The Joint Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) and the Primates will meet Monday, Sept. 24, in New Orleans, a spokesman for the ACC has announced.
On Thursday and Friday, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and the members of the joint standing committee will attend the first two days of the House of Bishops’ meeting at a New Orleans hotel for 10 hours of closed conversation.
Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan, a member of the committee, said the meeting would be an opportunity for “us to meet the U.S. bishops, listen to them, observe and help formulate advice to give to the primates. We want to find a way around differences of opinion within the church over homosexuality to keep the Communion together.”
But why on earth would the Archbishop of Canterbury NOT be present for this meeting?
Maybe his trip was already scheduled and he couldn’t change the dates? Regardless, it is comforting to us reappraisers that the ACN Bishops will not be staying to work with the JSC.
How can bishops (and, in this case, archbishops) still focus only on the presenting issue of homosexuality and refer to the considerable differences in teaching and action with regard to truth (not to mention TEC’s determination to walk apart) as “differences of opinion”.
Of course this makes it all sound so petty and insignificant. Which, I suppose, is why they do it.
“We want to find a way around differences of opinion within the church over homosexuality to keep the Communion together.†BM
In 10 hours they hope to accomplish what has been attempted to be accomplished in 10 years with Lambeth 1.10.
Pray for the Church.
Because he will be leading secret services for wealthy and liberally-minded gays and lesbians?
ACNS 4319 | ACO | 18 SEPTEMBER 2007
Media Advisory
The Joint Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC)
and the Primates of the Anglican Communion (JSC) – Meeting set for 19-25
September 2007 New Orleans, USA.
The JSC have been invited to the House of Bishops Meeting of the
Episcopal Church for two days of their regular House meeting. The
meeting begins Thursday of this week. The JSC will then meet as a group
on Monday in the same location (Inter Continental Hotel) in New Orleans.
Hurricane Katrina and Sunday Worship
The JSC have been invited to witness and take part in re-building
initiatives sponsored by the Diocese of Louisiana over the weekend and
will likely attend worship in local churches.
The Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican
Communion will be present throughout the meetings.
Primates Standing Committee
Chair:
Archbishop Rowan William – England
Members:
Archbishop Philip Aspinall – Australia
Bishop Mouneer Anis – Jerusalem and the Middle East
Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori – TEC
Archbishop Barry Morgan – Wales
ACC Standing Committee
Chair:
Bishop John Paterson – Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Vice Chair:
Professor George Koshy – South India
Members:
Mrs Philippa Amable – West Africa
Mrs Jolly Babirukamu – Uganda
Mr Robert Fordham – Australia
Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe – Ceylon
Canon Elizabeth Paver – England
Bishop James Tengatenga – Central Africa
Ms Nomfundo Walaza – Southern Africa
For the Anglican Communion Office Staff:
The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron (Deputy Secretary General)
The Revd Canon Jim Rosenthal (Communications)
Mrs Deirdre Martin (Executive Assistant)
[blockquote]But why on earth would the Archbishop of Canterbury NOT be present for this meeting?[/blockquote]
Because he will be in Syria and the Middle East, which is a safer place for him to be.
It is a very careful move which enables him to take account of the JSC meeting but does not implicate him in its findings. Whilst I expect it was a real previous engagement it couldn’t come at a more convenient moment, and allows him latitude for taking wider sounding, and praying a lot.