Press release from Lambeth Palace
For immediate use
31st October 2005
Archbishop – church’s hope ‘only in Christ’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has told Anglican Church leaders from the Global South that the only ground for unity in the church ‘is to be found in Christ’. Speaking at the 3rd Anglican Global South to South Encounter meeting at Ain al Sukhna, some 80 miles south of Cairo, Dr Williams said that the church had to be focussed on Christ:
“The church is one because Jesus Christ is one; the church is holy because Jesus Christ is holy; the church is catholic because Jesus Christ is the saviour of all; the church is apostolic because as the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends us. In other words, if we are to understand the nature of the church at all, we are to understand who Jesus Christ is and what he does.”
“Someone said recently that the path to heaven doesn’t lie necessarily through Lambeth. I agree. The path to heaven lies solely through Jesus Christ our Saviour and the unity he gives and the only use and integrity of our instruments of unity comes when they serve that.”
“Now I don’t suggest that we can forget the practical questions that are laid upon us at the moment in our Anglican fellowship. But I do say that we shall never begin to answer them adequately unless our eyes, our minds and our hearts are with Jesus, are where Jesus is.”
The Archbishop said that one of the greatest challenges faced by Anglicans was the development of authentically local voices in liturgy.
“In all sorts of ways the church over the centuries has lent itself to the error, indeed the sin of trying to make cultural captives, whether it is the mass export of Hymns Ancient and Modern to the remote parts of the mission field … the shadow of the British Empire that hangs over our own Communion or the export of American values and styles to the whole world; we are in a real difficulty here…. The question comes back again and again; ‘How do we encourage people to write liturgy, to write prayer books, to write Eucharistic prayers, in their own language with the rhythm, the association and resonance that your own language has for you and no other has.”
He said that the church had to find its holiness ‘under the cross’; where people were in need of healing:
“… our holiness takes us where Jesus goes; our holiness takes us to those Jesus died for; it takes us into the neighbourhood of those who are forgotten, who have no voice, those who need healing and forgiveness. It takes us into very strange places indeed and the holy person, as we all know, is often found in very odd company.”
Following the lecture, Dr Williams answered questions from the conference on a number of areas.
On sexuality, he affirmed that the church had not been persuaded of the acceptability of same sex unions. These questions, though, would not go away.
“Theologians will go on discussing this and it will not be possible to stop them. For nearly a century, in the 4th century in this country of Egypt, the conflict over the Trinity raged between theologians and bishops and was not resolved overnight. I distinguish as clearly as I can a question a theologian may ask and an action or determination a church may take or a bishop may take. I think this is a necessary distinction for the life and health of the church. It would be a tragedy if the church sought to suppress questions; it is equally a tragedy when the church seeks to create facts on the ground that foreclose discussion and reflection on such questions.”
On the question of authority within the Anglican Communion, he said that he had no desire to assume further powers:
“Since I do not have canonical power outside my own province, my freedom is limited. I say it as a matter of actual fact; I do not have authority over the canons and constitutions of another province… I don’t want to be a kind of pope, solving the problems of every province.
“For me, the prospect of an Anglican ‘covenant’ or a convergent system of canon law is the best hope that we have. That being said, many provinces as we know, are wedded to the idea of an absolute constitutional independence.”
On the Windsor Report, he said that it was too early to come to a judgement as to whether or not the responses of ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada satisfied the terms of the report:
“I don’t think we could say that they have satisfied in a simple and direct way what Windsor asked because that process is still continuing and will continue. Archbishop Eames gave an optimistic reading of this; I’m waiting to see.”
On the status of the networks of dissenting parishes in the United States and Canada, he said that he was happy to recognise them as part of the Anglican Communion.
“There is no doubt in my mind that these networks are full members of the Anglican Communion; that is to say that their bishops, their clergy and their people are involved with the Communion which I share with them, which we all share with them. Now formal ecclesial recognition of a network, as if it were a province, is not so simply in my hands or the hands of any individual. But I do want to say quite simply yes of course; these are part of our Anglican fellowship and I welcome that.”
The Archbishop’s full text is here.
ENDS
The meeting in Egypt has issued a communique, entitled A Third Trumpet from the South: Trumpet III The Third Anglican Global South to South Encounter Red Sea (Egypt), 25-30 October 2005
You can find copies of this document either here or here or here. No doubt copies of it will be sent to other agencies in due course. The original PDF file seems to be available only from the AAC.
