Communion”
Changing Attitude has issued a press release announcing a forthcoming meeting in Abuja, Nigeria:
Changing Attitude Nigeria network General Meeting.
Meanwhile, This Day announced that Again, Akinola Decries Gay Marriage.
25 CommentsUpdated Tuesday
Several reports on ekklesia today:
First, another BBC radio report from Sunday that had material in it about this:
Pro-gay Anglicans say Nigerian Church ‘obsessed’ with gays
Second, two stories about the issue of Clive Handford’s signature:
Akinola denies rift over Primates’ letter to Williams followed later by:
Bishop’s name removed from disputed letter to Archbishop of Canterbury
Also, Fulcrum has published some comments about the Global South website in its forum and this was followed up on titusonenine
Updates
Ruth Gledhill had more comments on her blog at ‘Obsessed with sex?’
The press release issued by the Church of Nigeria about the Global South website had some flowery language, see Anglicans of the Global South publish interactive Website
0 CommentsThis list of Delegates at the 3rd Encounter may be of interest to many readers.
Note that both the Anglican Communion Network (including two ECUSA diocesan bishops) and the Anglican Network in Canada had delegations. Also present were representatives from both New Zealand and Australia (Abp Peter Jensen in the latter case) and Chris Smith from Lambeth Palace (he is listed as a delegate although Rowan Williams does not appear on this list). Robinson Cavalcanti is listed as a delegate from the Southern Cone, and the Episcopal Church of Brazil was not represented at all.
13 CommentsBBC radio Sunday programme:
Gay clergy
The Archbishop of Canterbury is trying to prevent the Anglican Communion falling apart over the issue of homosexuality and the ordination of gay clergy.
This week a letter appeared on web sites, which was supposed to have been signed by fourteen Anglican Archbishops from the global south, and which attacked Rowan Williams personally. After stating that they appreciated Dr Williams’ acknowledgement that there was an overwhelming consensus in the church believing that same sex is unacceptable, the Archbishops write “We wonder, however, whether your personal dissent from this consensus prevents you from taking the necessary steps to confront those churches that have embraced teaching contrary to the overwhelming testimony of the Anglican communion”.
Rowan Williams has not publicly responded to the letter so far, although one or two of the alleged signatories to it say they did not sign and that the letter should not have been sent in the form it was.
Interview with Ruth Gledhill of The Times. Listen (5m 37s Real Audio)
Observer Joan Bakewell comment column Bishops in a muddle about marriage
And, an additional item from yesterday’s Guardian. Philip Pullman writes, in connection with proposed UK legislation to curb incitement to religious hatred, about Identity Crisis
3 CommentsThe Times Ruth Gledhill Bishops want signatures taken off anti-gay letter
Guardian comment column Rebuff this mad, bad clique with a bullying version of the Gospel by Giles Fraser
Sydney Morning Herald Jensen urges Anglican communion to rethink gay clergy
Earlier reports at The Living Church:
Global South Primates’ Letter Draws Rebuke
Nigerian Primate Responds to Outcry
And a further report on Ekklesia Primates disown open letter to Archbishop of Canterbury
0 CommentsThis can be read in the original here. What it says is this:
Press Release
Friday, 18 November 2005
Our attention has been drawn to some media reports of one or two primates alleging wrongful inclusion of their names in a document they were privy to its formation.
While every person is entitled to a change of opinion, the incontrovertible and indisputable fact remain that at our meeting in El Sukhna, the first draft of the response was circulated to all present to peruse, and give us any additional input or objection. It is pertinent to say NO ONE objected. All those that responded will see that the final draft reflected their inputs.
The presentation of the Archbishop of Canterbury to us was made public and has been widely discussed by many who were not present at our Encounter. It is only fair that our collective response to that publication should also be publicly available. Our response was released when it was fully ready and timing was not deliberately planned as being suggested.
We find it pitiable that the media spin is drawing attention away from the deep Biblical discussions contained in our response.
This controversy has been brought upon us, by those that would undermine all that we stand for in preserving the sanctity of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic faith. They are the ones who are dividing the Church. Of course, anyone who wishes to have their name removed from this letter is free to do so. All formal requests to dissociate will be immediately effected.
