The archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, sent a lengthy letter to the members of his warring Anglican Communion on Friday, saying that both sides had violated the Communion’s boundaries and put the church in crisis.
He criticized the American branch, the Episcopal Church, for departing from the Communion’s consensus on Scripture by ordaining an openly gay bishop and blessing same-sex unions, “in the name of the church.”
But the archbishop faulted conservative prelates in Africa, Asia and Latin America for annexing American parishes and an entire California diocese that have recently left the Episcopal Church, and for ordaining conservative Americans as bishops and priests.
“There can be no doubt that these ordinations have not been encouraged or legitimized by the Communion over all,” the archbishop wrote, contradicting those conservatives who said they were acting with his approval.
Of all the new moves, he wrote: “On the ground, it creates rivalry and confusion. It opens the door to complex and unedifying legal wrangles in civil courts.”
In many ways, the letter was an acknowledgment that the Anglican Communion’s factions have fought to a standstill. A meeting of American bishops in New Orleans in September did not produce the clear reversal and apology that conservatives have demanded.
In response to that meeting, leaders of the international provinces came to no consensus, he wrote.
[blockquote]
“There can be no doubt that these ordinations have not been encouraged or legitimized by the Communion over all,†the archbishop wrote, contradicting those conservatives who said they were acting with his approval.
Of all the new moves, he wrote: “On the ground, it creates rivalry and confusion. It opens the door to complex and unedifying legal wrangles in civil courts.â€
In many ways, the letter was an acknowledgment that the Anglican Communion’s factions have fought to a standstill. [/blockquote]
Of course the sycophantic provinces like Mexico and Brazil haven’t approved, thus the “overall” bit.
“it creates rivalry and confusion.” These actions are not primary but secondary reactions.
“Fought to a standstill”? Hardly, San Joaquin, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Uganda, Nigeria/CANA, Kenya, Southern Cone, etc., are all on the move. They gave proper deference to the ABC who has called for more meetings! We have talked and talked and the obstreperous TEC simply laughs at the idle (idol?) chatter.
Our dear ABC hacks at the branches of TEC’s heresy with his plastic axe while the roots grow deeper by the day.
Good quotes from Dr. Harmon, especially the truth without consequences one.