Anglican Head Visits European Institutions in Brussels

The spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, Dr Rowan Williams last week visited the European Institutions in Brussels. The historic visit concluded with a meeting between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the President of the Commission, President José Manuel Durão Barrosa on Tuesday afternoon.

|TOP|Archbishop Williams took part in a three day visit, in which he held various meetings and consultations with politicians and officials from the European institutions.

In addition, Dr Williams delivered a major lecture – Religion, culture, diversity and tolerance – shaping the new Europe.

The visit has come just two months after Dr Williams spoke to political and religious leaders in Lyon at a conference arranged by Sant’ Egidio. At that address, the archbishop spoke on questions raised of the European political institutions by faith communities. He also took part in a forum discussing the future of Europe.

The Archbishop was accompanied by the Rt Revd Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of the Church of England diocese of Gibraltar in Europe.

Also towards the end of last week, the Anglican leader held a meeting yesterday with Bishop Gene Robinson, from the diocese of New Hampshire – part of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA).

|AD|The meeting was described as “friendly but candid”, with the two involved in a discussion focusing on the range of problems that have arisen since Bishop Robinson’s consecration divided the Communion.

The meeting was part of Williams' commitment to "listen to the voices of all concerned in the current challenges facing the Anglican Communion", a spokesman said.

Dr Williams, the spiritual guide for the worldwide 77-million member Anglican Communion has been putting much of his efforts into halting the widening divisions in the Church brought about by the issue.

The latest twist in the Communion’s dilemma came after a five-day meeting in Egypt, where leaders made clear that they were commencing the formation of alternative structured in case a partial of full schism takes place.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has told Anglican Church leaders from the Global South that the only ground for unity in the Church “'is to be found in Christ”.

On the Windsor Report, he said that it was too early to come to a judgement as to whether or not the reactions of the ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada satisfied the terms of the report.

Dr Williams reported, “I don't think we could say that they have satisfied in a simple and direct way what Windsor asked because that process is still continuing and will continue. Archbishop Eames gave an optimistic reading of this; I'm waiting to see.”