One Rwandan bishop and five Kenyan bishops have broken ranks, defying their House of Bishops to attend the 2008 Lambeth Conference. However, no Nigerian or Uganda bishop has defied his church’s decision not to attend the every-10-year conference due to the presence of the American bishops.
“We’re sorry they are not here,” Archbishop Rowan Williams said, of the approximately 250 bishops from the four African provinces, Sydney and other evangelical dioceses who are absent.
Initial claims that a Nigerian bishop had bucked his Church have proven false.
However, Archbishop Peter Akinola told ReligiousIntelligence.com the whole issue of who was or was not at Lambeth was immaterial. “At this point it is a non-issue for us. After Lambeth, any Nigerian who may have chosen to flout our provincial and collective decision will have to answer to the general synod. It as simple as that.”
Access by the media to the gathering of bishops is sharply restricted, and the bishops themselves have scant knowledge of what is taking place. Unlike past conferences, there is no daily newspaper and what information that can be gleaned from official channels is available only to those bishops with laptops.
[blockquote]…and the bishops themselves have scant knowledge of what is taking place.[/blockquote]
Divide and smother is working like a charm.
Can someone enlighten me as to whether the synods of the boycotting provinces “instructed” their bishops not to attend or merely stated a collective intent.
Since GAFCON members have stated that at this point they have not quit the Anglican Communion and since there are present at Lambeth bishops from provinces with whom they are in complete sympathy (Sudan, let us say), it seems inappropriate to imply the prospect of sanctions for those who might merely choose to attend (as opposed to sanctions for things they might say and do – or not do – while they were there).
If GAFCON has yet to replace Lambeth, then Lambeth – however flawed its arrangements – remains an expression of global Anglican episcopal collegiality.
[url=http://catholicandreformed.blogspot.com]Catholic and Reformed[/url]
George Conger is right to pursue the matter of attendees at Lambeth.
Perhaps he was equally as concerned by the failure of GAFCON to give a list of those attending – in the light of the formative documents and declarations announced by that gathering – the lack of any list of those attending yet alone consenting and signing these new formularies is a significant and worrying matter.
Perhaps Dr Conger can take up this matter again?
GAFCON was an invitation only meeting as is Lambeth. Perhaps Lambeth organisers will choose not to reveal the ‘in, un or dis’ invitees, the attendees and those who left the conference, if that is the case..
Virtue has a long list of absent Anglican bishops. There are many more in continuing parishes that don’t believe the sexual agenda propaganda. There is no evidence in Scripture, science or medicine to show there is any basis in fact or reality for their claims.
As the Archbishop of Sudan, and other Bishops and Archbishops have said, it is futile and foolish to continue dialogue with sinners who will not hear or accept the truth in God’s Word.
“Virtue has a long list of absent Anglican bishops.”
I have long been convinced that just logging on to this website is a mortal sin.
I believe it is a mistake not to name those attending Lambeth, though as nothing will be decided there it is perhaps hardly important.
But I believe it far more than mistaken not to name those at GAFCON – or those who have signed up to the statement etc – there is something very dark about this failure.
How easy it is for Akinola to threaten any bishop who thought differently, for going to a conference they were each invited to.
Makes sense.
Yes, I have a big problem with +Akinola’s comments, as reported, too. The bishops may be in Nigeria but they’re still Anglican bishops who were invited to Lambeth and each should be able to decide if he wants to attend without being threatened. Whether it’s true or not, he is giving the impression that he’s fearful of something. Last I checked, he’s not the “pope” of Nigeria.
My, my. Seems we’ve replaced the name of Akinola for the Boogey Man! Akinola is not threatening anyone. The HOB of Nigeria has made their corporate decision. He personally will not prosecute anyone. It was interesting to me to find out that when Akinola retires some bishops think a more conservative Bishop will succeed him. The reason; Akinola is a little liberal on some issues. But that may not be a majority Nigerian position. Can you imagine??
There is a huge difference between Lambeth attendees, and those who went to GAFCON…….
Just mentioning GAFCON puts a big red bullseye on those courageous Bishops in some cases.
I doubt anyone like the PB would try to take, depose, and otherwise punish Bishops who go to Lambeth! GAFCON and their statements could mean another wholly different attitude..
Gloria in SC
Am I right in assuming that the proportion of Bishops with laptops from the wealthier nations is probably greater than the proportion of Bishops from less well off nations?
With all due respect, Francis, what does this sound like, if not a threat?
“any Nigerian who may have chosen to flout our provincial and collective decision will have to answer to the general synod.”
Invitations aren’t issued to provinces, they’re issued to individuals. IMO, to make a “collective decision” on whether to attend Lambeth does a disservice to the individual Nigerian bishops who represent their own people.
That’s a great northern european opinion teatime, (it ranks with ‘only individuals leave denominations’) but evidently the entire HOB of Nigeria has quite a different one. This is not Akinola’s personal decision as your quote details, but a community decision, the general synod. They evidently think they need to take a “collective decision” and they think this best represents their people. (Most cultures in the world operate in a similar manner.) Akinola will not spend a second hunting anyone down. Give us a break. But maybe given time and enlightenment they will change their ways. Ha!