A spokesman from the Lambeth Press Office said the Archbishop had been invited to address the 21-26 October 2013 meeting of centrist and conservative Anglican leaders set for All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi. However, he “is unable to attend because of a long-standing commitment on the same date. He will be sending a pre-recorded video greeting,” the spokesman said. – See more at: http://anglicanink.com/article/justin-welby-not-going-gafcon-ii#sthash.onkEpX4M.dpuf
I figure we can’t fault him too much, he is staying home in England so he can baptise the future king.
Of course, he could have gone after the baptism, but no doubt there are matters more pressing than meeting with the Churches of 3/4 of the world’s Anglicans.
Interesting.
The date and location of Gafcon II have been publicly known for five months, if not longer.
The dates for the royal christening were announced five days ago, but more to the point, they are rather mobile – there are no guests apart from immediate family and even the Royal Family has some flexibility.
Finally, the Royal Christening is only on one day. Could the ABC really not have done the Christening on 23 October and flown out to Nairobi for the 24, 25 or 26 October? Or, could he not have attended on 21 October, given an opening address, and then flown home the same day, thus having a full day for preparation for the Royal Christening?
It is clearly a snub. Which is fine – its not like he will need the Gafcon Primates to attend anything during his tenure… 🙂
The burden to save the Anglican Communion is on Welby’s shoulders. This is not a good start.
I’m disappointed, but hardly shoched. Not even that surprised. But still disappointed.
I agree that the excuse given is a lame one. Obviously, there is far more to it than the partial scheduled conflict with the the royal baptism. Clearly, ++Welby is reluctant to offend many of the powers that be in the CoE, the ACO, etc. Maybe this predictable yet regrettable decision is simply one more sign that ++Welby is an institutionalist at heart, as Rowan Williams was.
However, I’m more willing to cut him some slack. Let’s wait and see what he actually says to the assembled gathering in Nairobi. We just might be pleasantly surprised. I’m sure that it will be far clearer and more affirming than anything Williams would’ve said.
The most charitable construction that can be put on this sort of lame announcement is that ++Welby is delaying the fateful, momentous time when he has to make the final choice between which side in the Anglican Civil War he is going to support. I can understand if he’s reluctant to make that all-important and decisive choice so early on in his tenure. After all, our Lord himself, while willing to give his life for us all, also more than once evaded being stoned by angry mobs since, according to John’s Gospel, he knew that “his time had not yet come.”
Then again, as my wife often reminds me, I tend to be an eternal optimist.
David Handy+
3. David, I disagree. It is on the shoulders of the GAFCON primates, and they will act……over time, perhaps……but they will act.
I actually think this is a good thing. The sooner the Primates who believe the Gospel recognize that Archbishop Welby is not an ally and is in fact an opponent to their goals, the better for us.
Apparently, the Popette in 815 didn’t approve of the physical presence of her lackey …