We are now less than six days from ECUSA’s “consecration” of a partnered lesbian to the (ECUSAn, at any rate) episcopacy. As I wrote in this earlier post, in so consecrating Canon Mary Glasspool, ECUSA will shoot itself in the foot. Even so, the silence from Lambeth Palace over the past weeks has been deafening.
Contrast to the present scenario the weeks following the confirmation of the election of V. Gene Robinson as bishop by both Houses at General Convention 2003….
Obviously, she should withdraw from the process, and conditionally retire from Holy Orders (many would argue that she is neither deacon nor priest, in light of her unrepentant state of sexual immorality). However, blinded by sin and ruled by ego, I’m sure she won’t do that.
To paraphrase the AP article about Rome:
This crisis was “born from sins within the church” not outside. The Episcopal church has always suffered from internal problems but “today we see it in a truly terrifying way. The greatest persecution of the church doesn’t come from enemies on the outside but is born from the sin within the church. The church profoundly needs to relearn penitence, accept purification, learn forgiveness but also justice.”
I don’t agree with the Bishop of Rome on everything, but here he offers a message for the entire Church.
Perhaps Cantuar+s silence is because of Durham+s impending retirement? Bishop Wright was the author of the Windsor Report. As opposed as Bp Wright has seemed to be to the formation of ACNA, he has also seemed to be a voice for biblically-based Christian beliefs. There are precious few voices for that viewpoint in the COE and amongst the England-based AC leadership.
I am a skeptic with regard to Rowan Wiliiams in such matters. His silence is not surprising because he fears speaking forcefully against the Episcopal Church and has proven he is a weak leader. As for Haley’s contention that TEC is shooting itself in the foot, I don’t think TEC really cares. Neither will the Fellowship of Confessing Christians take any meaningful action other than issue a statement.
The FCC still hasn’t the courage to break from Canterbury and go its own way. All we get is words, words and more words.
In a way I suppose the whole thing has lost newsworthy-ness. It is pretty much business as usual. The only thing is that division and polarization are also the norm this time around. Someone who aspires to preside over such a situation without taking sides can only be a figurehead. And even if the ABC says something, history shows his words have a shelf life. When that is the case moral authority is lost. It will be interesting to see if the media pairs the two “bishops” as something of an ecclesiastic “odd couple” and they go on tour. But I see little news value in the whole thing.
I think Adam 12 is right. The ABC will continue to do nothing and there is nothing else to be said. The Covenant is dead in the water and there is nothing else to be said. TEC will continue to do what it is doing and there is nothing else to be said. The Global South will go its own way and there is nothing else to be said.
And I would be very pleased if we of the ACNA went with the Global South. I think we will.
am I mistaken, or has there been little said by the GS about this pending consecration? I am hoping it’s a sign they are working on something that will redefine the AC as we know it….
I was debating on whether to go to the Glasspool consecration and voice my objection or go [url=http://anglicanmensweekend.org/ ]the Anglican Men’s Weekend[/url]…the Anglican Men’s Weekend won.
I think that the recent Singapore meeting, and especially Abp. Jensen’s comments following explain why the GS isn’t making any statements. I think the reality is that Rowan Williams has now completely lost control of the Communion. The fact is that he squandered his moral authority so many times that now TEC has learned to just ignore him and seek to capture the political machinery of the Communion (which Williams manipulated to favor western white liberals). TEC’s institutionalist liberals have learned that there are no consequences at all for ignoring the mind of the Communion, yet there are consequences for displeasing TEC’s ruling party. So guess which way they will blow in the wind? The fact is that for a Communion to survive, there MUST be discipline. And Rowan Williams has consistently refused to do anything more then voice a mild displeasure at what TEC has done. To motivated, political and liberal Americans, that is a green light.
The GS primates have completely lost confidence in Rowan Williams ability or motivation to do anything, so no purpose in voicing anything to him. Similarly, the GS primates believe that there is no point in making any statement to TEC as they will simply be ignored. So the result is that TEC is moving ahead with its agenda, the GS is now moving forward with its agenda, and the “Anglican Communion” is now effectively a paper tiger federation with an inept leader utterly lacking influence.
(robroy: I won’t be able to make the AMW this year, but hope to be able to return next year again.)
As others have commented above, who cares anymore what TEC or +Cantaur do? They both seem increasingly irrelevant to the future of Anglicanism (which lies with the Global South). Why waste the time or breath on them? I’m not even sure why I’m even bothering to comment on this! Cheers!
It is not true that the Archbishop is doing nothing. He continues to busy himself with bright trifles and promulgating his own opinions on all subjects except those he is employed to engage himself in. Today he has been showing off various funerial items including:
1. The warrant for the execution of Mary Queen of Scots;
2. The prayer book carried by Richard III to the battle where he was killed;
3. The gloves worn by Charles I at his execution; and
4. The shell of the tortoise owned by Archbishop Laud executed for treason.
What can be on the mind of the Archbishop I wonder?
The ABC does not think he has the power or the mandate to discipline. He is primus inter pares and has to persuade and hold together, and that is what he is trying to do. It is harder to stay with those you disagree with than to go off in a self righteous huff. This generation of leaders will never agree on human sexuality. There was no reason until 1998 to think that they would shatter the whole Anglican Communion over the issue. Since 1998, there has been a paradoxical movement both towards greater Anglican Communion intensity and away from presumptions of Anglican Communion unity. Some have found the stress intolerable and left – ACNA and Nigeria and Uganda for example. Some have found it unbearable but stayed – TEC and ACoC for example. All have suffered. Time will tell who endures, but the ABC will almost certainly be one of them, because patience and long suffering are hallmarks of his personal as well as of his leadership style.
RE: “There was no reason until 1998 to think that they [this generation of leaders] would shatter the whole Anglican Communion over the issue.”
“This generation of leaders” of course did not “shatter the whole Anglican Communion over the issue.” TEC revisionist leaders did so.
And the reason why nobody thought that TEC revisionist leaders would shatter the whole Communion over the issue back in 1998 and earlier was that the traditional Anglicans did not realize that same-gender sexual relationships is a central part of TEC’s gospel, which gospel not the same as the Gospel which the traditional Anglicans believe.
Now they recognize that.
And now — because of the fact that TEC revisionist leaders do not believe the same gospel — the Anglican Communion has been shattered.
RE: “Some have found the stress intolerable and left – ACNA and Nigeria and Uganda for example.”
Nigeria and Uganda have not left the Anglican Communion — though I am sure that hope springs eternal in revisionist TECans hearts. They are staying within the Anglican Communion so that they can resist and vocally, publicly fight against the other gospel that revisionist TEC leaders promote.
#12 Badman
LOL! – I believe the Labour Party are looking for some new spin-doctors. Why not try there?
I second Sarah’s comment – its remarkable how Nigeria, Uganda and other Global South provinces can issue a very clear and explicit statement that they are not leaving the Communion, and barely a month later there are claims that they have left the Communion!
Similarly for those querying whether the GS has said much about the Glasspool consecration – the GS has made a number of very specific statements. They can only make the statements – we have to choose to read them!
Also, someone wrote above: “Neither will the Fellowship of Confessing Christians take any meaningful action other than issue a statement.” I’ve never heard of such a body. I have heard of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. And yes, they have issued a statement. Given that FCA is not a church nor a province, nor a diocese, what “meaningful action” was it supposed to take?