‘Network’ Stories cleared up by Lambeth Palace Statement

Rev Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, over the past year has taken part in a number of wide ranging meetings and conversations with many groups and individuals to discuss current issues and topics that are troubling the Anglican Communion at present.

The meetings, however, have not been released and remain private and confidential. Among the meetings, the Archbishop met members who decided to dissent from the looming consecration of homosexual bishop Gene Robinson. The members wished to discuss the action to be taken by groups who wished to dissent from the choice of the General Convention but who also wished to stay within the structures of the ECUSA.

From these discussions, stories of a ‘Network’ have emerged. Lambeth Palace has released a statement in response to these rumours and have stated that the term ‘network’ offered one appropriate model to help to support those dissenting from the resolution but who did intend to remain within the ECUSA’s structure.

Rev Williams thought that this might be workable and that the concept is viable, however, no proposals as to its potential form, structure or implementation have been discussed.

The term ‘confessing church’ was also mentioned in the statement, and this concept indicates, in line with the traditional Protestant usage – that the “dissent was understood to be a matter of conscience that, for the dissenter, touched on the integrity of the church itself”. Therefore, indicating that no narrower example or more specific comparison, for example to the church in Germany in the 1930’s, was intended.