For the first time in seven years, the Anglican Communion’s Primates’ Meeting has not referred directly to broken communion, the three moratoria requested by The Windsor Report (2004), or what any provinces can do to restore communion and trust.
For the first time in seven years, the Anglican Communion’s Primates’ Meeting has not referred directly to broken communion, the three moratoria requested by The Windsor Report (2004), or what any provinces can do to restore communion and trust.
Guess this was gauged a success by the co-opted ABC, planners, ACO, and wholly p*owned former “Instruments of Communion” EcUSA lackeys.
“Archbishop Williams said he was satisfied that the meeting had met his chief hopes.
“My chief hope was to emerge with greater clarity and agreement about what we expect of the Primates corporately and how best we can realize our expectations,†he said at a press conference at the end of the meeting. “In the light of that, I’m very glad to say that we have now a document about how we understand the work and calling and responsibility of the Primates’ Meeting; the result of a number of days of very intensive discussion of our theologies of the Church and of ministry. We have also redefined the task of the Standing Committee of the Primates’ Meeting.â€
At the press conference, Archbishop Williams also said that empty chairs and lit candles were visual reminders of the 15 absent primates.
“We’ve prayed for them daily. We are committed to maintaining relationship with them,†he said. “But no meeting can allow itself to be shaped wholly by the people who are not there.†”
Yep.
A very good angle to take on the Dublin Gathering. Though a bit subtle the point was clear: The ABC said the agenda would reflect the developments taking place in TEC. The Gathering did no such thing. It ‘changed its focus’ and placed a group of white westerners in charge of the meeting.
Sad to say, but it is awful for such a remarkably dishonest man to be the incumbent head of a denomination. (I struggle for what to call it; “communion” is no longer true as about two-thirds of the “communion” no longer actually takes communion with much of the rest, and there are no longer any meetings at which they all attend.) He may very well believe he has escaped rather unscathed from this meeting on account of no public blow-ups. I am not so sure that will turn out to be true as the larger orthodox part of the communion continues to organise and operate separately.
Another frame in the movie called “the Great Anglican Schism.” The “rival communions” are shaping up just about on schedule. Meanwhile, TEC’s internal life appears to be headed for a demographic collapse of perhaps humbling proportions. Yet, we continue calm and self-assured. Once again, it reads rather like a scene in a Greek Tragedy.
I’m seriously considering removing Rowan and Katharine from the church leaders part of the prayers of the people and moving them to those in need of God’s healing touch. (Healing=Salvation)
Thoughts?
Quite some time ago I realized with the greatest possible disappointment and disillusionment that the men who I had trusted to defend the Faith -the orthodox bishops- would not do so except on their own terms. Time and again the orthodox have declined to use their numbers and influence when confronted by determined revisionists and instead of entering the fray orthodox prelates take their toys in hand and gaily sail away into the sunset, leaving me and thousands and thousands of loyal clergy and laity behind. The orthodox primates had many, MANY opportunities to use their numerical superiority among the Primates and at Lambeth to take control of the situation despite whatever Rowan (that non-English interloper on the throne of St Augustine) wanted. They could have risen up (as in Egypt) and refused to go along with the published Agenda at the meetings. Instead, they sullenly sulk beside their ships, leaving reduced numbers to face the day. Crucial numbers of ECUSA orthodox bishops, clergy, and parishes sailed off into the sunset and left the rest of us behind. At the moment I’m feeling as if I were plopped in the midst of an organization made up of false promises and unreliable self-seeking shepherds on ALL sides, each doing as he desires, no one standing up and refusing to go away. “A plague on both your houses” is my motto today. Or, as my late beloved friend The Venerable Bernard Ferneyhough, Archdeacon of Oakham once pronounced ex-cathedra in my presence at a dinner party, “NEVER trust a bishop.”
Sometimes when you take your football and go home, nobody cares. Every 4th grader knows that.
Also, #5, BrianInDioSpfd, you actually commemorate those people in the PoP? In Orthodoxy, commemorating a hierarch is an indication of your spiritual communion with them. Deliberately omitting a hierarch is a sign that one is not (or no longer) in communion with that hierarch.
RE: “Sometimes when you take your football and go home, nobody cares.”
That’s true — it happens sometimes.
Thankfully, we happen to know that wasn’t true for the Dublin Primates Meeting since so much effort was put into trying to obscure just how many took their footballs and stayed away.
It’s transparently obvious that a bunch of apparatchiks — not to mention the ABC whom they serve — cared a good deal that a bunch of folks didn’t bother to show up for their little soiree.
Plus, I think it’s quite possible that they won’t be playing RW’s game again.
Good stuff — and far better than simply taking one’s football and going home a time or two.
“Plus, I think it’s quite possible that they won’t be playing RW’s game again.”
I think so too–and that the ball is now in their court.
Tragic thing is that those in Dublin have such low attendance in their home countries ….they hardly represent anyone (and please, let us NOT pretend the CofE has 23m members ….1m on a Sunday….still, that is better than Katie and Gene do in a country with 5x the population…. but who wants to hear about ‘ubuntu’ etc etc?