This information has earlier been communicated to all concerned.
Signed
Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola DD, CON
Chair,
South –South Encounter
Ruth Gledhill has some comments about all this in Comment on Global South letter
22 CommentsThe Times Ruth Gledhill Bishops want signatures taken off anti-gay letter
Telegraph Jonathan Petre Attack on archbishop rebounds on rebels
Guardian Stephen Bates Archbishop disowns attack on Williams
and a leader column, Sex and schism
Church Times Letter from the Global South
The site that originally published the letter has added this note:
(GSA Admin note:
This letter is posted here for the benefit of those who attended the Encounter and the people they represent. Archbishop Rowan William’s talk and sharing was appreciated and well received with deep gratitude, though as expected, it will raise some questions as well, some which were conveyed by the delegates to the Primates. This letter is a part of the on-going process of dialogue between Global South and the Archbishop of Canterbury and should not be interpreted in other unhelpful ways.)
And Ekklesia has Anglican Primates deny attack on Archbishop of Canterbury and also Global leaders query Church of England state link
8 CommentsFirst, the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) announced a covenant with two North American church bodies:
press release
text of covenant
TLC Nigerian Ecumenical Agreement Snubs ECUSA
Also Nigeria issued this press release:
The miracle of CANA continues!
Second, some follow-up to events in Pittsburgh last week:
TLC Maryland Won’t Recognize Ordination
and Network Strengthens Resolve at Pittsburgh Conference
Maryland – Ihloff letter to the clergy
letter from the Bishop of Washington
Christian Challenge NETWORK BISHOPS TO DISCUSS NIGERIAN ARCHBISHOP’S CALL
15 CommentsUpdated Thursday
Documents
Statement from Lambeth Palace following publication of the Global South Primates’ Letter
One of the supposed signatories to the letter below has issued a statement: Press Statement from the President Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East
Global South Primates response to Archbishop Rowan Williams
This document, which criticises Rowan Williams on various counts, has been published over the signatures of 14 primates. It is unclear whether 3 others who had to leave before the document was finalised also endorse it. See the bottom of the document for the names.
News Reports
Ruth Gledhill has this in Thursday’s edition of The Times
Church of England evil, say archbishops
(see also here)
Stephen Bates has Archbishops threaten split over gay clergy and Ambush imperils Williams’ conciliation hope in the Guardian
Jonathan Petre has Primates challenge Williams over stance on homosexuals in the Telegraph
The BBC Today radio programme had this report:
0834 The Anglican Communion is under strain this morning after 17 senior Archbishops have criticised the Archbishop of Canterbury’s handling of the issue of gay bishops.
Listen here (Real audio 3 minutes)
And the BBC website later published Archbishop attacked in gay debate
Reuters Anglican archbishops attack Williams over gays
Associated Press Anglicans Advise Archbishop on Policy
49 Commentsupdated Sunday evening
A new blog site has appeared which contains many documents emanating from the recent meeting in Egypt (more precisely at Ein El Sukhna on 25-30 October 2005): Global South Anglican
These include:
A full transcript of all the Questions and Answers put to and answered by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Additional Comment: this transcript now appears to have been mysteriously truncated.
Other items not available elsewhere include sermons or presentations by several archbishops:
Peter Akinola,
Datuk Yong Ping Chung, and
Drexel Gomez.
Update
Ruth Gledhill had some comments on all this last Friday, which you can read here
Two items from the BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme today.
Changing Attitude
The Anglican Campaign group Changing Attitude is celebrating its tenth anniversary this weekend. …the Anglican Communion’s first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson, accepted an invitation to fly to the UK and join the birthday celebrations. He was speaking at St Martin in the Fields church in London yesterday, November 5th.
Listen here (7 minutes) Includes interview with Gene Robinson and also one with Davis Mac-Iyalla in Nigeria.
See also this BBC news report, Gay bishop attacks Catholic stand
Uganda
The Church of England and indeed the whole of the Anglican Communion is in an edgy, some would say fractious, mood over issues such as homosexuality, the authority of scripture and whether the communion can hold together in its present form. Against that background two events this week have led some to fear that a break up is already starting here in the English church…
Listen (6 minutes) An interview with Pete Broadbent.
