Archbishop Williams stated at one point that “perception is a fact.” I think that is a very helpful insight to remember. What we believe to be true (even if it is not) is held to be true. I read The New York Times article at the conclusion of the HOB meeting and was very disappointed. The headline and paragraphs of the article were the exact opposite of what happened at the meeting. I found it interesting that some were interviewed for the article that were not even present for the meeting; and that participants at the meeting were not interviewed.
My point is simple. Read the direct sources prayerfully for yourselves. Please read The House of Bishops’ response “to questions and concerns raised by our Anglican Communion partners.” Also read the article: Anglican Communion’s Secretary General reflects on House of Bishops meeting. You will be better and more clearly informed.
The statement is from the Bishop of Southwest Florida, not Southeast Florida.
thanks for catching the error — we’ve corrected the title
[b] I read The New York Times article at the conclusion of the HOB meeting and was very disappointed. The headline and paragraphs of the article were the exact opposite of what happened at the meeting. [/b]
I am shocked, just shocked. The article the good bishop refers to is [i]Episcopal Bishops Reject Anglican Church’s Orders [/i], so – because we know Episcoplal bishops always say what they mean and mean what they say – it must be that the House of Bishops signed on to the Primates communique.
Wow! I am floored, I mean I just didn’t get that out of what they wrote.
OK sarcasm /off
RSB
Isn’t it dreadful that the laity are not tied to obtaining knowledge through the bishop’s washing machine with extra spin cycle.
OK sarcasm /off ;-P
You can use several words to describe the HOB reply to the primates. But when four different news organizations have four different and diametrically opposed headlines describing the statement, then “clarity” is not one of the words you can use to describe it.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Just observe what TEC does, not what it says. Then you will be better informed. Action speaks far louder than words. And ECUSA has set the gold standard for the truth of that!
Yes, yes, read the primary sources. Read ++Mouneer’s plea to the HoB, then read the HoB’s response, and decide for yourself.
Oh dear, it seems that Bp. Smith neglected to link to — or even acknowledge — +Mouneer’s address! Hmmm. However, he was able to skirt the “direct sources” exhortation by asserting (without citation) that “We have been preliminarily informed that the statement will prove acceptable to the archbishop.”
More chum in the water! Who gets the “p”? The Anglican Communion? The HOB? Somebody’s gotta be a chump! The ABC?
This is a very disappointing statement. It provides little to no substantive information to parishioners. No critique. This is a far cry from the quite detailed theological analyses offered by Bishop Lipscomb.
+Dabney Smith seems to suggest all is well. TEC will get a pass from the Archbishop and that’s all that really matters it seems.
I do appreciate his encouragement to his parishioners to read primary sources, but without offering links to a full range of such sources, I wonder to what extent many parishioners will do this. This seems to be another lost Windsor diocese — at least on the level of the Episcopate. It will now be up to individual clergy and laity to take a stand and thus I predict we’ll see further division in this diocese as in so many others as it has become clear that the bishop will not lead.
I hope I’m wrong and reading way too much into this too short, too facile statement. But there doesn’t seem a lot of obvious grounds to be encouraged otherwise.
For the record, how much longer is ++Rowan the ABC? Is there any hope for a solid Evangelical ( a la ++George Carey) to succeed him? Anybody have this information? Thanks.
I may be wrong, but I believe Canterbury’s appointment is for a period of twelve years. As for a “solid Evangelical” to succeed him: I’m not well-enough versed in CofE politics to address that issue.
Thanks.
It will very likely depend on who is serving as Prime Minister at the time. A more liberal PM will nominate a more liberal ABC.
So, in what year can we expect the present ABC to retire? (I’ll start counting the days….) Thanks.
Mandatory retirement for C of E bishops, including ABC so far as I know, is age 70.
And, that means, he doesn’t face mandatory retirement until….drumroll…2020.