Tears, jubilation, and muted protest marked the consecration of the AnÂglican Communion’s first openly lesbian bishop in California last SatÂurday, although the event drew swift condemnation from traditionÂalist groups and from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In a brief statement, Dr Williams described the ceremony as “regretÂtable”, and said that it placed a quesÂtion mark over the place in the ComÂmunion of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The critÂicism was echoed by Evangelical groups in Ireland, among other places.
A press release published jointly by the Church of Ireland Evangelical FelÂlowship and three other bodies argued that the consecration represented “a clear rejection of the many pleas for gracious restraint” set out in the Windsor report and made by the latest Primates’ Meeting.
The article stated:
[blockquote]the event drew swift condemnation from traditionÂalist groups and from the Archbishop of Canterbury[/blockquote]
Really?? Did I miss something?
#1 Didn’t you catch the swift condemnation from ABC….”it raises a question mark” sounds like another listening process might be in order.
I suspect the reporter may be confusing a post-consent statement from Lambeth, which [b]did[/b] happen, when a post-consecration statement, which has [b]not[/b] yet happened.
Yes, Dan (#3), I suspect you’re right, but unfortunately that’s not the only inaccuracy.
To call ++RW’s comment a “condemnation” seems to exaggerate how negative it was. Even granting the difference between polite British usage and the blunter American style, the ABoC’s language strikes me as milder than an outright condemnation. More cautionary, more like a vague warning or a statement of regret than a rebuke.
However, on the positive side, this article in the Church Times does mention the three consequences that Canon Sugden and Anglican Mainstream have called for, and it cites the ACI rebuttal of the position taken by the NZ General Synod that rejected section 4 of the Covenant. That’s at least more evenhanded than ENS would be.
David Handy+
“In a brief statement, Dr Williams described the ceremony as “regretÂtableâ€, and said that it placed a quesÂtion mark over the place in the ComÂmunion of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The critÂicism was echoed by Evangelical groups in Ireland, among other places.”
First sign of inattention by the reporter, characterizing Row, Row, Rowan as “brief”. ;>)
For pity’s sake, why can’t we develop the ….. to dump TEC into the Gehenna it deserves and then get on with life. Why this waffling and whining and backing and filling? Larry