Update Monday morning
The communique has now appeared on the Anglican Communion News Service: The Third Anglican Global South to South Encounter.
First press reports on this:
Reuters Conservative Anglicans warn liberal churches in West
Associated Press Anglicans: N. American Church Too Liberal
The only substantive report so far from the Anglican meeting there is this one from Reuters:
Rowan urges split church to keep talking
There has been an ominous development in the Nigerians criticise Akinola story: see this report from Changing Attitude:
Changing Attitude Nigeria members held by police.
Two articles on Monday in the Washington Post discuss homosexuality in Africa.
Nigerian Churches Tell West to Practice What It Preached on Gays
includes some quotes from Archbishop Akinola.
A companion piece is Namibia Chips Away at African Taboos on Homosexuality
27 CommentsScripture and Sexuality – our commitment to listening and learning is the title of a major lecture delivered yesterday by the Archbishop of Wales, Barry Morgan. Here’s how it starts:
Few people doubt that the 1998 Lambeth Resolution on Human Sexuality – Lambeth 1 10 as it has come to be known has not had a profound effect on the Anglican Communion. In fact you could be pardoned for thinking that the Anglican Communion since then has not been interested in any other topic, since it has dominated the Agendas of Provinces, meetings of Primates and of the Anglican Consultative Council. The ordination of a practising homosexual as a Bishop in the USA and the blessing of same sex relationships in Canada might not have had the repercussions they have had, if the Lambeth Conference in 1998 had not had such an acrimonious debate about sexuality. What I would like to do in this lecture is to look at Lambeth 1 10 and ask why this resolution rather than any other has caused such problems, for after all there were 63 pages of resolutions at the 1998 Lambeth Conference.
It’s an extended read, but well worth it.
8 CommentsThe BBC Sunday programme had a piece on this. Ed Stourton interviews Stephen Bates, mostly about Abp Akinola. Mention is also made of the Civil Partnership Act and the CofE response.
0 CommentsGlobal South
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury will be in Egypt this week, talking to a meeting of the group of Anglican Churches known as Global South. But one of them, the church of Nigeria, has just changed its constitution to remove references to the see of Canterbury as the focus for Anglican unity. It is another chapter in the long-running saga of Anglican travails over the issue of homosexuality.
Listen (4m 15s) (Real audio)
The Diocese of London has issued this announcement:
Preb Sandy Millar to become a Bishop
Bishop of London hails the appointment as ‘a very welcome step’
The Most Rev’d Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda, with the August 2004 consent of the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, appointed a priest of the Church of England, the Rev’d Prebendary Sandy Millar, as Assistant Bishop in the Church of Uganda. He will be consecrated in Uganda on 27th November 2005.
Bishop-elect Millar will be licensed to act as a Bishop in Mission in the London Diocese using his wide experience as a church planter and growth practitioner…
This story goes back a full year and more, see CEN from September 2004, Sandy Millar proposed as ‘missionary bishop’ or Church Times Millar’s tale is not confirmed.
Read the full press release for all the details. But note in particular the following excerpts:
28 Comments“…This step has been taken with the full support and encouragement of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The two Archbishops were in touch by letter about the proposal in 2004. The consecration of Prebendary Millar with the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury could not be more different from the intrusions into the affairs of other provinces which formed part of the agenda for the Windsor Commission. Unsanctioned intrusions lead to fragmentation. This step by contrast recognises the reality of a wired up world in a way that promotes closer communion. The particular circumstances of this appointment make it very unlikely that it will establish a precedent…
“…Sandy will of course continue to respond to invitations as he does now but to suggest [as some people have done] that he might become a standard bearer for Church of England dissidents in other Dioceses is to misunderstand the man and to misunderstand the disciplines under which bishops in our church operate…
Global South:
Williams heads for summit as South splits over Brazil by Pat Ashworth
Pittsburgh:
Seceders cannot take buildings, court rules by Pat Ashworth
Archbishop Eames has issued this statement:
(also available on ACNS)
Statement from Archbishop Eames regarding the current debate within the Anglican Communion
4 CommentsThe Most Reverend Dr Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland, issued the following statement this morning regarding the current debate within the Anglican Communion:
“The current debate within the Anglican Communion is a theological debate and I find myself very disturbed by any speculation around the role that money may play in determining outcomes. Such speculation makes genuine communication difficult. I feel that when money or assistance is raised in any part of the Anglican Communion and offered for use where it may extend Christ’s kingdom, it should be offered and accepted in those terms alone.
