The Communion has repeatedly asked TEC to make pastoral provisions and avoid steps that will alienate further those within TEC who wish to live by the Anglican faith which they believe to be true and remain in fellowship within the Anglican Communion. Even as recent[ly] as at the recent Lambeth, the great majority of Bishops present, including those from TEC, have expressed sincere desire for healing and reconciliation and to observe restraints on contentious issues for the Windsor-Covenant process to proceed.
The HOB has instead proceeded to depose a faithful bishop of the Gospel and the diocese under his care. This raises serious questions yet again, and more strikingly so soon after Lambeth, as to how sincere TEC and some of its bishops are in wanting to bring reconciliation, healing and resolution to the Communion crisis at hand.
“We urge those who have not chosen to ‘walk apart’ to work actively and sincerely with the Windsor-Covenant Process and other measures agreed at the Communion level. This is probably the only remaining opportunity to bind the Communion together out of this crisis which will strengthen our future common life, witness in the world and our place as an Anglican ecclesial family within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.”
Thank you, Archbishop John.
The consequences of the actions that have been taken against Bishop Bob Duncan and other orthodox Anglicans within ECUSA by Ms Schori and the revisionist bishops of the HOB are continuing to “come home to roost.”
Still to come are comments from bishops of the “mother church” in England, including those of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Just what will they have to say about Bishop Duncan’s deposition and the continuing witch hunt within ECUSA?
Anglican first,
I think the Archbishop of Canterbury should have been the first to make a response, not among the last. But whatever he has to say you can bet it will represent someone who is “out to lunch” as he has been since General Convention 2003.
[blockquote]This raises serious questions yet again, and more strikingly so soon after Lambeth…[/blockquote]
With all due respect, your Grace, we have a saying in the US: Fool me once (when Griswold appeared to agree that Robinson’s consecration would tear the fabric of the Communion) shame on you. Fool me twice (TEC bishops at Lambeth promising restraint) shame on me! What did you expect?
Does ‘walk apart’ have its normal meaning here as in those who are in league with KJS & TEC, or does it mean those who have left TEC as their way to model faithfulness?
Caleb, Archbishop Chew is calling on the orthodox to press ahead with the Windsor/Covenant process.
Nikolaus, this is a tactful, graceful rebuke. Archbishop Chew never embarasses anyone directly in public, but if you listen to his indirect comments, you will here him rebuke others firmly. This is one of the times. He is in fact reminding KJS that she has done it again “so soon after” Dar-es-Salaam and now Lambeth. Further he is reminding AOC that KJS has gone against what the Canterbury pleaded for at Lambeth. I doubt that KJS will understand JC’s rebuke (just as you apparently missed it)–Canterbury is likely to pick up on it.
Going one step further, the fact that SEAsia is publicly affirming Bp Duncan (as did Abp Mouneer) is a declaration that whilst SEAsia will continue to participate in AOC sponsored events such as Lambeth, SEAsia is walking in step with the Global South–not AOC or 815. I am very encouraged–and think Bishop Duncan should be to–by Archbishop Chew’s statement. The realignment continues.
LCF…so further distinguished: does Chew include those who are in Bishop Duncan’s common cause? Your definition possibly precludes them as they could be involved in boundary crossing which could be construed to be contrary to the Windosr Process…anyone know?
Where is the statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury — or from Bishop Tom Wright?
[blockquote]Where is the statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury — or from Bishop Tom Wright?[/blockquote]
Well, we have a statement from ++York: he is going to be participating in a service at St John the divine in New York with Ms Schori “celebrating” the halfway point of the millennium development goals. David Virtue is calling on him to withdraw. You can too by going to his contact page:
http://www.archbishopofyork.org/764
LCF+
If they’ve missed the rebuke, the reality is it is no rebuke.
#10 No–it means 1) that TEC is not listening and 2) further rebukes or actions will be forthcoming.
#7 No–the very fact that ++John is writing to +Bob is demonstration that SEAsia is recognizing and standing with the Common Cause folks as well as the Common Partners.
Remember that SEAsia, together with Rwanda, consecrated +Rogers and +Murphy following the Kuala Lumpur South to South Encounter. The Global South is working consistently, patiently, and steadfastly to stand for the Gospel and to remain connected to their roots and their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. That’s part of the reason this statement, as brief as it is, is so important. As I said yesterday, I am very encouraged by the SEAsia statement–they are moving steadily closer to recognizing a new province and are moving in such a way to include as many orthodox in the US as possible. They are not looking for a solution for the next few years, rather they are working for a solution for the next several hundred years.
“Remember that SEAsia, together with Rwanda, consecrated +Rogers and +Murphy following the Kuala Lumpur South to South Encounter.”
This is true — and yet I have read (numerous times) over the past 3+ years that after the retirement of Moses Tay (then the Abp of SE Asia; the present abp is Tay’s successor’s successor) SE Asia effectively “disowned” the AMiA, unlike Rwanda, which continues its “patronage.” I have never looked into this matter, but I’d like to ask (a) is it true that SE Asia “disowned” the AMiA, and, if it is true, then (b) why?
#12 Originally, +JR was consecrated “for” SEAsia and +CM for Rwanda. Abp Tay had wanted to consecrate a third bishop so that the AMiA would have sufficient bishops to consecrate their own and grow into their own province. After the consecration, Abp Tay acknowledged that he did not have the complete canonical authority to consecrate a bishop in his province without a geographical see. Rwanda’s canons and constitutions actually did and do provide for such a missionary bishop! Thus, AMiA bishops now sit in the HOB of Rwanda to facilitate collegiality and a common vision for the work in the Americas, until such time as a new American province is established. As I said earlier, these guys are working for the long term solution.
“This raises serious questions yet again” – Archbishop John. I realize the Archbishop is being profoundly gentle. However, the picture that comes to mind is someone standing at one end of a bridge asking “What are you doing?” while the folks at the other end are laying explosives. And, in that vein… given that the deposition of +Bob is burning yet another bridge, I have several suggestions for a new theme song for our PB and the HOB gang.
One possibility might be the “Burning Bridges†theme from Kelly’s Heroes with lyrics by Mike Curb
“Friends all tried to warn me
But I held my head up high
All the time they warned me
But I only passed them by
They all tried to tell me
But I guess I didn’t care
I turned my back and
Left them standing there
All the burning bridges that have fallen after me
All the lonely feelings and the burning memories
Everyone I left behind each time I closed the door
Burning bridges lost forevermore
Or this “Burning Bridges†from Garth Brooks
“Now through the flames I see her
Standin’ on the other side
Burning bridges one by one
What I’m doin’ can’t be undone
And I’m always hoping someday
I’m gonna stop this runnin’ around
But every time the chance comes up
Another bridge goes down
Like ashes on the water
I drift away in sorrow
Knowing that the day
My lesson’s finally learned
I’ll be standing at a river
Staring out across tomorrow
And the bridge I need to get there
Will be a bridge that I have burned
Burning bridges one by one
What I’m doin’ can’t be undone
And I’m always hoping someday
I’m gonna stop this runnin’ around
But every time the chance comes up
Another bridge goes down
Another bridge goes downâ€