The conference will be a testing time for Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who is on the liberal wing of the church but has devoted himself to trying to hold the church together. Some have accused him of seeking consensus where there is none.
He seems to have disappointed radicals while failing to satisfy traditionalists, but Bishop Holloway has a strong respect for the archbishop. “Rowan is a liberal, warm-hearted man,” he says. “There is something very honourable about what he is doing. He has decided to park his own private convictions and work to preserve the unity of the institution.
“It is a very self-sacrificing thing to do and it has won him a lot of respect as well as criticism. My hunch is the good guys will rally round and do what they can to bolster him up.”
Bishop [Richard] Holloway, who was Bishop of Edinburgh for 14 years and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church for eight, attended the last two Lambeth conferences.
He says: “Each Lambeth I have been at, the press has predicted the dissolution of the Anglican communion. In 1988 it was over the ordination of women, but we found a way of living with that. In 1998 they did less well with the gay thing. I suspect this time they will get through again.
“…seeking consensus where there is none”
The reporter has given the perfect motto for Lambeth (the Occupant and the Conference). Kendall was right in another interview–It’s a game of “Let’s Pretend.”
Love the ‘we’ve wallowed through before and we’ll do it again’ sort of charm. High goals and all………
It’s like trying to make gray out of black and white. It’s worked before but I’ll bet it won’t work this time – there is no “gray” in the Bible!