(ENS) Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, speaking in a brief interview before the bishops’ traditional group photo, acknowledged that “there are some frustrations, but it’s important to let the process progress. We are working at getting it right.” The majority of the groups are working as hoped, he said.
Bishop Mark Beckwith of the Diocese of Newark (New Jersey) wrote in a message to his diocese that “the indaba process has challenged the Western linear way of proceeding — and I think it has opened up creativity. It certainly has exposed a deep desire that I have heard from others that we hold together as a unique body of Christ, while acknowledging that we are indeed being buffeted about by serious difference and disagreement.”
He added that, “the indaba process seems to enable us to express our disagreements about theology and sexuality openly and honestly.”
Bishop Robert O’Neill of Colorado acknowledged that “there has been frustration. Part of it is the physical layout of (our group’s) room; it’s difficult to sit facing each other. Some of it arises out of a sensation there is a Western structure overlaid on an African structure. We talked openly today. We identified things that are important for us to engage. There was a desire to take stock and make sure we had time to talk about things that are more difficult.”
Some bishops — among them Andrew Burnham of Ebbsfleet, England writing in a blog or Internet diary — thought the process was trying to contain too many topics in too little time.