CANTERBURY, UK””In spite of extraordinary pressure to do otherwise, the Archbishop of Canterbury has managed to achieve his stated goal of a Lambeth Conference of reflection rather than resolutions. The long predicted coup d’état that was going to emerge from this Lambeth Conference and vote the Americans and Canadians out of the Anglican Communion failed to materialize. There is much to be grateful for in that.
In his July 29th presidential address, Rowan Williams clearly set the theological and biblical perspectives of those who embrace an inclusive gospel within the container of Anglican comprehensiveness. That in itself is a tremendous step forward for the Anglican Communion. It should signal that it is time for the conversations to cease about whether those who hold an inclusive perspective are still Anglicans””much less Christians. It is time to move on to how we, as a diverse community of faith, are going to move forward in God’s mission in spite of our differences.
The 43-page “Lambeth Indaba: Capturing Conversations and Reflections” provides a snapshot of the diversity of opinion and perspective held throughout the global communion and resists the temptation to offer””much less insist””on the means to reconcile the differences that challenge us. We call on our bishops to resist the temptation of those who will try to turn this descriptive document into a proscriptive edict.
This is particularly critical in the language around moratoria. The inclusion in this set of descriptions of the conversations in the bishops’ Indaba groups of the “desire to enforce a moratoria” on further consecrations of bishops who are gay or lesbian and on the blessing and celebration of same-sex unions is an accurate reflection of how some in the Anglican Communion would prefer we moved forward.
So is the reflection about “the positive effects in parts of [the Communion] when homosexual people are accepted as God’s children, are treated with dignity and choose to give their lives to Christ and to live in the community of faith as disciples of Jesus Christ with fidelity and commitment.”
And, while the Archbishop of Canterbury in his concluding address expressed his own preference for moratoria as a way forward, we are reminded that we are, as Anglicans, bound together in bonds of affection rather than authority. We believe we are called to find that way forward, not only within the bonds of affection to our Anglican siblings, but within the parameters of the polity and practice of an Episcopal Church forged in the crucible of the American Revolution.
With Lambeth Conference 2008 and the failed coup d’état behind us, Integrity calls on our bishops to lead us all forward in faith and in God’s mission: to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and to let the oppressed go free.
We challenge them to partner with the House of Deputies to break the cycle of being bullied into bigotry and distracted from mission and ministry by those who would exclude us because of our commitment to the full inclusion of all the baptized in the Body of Christ. We look forward to General Convention 2009 and the opportunities we will have there to move the church further forward on the journey toward full inclusion.
We pray that our bishops will build on the relationships they have developed here in Canterbury with bishops from around the Communion to enable the witness of the Good News of God in Christ Jesus made present in the lives, relationships and vocations of LGBT Episcopalians to be shared more widely throughout our Anglican family of faith. We stand ready to resource and support that work going forward.
We remind our bishops that we cannot live up to our baptismal vows to respect the dignity of every human being if we tell some of them that they are good enough to arrange our flowers, play our organs, direct our choirs, teach our Sunday Schools, and lead our worship””but not good enough to have their vocations affirmed and their relationships blessed. There is nothing “generous” about asking the LGBT faithful to bear the burden of unity of the Anglican Communion on their shoulders and there is no theological defense for sacrificing a minority of the baptized to the will of a majority.
We give thanks for the extraordinary privilege it has been to be part of the cloud of witnesses who have offered to this Lambeth Conference incarnational opportunities to engage with brother and sister Anglicans from all over the globe. We pray that our witness, along with our Inclusive Church Network allies, will continue to grow as we partner together to proclaim God’s justice and to live God’s love.
Finally, we recognize with deep regret that the exclusion of the Bishop of New Hampshire from this gathering of his peer bishops in the Church of God has sent a signal to LGBT people around the world that the Anglican Communion still considers them “strangers at the gate.” We commit ourselves to continue in the struggle until our church and our Communion live up to the high calling to be the Body of Christ in the world where all members are truly welcome, valued, loved, included, and challenged.
I don’t understand the continued desire to remain part of a Communion the vast majority of whose members disagree strenuously with everything the organization Integrity stands for.
“There is nothing “generous” about asking the LGBT faithful to bear the burden of unity of the Anglican Communion on their shoulders and there is no theological defense for sacrificing a minority of the baptized to the will of a majority.”
Ironically, the above is exactly what groups like Integrity and Bp Robinson have done. They have sacrificed those with Homosexual temptations to the will of the majority in TEC and led them to live lives conflicted with Scripture, the Holy Spirit and the larger Christian (not just Anglican) community. By their propaganda, they prevent such people from receiving true ministry from Christ rather than accomodation by the culture. They are sacrificed for the personal agenda of such as Integrity.
It would be amusing if it were not so sad to see the straw men that people seek to put up and then tear apart which never existed in the first place. A coup d’etat at Lambeth 2008? Where exactly did anyone say that was going to happen?
