….behind the scenes conversations between Dr. Williams and the primates remain on-going, CEN has been told. While reservations and supplies have been laid on by the ACC staff for the 38 primates and the Archbishop of York to meet at the Emmaus Conference Centre outside of Dublin, it is not clear how many primates will attend the gathering.
In 2008 Dr. Williams called the bluff of the Global South bishops and declined to honour their request to postpone the Lambeth Conference, due to their objections to the presence of the US and Canadian bishops. As a result a majority of African bishops sat out the every ten year meeting of the communion’s bishops.
In his Oct 7 letter, Dr. Williams warned the primates of the substantial “damage” to the communion a boycott of the meeting would entail. Whether he can find a synthesis between the opposing camps within the communion, offering suggestions as to ways the primates could meet together without actually having to meet together, remains unclear.
“In a statement released via Twitter on Nov 11…spokesman Jan Butter wrote:”
How very appropriate – LOL!
They do seem to have some problems getting their stories right.
Also in the same Church of England Newspaper edition from an alternative parallel universe, Canon Kearon writes:
[blockquote]Sir, As the secretary of the Primates’ Meeting and other Communion meetings I would like to make it clear that, despite your article of November 12, there are and have never been any plans to suspend the upcoming Primates’ Meeting in Dublin next January.
This meeting is an important and highly valued opportunity for Primates and Moderators of Churches of the Anglican Communion to meet and fellowship together. It was first proposed by Archbishop Donald Coggan in 1978 as an opportunity for “leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultationâ€.
The format of the 2011 meeting is driven by an ongoing need for discernment and dialogue regarding issues that are negatively affecting the life of the Communion. There is therefore, a suggestion that this be a different kind of Primates’ Meeting, which begins with a number of different conversations taking place simultaneously at first. This is to provide a safe space where dialogue can begin and progress together in a spirit of prayer and discernment.
I would also like to clarify that I and my colleagues work at the Anglican Communion Office, and not the Anglican Consultative Council as stated in your article. This is an important distinction as we serve not only the ACC, but all the instruments of Communion as well as the Anglican Communion more broadly.
Canon Kenneth Kearon
Secretary General of the
Anglican Communion[/blockquote]
So what is one to make of this?
“there are and have never been any plans to suspend the upcoming Primates’ Meeting in Dublin next January… There is therefore, a suggestion that this be a different kind of Primates’ Meeting, which begins with a number of different conversations taking place simultaneously at first.â€
Fine point between whether replacing a meeting with a group of facilitated Indaba style Delphi Technique separate meetings is to suspend it. As George Conger puts it:
“Whether he [Dr Williams] can find a synthesis between the opposing camps within the communion, offering suggestions as to ways the primates could meet together without actually having to meet together, remains unclear.â€
Kearon continues:
“This is to provide a safe space where dialogue can begin and progress together in a spirit of prayer and discernment.â€
“Safeâ€, Canon Kearon, from whom pray – Al Qu’ada? Raving fundamentalists? The IRD? The Holy Spirit? Canon Kearon has spent too much time engorging that listening process stuff.
“I would also like to clarify that I and my colleagues work at the Anglican Communion Office, and not the Anglican Consultative Councilâ€
No, really? How strange, when the office of the Secretary General was created by the ACC and the ACO as its secretariat between meetings. Canon Kearon seems to be suffering from mission creep.
“to meet and fellowship together†– is there any chance of getting a secretary general who can speak English next time, or Irish even?
“Secretary General of the Anglican Communion†– wider still and wider, shall my titles be – very creepy.
Relevant to all this there is an article by Canon Chris Sugden and Canon Vinay Samuel in the CEN this week as well which can be read here
There is really quite a lot in the Church of England Newspaper this week – an excellent publication.
“In 2008 Dr. Williams called the bluff of the Global South bishops and declined to honour their request to postpone the Lambeth Conference, due to their objections to the presence of the US and Canadian bishops. As a result a majority of African bishops sat out the every ten year meeting of the communion’s bishops.”
Whose bluff (and blather fest) got called?
Whose dithering in the face of reality has caused substantial damage to the communion? Rowan has certainly caught American projectionism as surely as he is an affirming katholik.
I am told that “fellowship together” is an American term, and where presumably fellowship is a verb, perhaps something one does in “safe places”. I wonder if this is where Kenneth sees his future.