GAFCON, which says it represents about 35 million Anglicans mostly in Africa, Asia and Latin America, will be held less than a month before the 10-yearly Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops from around the world opens on July 16.
[Arne] Fjeldstad said [Archbishop Peter] Akinola was not denied entry into Jordan but gave up after several hours’ delay at the border.
“He was kept in bureaucratic limbo,” he said. “They claimed that, as a diplomatic passport holder, he had to give advance warning that he was coming. He decided to go back to Jerusalem.”
I think it is God’s will, they should never go to Jordan, Gafcon should be just at the Holy City, they went there just to please the Episcopalian bishop of Jerusalem.
Of course, Anglicans should never do anything to accommodate a local bishop and diocese (or a local primate and province). It is so much more fun for everyone to have universal and immediate jurisdiction… a communion of popes. Let’s ignore our fellow Anglicans to protest the arrogant Americans who have… ignored their fellow Anglicans.
I’m certainly no expert in international law, but I’m beginning to wonder if the proper diplomatic protocol was used in informing the Jordanian government that Archbishop Akinola, as the holder of a diplomatic passport (for whatever reason), was planning this short visit. I seem to recall that Jordan’s King Abdullah invited GAFCON to his country, and that, in itself, should have been enough advance notification of the Archbishop’s planned visit. Or could it be that His Majesty is not on speaking terms with his Foreign Office?
“The arrogant Americans who have……ignored their fellow Anglicans.” Hmm, this sounds familiar…….like Schori and Company, who have ignored THEIR fellow Anglicans in their own country! But they really HAVEN’T ignored them, have they? Witness the lawsuits!
But let’s get back to GAFCON: This little incident isn’t going to deter us, and we’ll carry on as planned.
#2: Of course, when I seek to travel abroad, I always ask permission of the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Monophysite etc lord and lady bishops to enter their sovereign demesne – you know, Constantine & all that, must observe the Nicene canons etc…
The problem is not the lack of diplpmatic access, Jordan will not allow visa access to persons who have already entered Israel and had their passport stamped with Isreali entrance samps. A separate stamp sheet is rewuired to keep Israeli visits off of your passport.
Been there, done that.