“…those who will try to turn this descriptive document into a proscriptive edict.”
Ms. Russell and her cohorts got into the faces of bishops for two weeks in the hopes that they would be definitive in their support of Integrity’s agenda. If they had, she would have hailed it as an overturn of 1.10. Since they didn’t it’s not authoritative and to be ignored. Can such lies and deceit be real? Is anyone truly that twisted to spend thousands on shaping bishops’ opinions for Integrity and then walk away hoping that they won’t say anything against it? I am truly saddened and sick that this Church has wasted so much energy on such churlish people. It’s time to be shed of this ilk once and for all. Let the diocesan provinical exit ramp up and the lawsuits increase. Let’s get this going. Let General Convention ’09 be minus a few dioceses and then let Russell and her band of deceivers spin that one.
[blockquote]It would be amusing if it were not so sad to see the straw men that people seek to put up and then tear apart which never existed in the first place. A coup d’etat at Lambeth 2008? Where exactly did anyone say that was going to happen? [/blockquote]
Call it what you will, Dr. Harmon, but TEC escaped from Lambeth with nary a scratch. No sharp lines on non-celibate clergy, nothing on SSBs, zip on lawsuits, silence on kangaroo depositions. The war is over, it’s just mopping up now. 815’s jihad against reasserters will be open, aggressive and without mercy now. I’d be surprised to see +Lawrence as bishop at GC2012.
The bitter truth is that the official AC is on the side of TEC and GLBT.
As for “straw men”, I do not know anyone who expected anything from Lambeth, and unfortunately we got exactly what we expected.
Gloria in SC
“We call on our bishops to resist the temptation of those who will try to turn this descriptive document into a proscriptive edict. ”
Of course, when your organization existence depends on denying the authority of the ultimate prescriptive document, no lesser source of authority stands a chance.
In those days, there was no King in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
8, reminds me of the story of the Levite and his concubine.
“The bitter truth is that the official AC is on the side of TEC and GLBT.” I think that you overstate your case, Br. Michael. The tone of Lambeth is that TEC is regarded at best, as a bit of an embarassment. The tragedy is the lack of will to do anything about it.
In the end, Jeff #10, isn’t that the same thing: lack of will is “on the side of” don’t you think?
See my comment above on Schori’s remarks. Compare therefore the oleo smooth presentation here, so very like Schori’s. Kendall’s point is perfectly clear, but this essay glosses over such distinctions as if they didn’t exist. This is what oleo is for. Larry
[blockquote] With Lambeth Conference 2008 and the failed coup d’état behind us, Integrity calls on our bishops to lead us all forward in faith and in God’s mission: to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and to let the oppressed go free.
We challenge them to partner with the House of Deputies to break the cycle of being bullied into bigotry and distracted from mission and ministry by those who would exclude us because of our commitment to the full inclusion of all the baptized in the Body of Christ. We look forward to General Convention 2009 and the opportunities we will have there to move the church further forward on the journey toward full inclusion. [/blockquote]
It’s not hard to imagine what lies ahead of us. We need to prepare ourselves, and may God have mercy.
10, at the end of the day the official AC will do nothing. That puts them of the side of TEC. It’s the practical reality and I don’t think that I am overstating the case at all.
After all the goings-on, this article truly makes me want to throw up
NO coup?? Didn’t anybody notice??!? There was indeed a coup-de-etat and Kearon, ACC and Co pulled it off not only without spilling a drop of blood but also without a whimper.
Just wait and see the GenCon next year ratify and authorize the whole gay agenda —
— Because, after all — there was [b]NO[/b] kind of negative fallout or discipline for TEC at all [b][i]was there?!?[/i][/b] SEE?!? We’re just fine!
So Integrity is pleased — and I notice so is KJS — so it is clear who came out on top from the ABC’s process. As expected.
I think this is the money quote:
[blockquote] In his July 29th presidential address, Rowan Williams clearly set the theological and biblical perspectives of those who embrace an inclusive gospel within the container of Anglican comprehensiveness. That in itself is a tremendous step forward for the Anglican Communion. It should signal that it is time for the conversations to cease about whether those who hold an inclusive perspective are still Anglicans—much less Christians. [/blockquote]
So the ABC has provided the biblical base for their claims – now how will that claim be used.
For Integrity, Jeffert Schori, and ++Williams this is a victory…the status quo is maintained. TEC continues with its own definition of inclusiveness that is quite narrow.
May the re-alignment proceed now that the questions have been answered.
Why would those so at odds with the rest of the Communion want to stay in what would seem to be an unfriendly and hostile place? Because they’ve always felt excluded and marginalized, so they know this “battlefield” well. They’re comfortable on it. And they intend to win, for once in their otherwise miserable lives.
They want to win the heart and soul of the thing which is (was once) called the Anglican Communion, precisely because they are “claiming the blessing.” This is the why.