The Lambeth Conference is now believed highly unlikely to resolve the controversy over the ordination of actively gay bishops or blessings for same-sex couples.
The two issues have riven the Anglican Communion in recent years and have led to about a quarter of its bishops worldwide boycotting the current conference, which continues until August 3rd.
In a statement yesterday, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Right Rev John Neill, said he believed that “we are now engaged at Lambeth not in solving an issue, but in staying together for the sake of Christ, the church and above all the world which he calls upon us to serve”.
This “has not happened because anybody is trying to impose a liberal agenda.
“Liberals and conservatives should not attempt to demonise one another.
“We need both, but we need more, we need to be together,” he said.
Basically he is saying that no matter what the liberals do we have to put up with for the sake of unity.
But of course to what end? Is the Church, or any organization for that matter, unified simply for the sake of unity somewhere in the air? Do perfect strangers suddenly approach each other as say, “Lets start an organization where we can be unified!†Of course not. Any group is unified around something else so that unity is the by-product of uniformly held beliefs or goals.
These people have made the act of unity an end in and of itself.
“Everybody, just stay in the handbasket, and quit asking where we’re going.”
The problem with Anglican theology is that it is a mile wide and a inch deep. Anglican doctrine tries to be all things to all people whether it is right or wrong.