“I in no way question the sincerity and integrity of the leaders of the Global South. As they are well aware, I have personally endeavoured at all times to maintain and understand the integrity of their argument. I categorically state I have never believed that any financial offer was accepted by any of those who represent the Global South on any other than terms of Christian outreach. I have communicated this response to Archbishop Akinola this morning.”
The Guardian carries a report by Stephen Bates concerning the forthcoming visit to England by the Bishop of New Hampshire: Williams may meet gay US bishop during London trip.
The visit details can be found here at the website of Changing Attitude which is observing its 10th anniversary on the weekend of 5/6 November.
12 CommentsEkklesia is this week running a blog-type discussion with Stephen Bates of the Guardian answering questions from the public. You can see it all here.
The occasion for this is the publication of the paperback edition of A Church at War.
0 CommentsA news story has appeared in the Daily Sun a Nigerian national newspaper:
Leader of gays and lesbians in Nigeria tackle primate of Anglican Church, Peter Akinola.
A press release about the news story is on the website of Changing Attitude:
CHANGING ATTITUDE NETWORK NIGERIA CHALLENGE’S ARCHBISHOP PETER AKINOLA IN THE DAILY SUN, NIGERIA.
Updated Wednesday
The Living Church has published Archbishop Akinola Responds to Irish Primate which includes the following:
Archbishop Eames’ press officer, Janet Maxwell, explained the Archbishop Eames meant that “too much emphasis has been placed on the role of funding relative to theological perspective,” and he “in no way questioned the sincerity of theological conviction” of the leaders of the Global South nor was he “suggesting votes were purchased.”
Also, the Church of England Newspaper has this report from George Conger Irish Primate challenged to put up or shut up. He comments on this point as follows:
Allegations of vote buying and influence peddling by wealthy conservatives surfaced after the 1998 Lambeth Conference after liberals accused African and Asian bishops of supporting the conservative line in exchange for cash. The charges were investigated by Stephen Bates, the Guardian’s Religious Affairs correspondent, in his book A Church at War and found not to [be] true. Janet Maxwell, Archbishop Eames’ press officer told The Church of England Newspaper the Irish Primate’s remarks had been misconstrued. Archbishop Eames “in no way questioned the sincerity of theological conviction” of the Global South nor was he “suggesting votes were purchased”, Ms Maxwell stated. What he had said was that he “expressed concern that too much emphasis has been placed on the role of funding relative to theological perspective”, she told us, as requiring aid donors and recipients to share theological and political convictions was “not a moral way of looking at issues”.
An “open letter” from Archbishop Peter Akinola has been published by Anglican Mainstream and others:
Open letter to Abp. Robin Eames, Primate of All Ireland
This responds to the recent lectures by Abp Eames at Virginia and Yale and also a press interview in Washington DC.
Interestingly, it did not first appear on the Nigerian website, but on British and American ones.
Update Monday evening It now has appeared on the official Nigerian website, with yesterday’s date at the top.
Robin Eames has asserted recently that:
…both the bishops of the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada have in my opinion met the precise wording of Windsor…
Those who wonder if this is accurate, at least with respect to ECUSA, may find it helpful to peruse my earlier articles:
TA Monday, 10 January 2005 Windsor Report: the exact recommendations
TA Friday, 14 January 2005 WR: the exact responses
AO Sunday 27 February 2005 The Primates Meeting at Dromantine, February 2005
ENS reports:
The Most Rev. Dr. Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, delivered the 2005 Pitt Lecture at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale October 12, issuing a warning on the future of World Anglicanism.
The full text of his lecture Where now for World Anglicanism? can be found here.
30 CommentsJim Naughton the Communications Director for the Diocese of Washington has published Archbishop Eames Speaks at Cathedral, VTS which contains an account of the questions asked at the public lectures, as well as from an interview with Eames. One quote:
During an interview at the college, Eames expressed concern over the role that wealthy conservative donors in the United States were playing in the current controversy. He said he was “quite certain” that many church leaders in the developing world had been offered financial inducements to distance themselves from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada.
