World awaits Anglican Primates' Statement on Homosexuality in Ireland

As the Northern Ireland meeting of the worldwide Anglican Communion Primates continues this week, the world eagerly awaits a statement from the Anglican leaders tomorrow (Friday 25 February), regarding the results of talks about the crisis within the denomination over homosexuality in the Church.

The vital gathering has seen all 38 Primates that represent the 70-million worldwide Anglican Communion come together. The leaders have been locked in tense discussions all week in efforts to reconcile the Communion and to find a joint path forward.

However, the atmosphere has reportedly been very heated due to the sensitivity of the issue, and the outrage that many Primates felt when the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) elected openly homosexual bishop Gene Robinson to lead the New Hampshire diocese in 2003. The controversial decision by the American arm of the Church went ahead despite great opposition from other areas of the Anglican world, and flew in the face of Anglican traditions.

In particular, the Anglican Churches in Africa and Asia have voiced their great concerns against the ECUSA's actions, and have often been bemused by the lack of action taken by the worldwide Anglican Communion to criticise and condemn the ECUSA.

Some reports have claimed this week that several Primates declined to take part in the daily Communion service, as they did not consider that they were "in communion" with the ECUSA who still have not repented for their actions.

On Tuesday, in an act of public unity, the Primates took part in an Evensong Service at St Patrick's Church of Ireland, Armagh.

The sermon was delivered by Dr Rowan Williams the Archbishop of Canterbury, and in it he stressed on the significance of a peace-making church through the sacrifice of Christ, urging a halt to the warring over homosexuality in the Anglican Communion.

He told the Primates that all of them are called to be instruments of Christ's peace. The Church should be a place where prayer, praise and thanksgiving are made through Christ. He reminded that "Christ has made peace and our life rests on what he has done and on nothing else", therefore, "our own efforts at peacemaking and witnessing to peace in world and Church alike must not be characterised by anxious striving, by desperate activism, by the passion to get it all sorted and all right."

He said, "How readily we turn to anxious striving, as if Christ had not died and been raised. How awkwardly we sit with one another to pray together and worship together. How easy it is for us to close our doors."

Archbishop Williams once again emphasised the commission of the Primates: "To be a kingdom of priests then, is to be a people through whose friendship God can be seen...we learn to be friends of Jesus Christ and friends with one another."

He also renewed the calling of the Anglican Communion: "The call to our Anglican Communion to be a kingdom of priests, a priestly people. Those among whom the prayer of Christ may be seen and heard. The peace that Christ has won may be tangible. And to be a friendly home for a world of homeless people lost in unhappiness, in error, and sin."

Finally he comforted all Primates: "And again and again in the midst of our tensions, our struggles and uncertainties, it matters more than we can readily say that we should let ourselves be drawn together by that pillar of fire, to make prayers and supplications and give thanks in the power of the Christ who is among us."

Some inside reports have indicated that tensions in the gathering were "getting a bit better", but as of yet there is still very little known wbout what will be the content of tomorrow's final statement.

As the week-long gathering at Dromantine has continued, it has seemed as if bad feelings have been easing slightly, and a great hope has been placed in the hands of the Anglican Primates to respond clearly regarding the Windsor Report's recommendations, which was completed in October 2004 after a year-long investigation into the issue, and Chaired by Archbishop Robin Eames.

In addition to the statement regarding the consecration of gay bishops, and same-sex unions, it is also expected that comments will be made regarding the Anglican Church's recent efforts in anti-HIV/Aids projects, and its response to the Asian-African Tsunami disaster in December 2004.