1 CommentPat Ashworth has this lengthy report today, Divisions dominate Global South conclave. There is a related editorial comment Sinners A & M.
28 CommentsUpdated Friday morning
Both Lambeth Palace and the Anglican Communion Office issued press releases about this. The differences were in the headlines used:
Lambeth Palace Archbishop – ‘friendly but candid’ meeting with Bishop Gene Robinson
ACNS Archbishop Williams meets with Bishop Robinson
The press reported on this quite quickly:
Reuters Williams has “candid” talks with gay U.S. bishop
Associated Press Archbishop of Canterbury meets with Robinson
Times Online website Ruth Gledhill Rowan Williams has ‘candid’ meeting with gay US bishop
And Ruth has much more to say in her blog: Archbishop meets Gene Robinson
Friday morning
The paper edition of The Times has this version of the above: Archbishop meets US figure at heart of row
Independent Robert Verkaik Archbishop meets cleric who set off gay clergy row
Guardian Stephen Bates (who actually talked to the bishop) has Gay US bishop in ‘candid’ talks with Archbishop of Canterbury
Jonathan Petre in the Telegraph mentions it but gives priority to the Southwark ordination story (of which more anon) in Evangelicals defy bishop by holding ‘irregular’ ordinations
The BBC, coming late to the party (having previously focused on the Oxford Union), notes that Gay bishop meets head of Church
The BBC Today radio programme carried an interview with Gene Robinson in its prime 8.10 am slot and also had this earlier brief report (Real Audio required)
Update
Associated Press Bishop Predicts Acceptance Of Gays
BBC Bishop’s battle ‘for soul of church’ by Robert Pigott
The Church of England Newspaper website is already updated this week, and has:
Global South holds back from action against liberal provinces by George Conger and Andrew Carey
Archbishop appeals for unity in Egypt by Andrew Carey
And also, an analysis: Communiques message delivers a blow to West by Andrew Carey
3 CommentsACNS has published an interview with Archbishop Peter Carnley entitled The Panel of Reference – An Update.
In this interview he draws attention to the Panel web pages on the same site. Here’s an extract from the interview:
…I understand from the Chief of Staff at Lambeth Palace that at the moment there are a number of cases that have been drawn to the attention of the Archbishop, and those involved have been invited to collate the material necessary in order to enable the Panel to begin its work. So in fact the first formal referrals are only just coming through.
Can I emphasise the Panel is totally committed to acting with despatch on these issues. There are very substantial reasons why the work of the Panel has taken time, but we should see some positive action very shortly.
There have been several high profile appeals to the Panel, notably the Diocese of Recife in Brazil, and the Diocese of Fort Worth in the United States. Have you any comment to make on these?
Well, I’m aware of both the serious situation of dispute in Brazil and of the appeal of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. I understand that the Archbishop of Canterbury is talking with all parties to find the best way forward in Recife. The Panel itself recommends that every effort should be made for a pastoral intervention and reconciliation rather than the sort of formal process that reference to the Panel involves. The material requested in support of the application from Fort Worth has recently been sent on to the Panel’s Secretariat from Lambeth Palace, and we are beginning to process that now.
In a further press release, ACO announces that:
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon, has appointed the Revd Canon Philip Groves as the facilitator of the “Listening Process” for the Communion.
See the full press release about Philip Groves here. For TA’s earlier report on the recruitment process for this position, see here: ACO advertises for unaligned listener.
1 CommentThe Times Ruth Gledhill Williams apologises to ‘cultural captives’
Telegraph Jonathan Petre Church faces crisis over gay policies
Guardian Stephen Bates and Mark Honigsbaum Anglican traditionalists warn church on gay rights
Another press report, not British, is in Christianity Today and is by Timothy C. Morgan Anglicans ‘Severely Wounded’. This contains more information not reported elsewhere.
And also there is this press release from the Province of Nigeria: GLOBAL SOUTH ANGLICAN CHURCHES COME OF AGE
37 Comments