On Monday, Archbishop Luke Orombi’s assistant for International Relations, Ms Alison Barfoot, described as “funny and unbiblical” the choice of Ms Glasspool.
“We believe the Bible condemns homosexual behaviour as immoral. So how can a homosexual be a bishop?” she said. “This decision of the Episcopal Church in America [the equivalent Anglican Church there] will only bring more problems and divisions.”
Canon Glasspool appeared unfazed by the criticisms, telling The Times newspaper of London in comments published on Monday: “Any group of people who have been oppressed because of any one isolated aspect of their persons yearns for justice and equal rights.”
Counting down ’til someone counters with the antihomosex bill in the Uganda legislature… 6… 5… 4…
I’ll bring it up. Archbishop Akinola endorses a bill to criminialize homosexuality, is feted at GAFCON as a potential leader of worldwide Anglican Orthodoxy. His fellow Primate, Archbishop Orombi, finds time in the midst of a similar legislative process in his country to criticize TEC. I guess there is benefit in consistency–you want your Mosaic Law you’d better be willing to shed some blood.
Good logic, Dan. That proposed law definitely means ECUSA should embrace open immorality to the greatest extent possible.
I hope that this time +Orombi will be free to and be able to attend the JSC meeting.
As he was free and attended the Dar meeting, Pageantmaster?
If he attends Rowan will do — as he has demonstrated over the past 6 years — as he pleases.
So Orombi’s presence merely gives credibility to the JSC, when Rowan will do as he pleases.
Rather, I hope that Mouneer and Orombi do not attend.
There’s no reason for them to attend when RW will simply do whatever it is he’s decided to do already. Six loooooong years have proven that attending meetings — whether they be Primates meetings, JSC meetings, ACC meetings, or Lambeth meetings — accomplish precisely nothing.
#5 Sarah
Well certainly given past performance, that would be a reasonable prediction…however given past performance I would not have predicted the statement just issued by the ABC. I am in a poorer position than either +Orombi or +Anis to know what is afoot. But based on what signals there are at the moment, it may be worth giving the ABC a chance with his Covenant, even with such a flawed body as the JSC. So I hope +Orombi goes; I see no loss to him or those he cares for if he does.
But that is just my best guess at the moment fwiw.
A loss of time and energy and money to make that trip. And an adding of credibility to a body that is deeply corrupt and freighted with revisionists.
I don’t see any possible pay-off and lots and lots of negatives.
There seems to be a disconnect between the headline and the article. Nowhere is Archbishop Orambi quoted. What gives?
Frances Scott
In this context it is also perhaps worth remembering the exhortation of the now united Global South Primates:
[blockquote]4. At the same time we believe that the proposed Anglican Covenant sets the necessary parameters in safeguarding the catholic and apostolic faith and order of the Communion. It gives Anglican churches worldwide a clear and principled way forward in pursuing God’s divine purposes together in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church of Jesus Christ. We urge churches in the Communion to actively work together towards a speedy adoption of the Covenant.
5. In God’s gracious purposes the Anglican Communion has moved beyond the historical beginnings and expressions of English Christianity into a worldwide Communion, of which the Church of England is a constitutive part. In view of the global nature of the Communion, matters of faith and order would inevitably have serious ramifications for the continuing well-being and coherence of the Communion as a whole, and not only for Provinces of the British Isles and The Episcopal Church in the USA. We urge the Archbishop of Canterbury to work in close collegial consultation with fellow Primates in the Communion, act decisively on already agreed measures in the Primates’ Meetings, and exercise effective leadership in nourishing the flock under our charge, so that none would be left wandering and bereft of spiritual oversight.
6. As Primates of the Communion and guardians of the catholic and apostolic faith and order, we stand in communion with our fellow bishops, clergy and laity who are steadfast in the biblical teaching against the ordination of openly homosexual clergy, the consecration of such to the episcopate, and the blessing of homosexual partnerships. We also urge them, as fellow Anglicans, to continue to stand firm with us in cherishing the Anglican heritage, in pursuing a common vocation, in expressing our unity and common life, and in maintaining our covenanted life together.[/blockquote]
http://www.globalsouthanglican.org/index.php/comments/pastoral_exhortation/
Of course the body the Covenant should have gone back to is the Primates’ Meeting.
It wasn’t a question of ++Orombi being “free” to attend the last ACC meeting, it was a question of priorities. Obviously I’m not privy to the Archbishop’s calendar, but as a Primate of a major province of the Anglican Communion I would be greatly surprised if there were any hour of any day in which he did not have at least six different events he could usefully be at. I seriously doubt that he’s ever “free” in the sense of “nothing else scheduled that day.” If he chose to attend the New Wineskins meeting rather than the ACC, that was because he prioritized it higher.
And that, I think — in conjunction with the absence of most of the GS bishops from Lambeth — sets the tone for how the FCA provinces are regarding the existing Instruments of the Communion: they have no intention of formally departing, but they are increasingly seeing them as less relevant than their own structures, e.g. GAFCON.
I am sure that ++Orombi and the other FCA Primates will attend any meeting of the Instruments in which they see a strategic advantage in being there. But, more and more, I imagine they will simply ignore meetings where they do not see such an advantage.
So far as I know, both +Orombi and +Anis will attend.
We do not know the private correspondence among ++Rowan, +Orombi, and +Anis. Now, at last, the ABC may really desire their input and prayerful support in what must be the most difficult situation he or any ABC has faced in several generations. Henry Luke has shoulders large enough to lean on. I pray these men can have some time to search together for the Lord’s will in this most serious matter, and ++Rowan will find the strength he needs to carry out that will.
I can say with confidence that +Anis will attend and I know he does not want to attend without some representation from Uganda.
Ah well . . . perhaps they will learn after another six years of watching Rowan hold the football and then snatch it away.
The next six years will be interesting to watch.