“I think it is happening, I just don’t think it is moral,” Eames said. “Is it the might of finance that will influence a theological outlook, and then that outlook come to dominate he Communion?
“It raises a serious question for me: what is the real nature of their faith and their Anglicanism? It is certainly different from mine.”
Conservative leaders have said they are simply trying to help poor provinces that cannot in good conscience accept financial support from provinces that differ with them on the issue of homosexuality.
Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, on the American TV network PBS has its Anglican Communion Update which also contains an interview with Eames. More detail of the interview with Kim Lawton is on this page.
3 CommentsThe Anglican Communion: A Growing Reality was the title of a lecture given by Archbishop Robin Eames at Virginia Theological Seminary on 4 October. The full text can be found on ENS here.
A further lecture by him is scheduled for tomorrow. I will add another link here when it is available.
Update
The full text of the second lecture, The Anglican Communion: What Communion? is now available on ENS here. This lecture is essential reading.
Press Reports Update
Reuters has reported on this in Top Anglican cleric warns against gay rights split
The Living Church has Archbishop Eames: More Must Be Done to Heal Breach in Communion
The Church Times today (went to press Wednesday evening) also carries a very brief report, under the heading Anglican pain and referring mainly to the section on reconciliation. It starts this way:
32 CommentsThe Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Robin Eames, spoke this week about the “hurt and dismay” caused by the present dispute about sexuality and authority in the Anglican Communion. In a pair of lectures at the Virginia Theological Seminary, where he received an honorary doctorate, Dr Eames said: “The impressions of the Anglican Communion I gained in the preparation of the Windsor report are dominated by one word: pain.”
Here is a press release from the host diocese:
30 September 2005
The Episcopal Diocese of Egypt welcomes the Third Anglican Global South to South Encounter
From 25th – 30th October 2005, about 120 delegates, representing 20 provinces within the Anglican Communion, from Africa, Asia and Latin America, will be meeting in Egypt for their third Global South Encounter. The Conference will take place at the Red Sea.
We, here in Egypt, are honored and privileged to be hosting this historic gathering of Anglican Archbishops, bishops, priests and laypersons from throughout the Global South. We also believe it will be a special time of encouraging one another, learning from each other, and most importantly, praying together. Our focus will be on “One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church”. This Conference is important as it is being held at a critical time in the life of the Anglican Communion.
I warmly welcome the news that Archbishop Rowan Williams has accepted the invitation of the Global South Working Committee and will join us for part of the Conference. This will be his second visit to Egypt and we are most grateful to him for taking the time out of his busy schedule for this occasion.
Throughout the Biblical story, from Abraham to Jesus, Egypt symbolized a divine place of refuge and sanctuary. From the patriarch Abraham going to Egypt during a time of famine, to the tribe of Israel moving to Egypt when there was famine in their land, to the Holy Family escaping Herod to Egypt to protect the Christ child. Egypt symbolized God meeting His people in their time of need. So Egypt in the Scriptures reminds us of God’s faithfulness. Our prayer is that during this Encounter, God will provide spiritual refreshment and new ministry vision to all who attend. As we gather by the Red Sea, may we be reminded of the presence of God among us and His unfailing promises.
It is worth mentioning that the first South to South Encounter was held in Limuru, Kenya, 1994 and the second was held in Kuala Lampur in 1997. Today we are excited to welcome all attendees and we encourage them to come to Egypt with a sense of expectation for the presence of God. It is a real honor for us to have this gathering in our land.
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Egypt, North Africa and the Horn of Africa
Cairo, Egypt
A document has been issued by the Recife Diocesan Standing Committee. This is reproduced in full below the fold. It can also be found linked from the official diocesan site.
An alternative view is presented in a document which can be found on the American Anglican council blogsite, here.
In case you are wondering which body is the real Anglican Diocese of Recife, you can check here.
Update
The Presiding Bishop of the Southern Cone, Gregory Venables has intervened in Brazil, see
SOUTHERN CONE PRIMATE ACCEPTS REJECTED BISHOP AND CLERGY
Text of Abp Venables’ letter
These events are also reported by TLC in Southern Cone Primate Annexes Brazilian Diocese
29 Comments