Concluding his visit with the House of Bishops, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams sought to diminish expectations and the implication that there are consequences for The Episcopal Church for failing to provide the assurances sought by the Anglican Communion’s primates last February.
Archbishop Williams spoke at a press conference Friday as he wrapped up a day and a half of private conversation in New Orleans with the House of Bishops and representatives from the joint steering committee of the primates and the Anglican Consultative Council,
“Despite what has been claimed, there is no ”˜ultimatum’ involved,” Archbishop Williams said, reciting from memory a written statement distributed to reporters. “The primates asked for a response by September 30 simply because we were aware that this was the meeting of the house likely to be formulating such a response. The ACC and Primates Joint Standing Committee will be reading and digesting what the bishops have to say, and will let me know their thoughts on it early next week. After this I shall be sharing what they say, along with my own assessments, with the primates and others, inviting their advice in the next couple of weeks.”
In response to a question about the significance of his brief visit, Archbishop Williams said it “probably would not make much difference on the whole,” adding that he came away greatly encouraged by the bishops’ determination to continue together in relationship. Archbishop Williams also said there was “room for maneuverability” in an acceptable response from the bishops.
“Unfortunately [the primates’ requests in the communiqué] have been seen as demands and intrusions” by many of the bishops, he noted.
Update: A brief Boston Globe article is here.
[b]Archbishop Williams also said there was “room for maneuverability†in an acceptable response from the bishops[/b]
I think Saint Paul would have something to say about “maneuverability”……and Truths.
bl
At least he was able to recite the press release from memory. That’s pretty impressive.