Recent reports have suggested that the Lambeth Commission is considering the expulsion of gay-supporting liberal bishops in the American Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion. This has provoked even more concern on the Commission’s final report in October.

On Friday 10 September, as the Lambeth Commission closed its third plenary meeting in Saint George’s House, Windsor Castle in London, it announced that it is to publish its final report on Monday 18 October 2004. The date also marks the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates’ Meeting, and meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in London.

In the light of numerous debates over the consecration of homosexual bishops and blessings for same-sex marriages within the worldwide Communion, Anglicans faces the possibility of a split between the conservative and liberal wings.

The Lambeth Commission was established by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Rowan Williams, on 28 October 2003, to review the theology behind all these issues and to make recommendations to the Primates of the Anglican Communion on how to maintain the highest degree of communion possible.

It is now almost one year since the Commission’s establishment, and the Commission has held three plenary meetings. The first plenary was held on 9-13 February 2004 in Windsor Castle, London while the second was held on 14-18 June 2004 in Kanuga, USA, and the third one which was held on 6-10 September has just ended in London. These meetings proved to be fruitful in communicating different opinions as they were open to the submission of papers from both conservative and liberal members of the Anglican Communion.

While waiting for this final report from the Lambeth Commission, some conservative Anglicans have already shown their impatience with the situation and have declared themselves as “out of communion” with America and Canada.

The Chairman of the Commission, the Most Revd Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh, was blamed by the 18 Primates from the Global South in a letter written by the West Indian Archbishop Most Rev Drexel Gomez in May for his restraint shown in the gay clergy issue.

The Archbishop Robin Eames, has always pleaded for a halt to actions and statements that “express definitive positions on relationships within the Anglican Communion” and asked the conservatives not to split by forming new provinces or dioceses until the commission has completed its work. Nevertheless, in the midst of the occasional extreme agenda or speech adopted by conservatives or liberals, the persistence of the Commission has stablised the Communion to a certain extent.

As the third plenary was concluded yesterday, work is continuing to be done in preparation of the final report. Archbishop Robin Eames commented, “The Commission has been greatly challenged in this task and I have been privileged to work with such a dedicated team. I have no doubt that their collective insights and recommendations can and must make a profound and practical impact for good in the life and mission of the Anglican Communion. This has been a labour of love in the faith that Christ is our guide and strength in working for peace and healing.”

The Archbishop also declared that no further statements will be issued by the Commission before the release of its report on 18 October. The arrangements for the issuing of the Lambeth Commission Report on 18 October 2004 will be announced at a later date.