Church of England Bishops Threaten Lambeth Conference Boycott
The worldwide Anglican Communion is heading towards a fresh breakdown in communications, after as many as ten Church of England bishops indicated that they may boycott 2008's Lambeth Conference.
by Daniel Blake
Posted: Friday, July 27, 2007, 10:52 (BST)
That provoked a sharp response on Monday from Dr Sentamu, one of the closest allies of Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, spiritual head of the Anglican Communion.
"Anglicanism has its roots through Canterbury," Sentamu told The Daily Telegraph.
He warned rebellious conservatives: "If you sever that link you are severing yourself from the communion. There is no doubt about it. I want to warn people - don't spend the next century trying to find a way back.
"They would be the ones voting with their feet and saying, as far as we are concerned, we are the true Anglicans."
Dr Williams has battled - largely in vain - to placate the warring camps and bemoaned what many see as an Anglican obsession with sex.
In an interview last month with Time Magazine, Dr Williams said of his Church: "It feels very vulnerable and fragile, perhaps more so than it's been for a very long time."
But he still insisted that, despite facing one of the gravest threats in the 450-year-old history of the Anglican Church, "I don't think schism is inevitable."
Now, however, Bishop Scott-Joynt has said to the Gazette that to avoid a boycott, the bishops of the Episcopal Church must meet the demands of the recent Primates' Meeting in Dar es Salaam.
At that time the Primates gave the US bishops until 30 September to agree to "make an unequivocal common covenant that the bishops will not authorise any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions" and "confirm that... a candidate for episcopal orders living in a same-sex union shall not receive the necessary consent unless some new consensus on these matters emerges across the Communion".
The Primates warned during that meeting, "If the reassurances requested of the House of Bishops cannot in good conscience be given, the relationship between The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion as a whole remains damaged at best, and this has consequences for the full participation of the Church in the life of the Communion."
Bishop Scott-Joynt warns in the Gazette that if the bishops of the Episcopal Church do not meet those demands by the 30 September deadline, and if the bishops of the Global South decline to attend the 2008 Lambeth Conference, then between six and 10 English bishops could also stay away.
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Added: Saturday, July 28, 2007, 11:23 (BST)
I am constantly amazed that this world is torn apart by men killing each other and yet the Church comes out, guns blazing, when they scent that two men love each other.
Why, oh why, does the Church not address itself to the areas of life that really matter to the world, homosexuality is not in this category and is not an issue in most cultures.
john campling, Morocco
Added: Saturday, July 28, 2007, 3:02 (BST)
Clearly, the bishops of the Global South and the reported 10 Bishops of the Church of England with Bishop Scott-Joynt still do not understand that the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church of the United States do not permit the House of Bishops to act independently of the House of Deputies, the Clerical and Lay Delegates to the next General Convention in 2009. There will be no statement of agreement with the demands by September 30, 2007. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth, the Primates, or the Anglican Consultative Council do not have executive or legislative authority over the Episcopal Church of the U. S., and never have.
The Revd James K. Taylor, Cicero, New York, USA
Added: Friday, July 27, 2007, 23:05 (BST)
Sir,
I read about this issue again and again, and honestly I believe the devil must be laughing at the Church of England. Why? The selfishness of Gene Robinson (own way versus Communion's way) and now possibly the Global South's (their way vs Communion's way), could mean the end of the Anglican Communion. The devil is laughing hard. It does not need to take a believer to see how dangerous all this selfishness is. But it is so easy for the non-believer to laugh and ridicule the Church of England. Is the God that all of us believe in so powerless in the light of this feared schism? Is anyone on their knees crying to God? Will all this bear bad testimony of Jesus? How can we reach out to people if our church itself cannot solve itself out? Can all parties involved see how detrimental this is, rather than expressing their own views and want it to be the one followed? Is the Bible not absolute anymore, just some wishy-washy set of rules that can be suited to our needs?
Andrew C, London, UK
Added: Friday, July 27, 2007, 17:46 (BST)
To date John Sentamu has hardly distinguished himself as an unequivocal supporter of orthodox biblical christianity. His reaction to those Bishops who seek to maintain the integrity of the "faith once delivered" reinforces this point. Perhaps he should be reminded that it is not these who being rebellious but rather those from the Episcopal Church who refuse to repent of the position they have adopted over homosexual practices. It is simply mind boggling that John Sentamu should be voicing this unwarranted criticism at a time when he should be pushing hard
against those from the Episcopal church who are thumbing their noses at those who uphold the biblical faith. It makes one wonder as to whose side he will take, as he most certainly will have to make up his mind before long.
Norman Shannon, Par UK
