THE Bishop of Ripon and Leeds has joined the growing chorus of prelates urging their Episcopal colleagues not to boycott next year’s Lambeth Conference.
Speaking during his annual Advent Address at Ripon Cathedral today, the Rt Rev John Packer said bishops threatening to withdraw from the ten-yearly gathering on issues of principle were ”˜misguided and missing the point’.
He said the whole point of the conference was for Anglican bishops to discuss divisions and differences, since its inception in 1867 by one of his predecessors, Charles Longley, the first Bishop of Ripon and Leeds.
Prelates including the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, and the Archbishop of Nigeria, the Most Rev Peter Akinola, may boycott the conference over the gay row which is plaguing the worldwide Commuion.
Bishop Packer gave his unequivocal support to the Conference and said both he and his suffragan, the Bishop of Knaresborough, the Rt Rev James Bell, would be in attendance.
Didn’t everyone get together for a gabfest in Tanzania to hammer these differences out? And didn’t TEC pretty much go on and do what it damn well pleased afterward? It occurs to me that the point of discussing is so actions may be taken subsequent to the talks, not so we can turn into a modern People’s Front of Judea.
Burning heretics is no longer permissible. Non-association is very Biblical and very appropriate.
For too long the revisionists have manipulated the “listening process” into tacit validation of their deviant ways.
The cost of traveling from Leeds to Lambeth can’t be too much. The cost of travel from Nigeria or Uganda is another matter. If, as advertised, nothing of substance is on the agenda, no decisions will be made, how can poorer provinces justify the expense?
Hey guys and gals, don’t yinz (I’m from Pittsburgh) understand that Lambeth is kind of like a beach day or big family picnic? Lots of great English food (fish and chips likely this year since TEC’s conservative bishops won’t be there to ply with fried chicken impressionable bishops from darkest Africa with bible college degrees), nifty photo-ops (easier to get one with the A of C than with Ben the 16th), cool cultured worship in a great cathedral, lots of chatting about Millennium Development Goals, and grand pronouncements about nothing. And did I tell you about the fantastic group photo they take at the end? It’s what every faithful Anglican cleric with unbridled purple passion lives for. Don’t spoil the party, gang. Y’all come, ya heah.
Sadly, the good bishop has not been informed of the agenda format which is being designed to avoid any discussion of issues and differences. Orthodox bishops have every reason to avoid Lambeth – why spend money for a lovefest? However, if they count heads and find they have enough of a majority to meet and change the agenda to deal with TEC and the Canadian Church, then I would agree that they should go ahead and plan on meeting and transforming the premier Instrument of Unity (behind the ABofC) into the one Instrument able and willing to exclude TEC from the Anglican COmmunion.
How much longer will it take for Bishop Packer and Company to realize that The Episcopal Church’s leadership are hell-bent on going their own way; all the while claiming that “God is doing a new thing?” Why sit at the table with them; knowing that they’ve departed from the rest of us?
This bishop does not read the fliers on Lambeth from Lambeth. Even if he goes I am fairly sure from the inanity he spouts that he won’t be contributing much beyond bonhomie. Certainly won’t be lively thought from the declarations here.
Maybe Ripon and his suffragan can get up a nice rubber of bridge with New Hampshire and his partner.
Jeff Thimsen wrote:
[blockquote] The cost of traveling from Leeds to Lambeth can’t be too much. [/blockquote]
Try taking a train from Leeds to London and you’d be shocked…
Unfortunately we are now at the point that staying away is the only thing that will get anyone’s attention. At this point if the GS does go they will loose their credibility and the reappraisers will say that the GS was never serious and they successfully called the GS’s bluff. This was just what they said about the orthodox leaving after 2003.
Given the ABC’s dithering and deliberate inaction and the fact that TEC will not stop what it is doing I don’t think the AC will hold together much longer.
Br Michael,
Maybe the Communion will hold together and we just are too dumb to realize why. You see, there is a principle that might apply…it runs something like “People can leave the [parish/diocese/church/province/Communion] but [parishes/dioceses/churches/provinces/Communion] can’t leave and the property always stays put”.
I wonder if the ACC or the ABC could declare a province “vacant” and send in replacement hierarchy. Mrs. Schori could advise them on this approach to church unity.
Packer’s views would fit nicely into the diocese of New Hampshire. No surprise about this pronouncement.
Brien, I don’t think the TEC has enough money to sue nearly 110 parishes, populate them and have any money left over to go and meet any meeting as big as Lambeth could be.