A number of literary sayings crossed my mind when I saw that the Archbishop of Canterbury has (finally, today) issued a statement in response to the actions of the Episcopal Church’s General Convention, which ended ten days ago. The first thought that came to me was a paraphrase of T.S. Eliot’s line, “This is the way the Communion dies, not with a bang but a whimper.” Because, although I pray that I am wrong, there isn’t nearly enough in Rowan Williams’ statement to reassure me that this isn’t the Anglican Communion’s fate. Indeed, the very weakness (and studied ambiguity) of Dr. Williams’ statement may be a factor in pushing the Communion toward that end.
Dean Munday gets it right, though I’m inclined to Yeats as opposed to Eliot:
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
The good dean is usually spot on, so I’m lamenting his observations – as true as they may turn out to be.
I’m hopeful that despite Rowan’s ditherings (as brilliant as they may in fact be), or perhaps in some way because of them, the ACNA and GAFCON and Communion Partners may find a common way forward (Covenant is a long shot, but still barely breathing…).
Fr. Darin Lovelace+
St. David’s Anglican (ACNA)
Durant, Iowa
Is it a whimper, or just the quiet before those who’ve asked for action see that the door has been left wide open for them to go and do it?
I have been thinking about TS Eliot’s line in connection with the AC for about four years now…
Cranmer must be weeping.