Anglican Primates Demand Temporary Split with US Episcopal Church

As the closed-door 4-day Anglican Primates meeting in Northern Ireland approached the end, the world eagerly awaits for the critical statement concerning the crisis over homosexuality in the Church. The 38 Primates across the world are due to respond to the Windsor Report prepared by the Lambeth Commission in an attempt to offer a solution to the current deadlock.

The conclusion of the Primates was revealed a day earlier than scheduled through a communiqué posted late Thursday evening on the Anglican Communion’s website, despite originally being scheduled to be formally addressed on Friday 25th February at a Press Conference. Preliminary discussions have resulted in a decision for a temporary split with the US Episcopal Church, as many conservatives in the Church supported.

The communiqué says, "...We request that the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada voluntarily withdraw their members from the Anglican Consultative Council for the period leading up to the next Lambeth Conference"

It is believed that the strong voice of the conservative evangelicals in the Church has been a major force pushing the current decision. Though the suspension of the two churches was said to be temporary, it marked the first formal split in the communion over the explosive issues of sexuality and biblical authority.

The primates' communique reaffirmed a resolution adopted by all Anglican bishops in 1998 which declared that gay practices were "incompatible with Scripture" and opposed gay ordinations and same-sex blessings.

According to the communiqué, all primates "have been deeply alarmed that the standard of Christian teaching on matters of human sexuality" expressed in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution had "been seriously undermined by the recent developments in North America".

The Windsor Report originally recommended that the US Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, which have authorised homosexual bishops and same-sex blessings respectively, to express regret for breaking the worldwide communion by their liberal agenda.

Conservatives rebuked that the report had failed to address the issue of homosexuality with reference to biblical teachings. They called on Episcopal Church leaders to repent, or a "walk-out" from the communion would be considered and disciplinary actions would be taken against them.

During the split-up period from now until the next Lambeth Conference, both churches are requested to "respond through their relevant constitutional bodies to the questions specifically addressed to them in the Windsor Report as they consider their place within the Anglican Communion."

Upon the immediate bitter rift, the Primates also wish to clarify that amid the discussion and assessment of the moral appropriateness of specific human behaviours, they continue unreservedly to be committed to the pastoral support and care of homosexual people.

"The victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us. We assure homosexual people that they are children of God, loved and valued by him, and deserving of the best we can give of pastoral care and friendship," said the communiqué.

In addition, the statement wrote in defence of Christian teaching, "In the meantime, we ask our fellow primates to use their best influence to persuade their brothers and sisters to exercise a moratorium on public rites of blessing for same-sex unions and on the consecration of any bishop living in a sexual relationship outside Christian marriage."

The presiding bishop of the US Episcopal Church, Frank T. Griswold, said to CNN after the release of the statement, "Clearly, all parts of the communiqué will not please everyone. It is important to keep in mind that it was written with a view to making room for a wide variety of perspectives."

"These days have not been easy for any of us and the communiqué reflects a great deal of prayer and the strong desire to find a way forward as a communion in the midst of deep differences which have been brought into sharp relief around the subject of homosexuality," Griswold said.