Posted on 11/13/2003 8:43:28 PM PST by ahadams2
EAMES COMMISSION AIMS AT RESOLVING SEXUALITY ISSUES Who's Who in the Commission?
News Analysis
By David W. Virtue
Irish Archbishop Robin Eames will chair a 17-member commission, at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to look at the legal and theological implications arising from recent innovations in some Western provinces regarding human sexuality.
The members have been appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Commission is expected to begin its work early in the New Year.
The commission will focus its attention on the decision of the Diocese of New Westminster to authorize a service for same sex unions, and the expected (and now done) consecration of V. Gene Robinson as Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire.
Membership of the Commission was drawn up by Dr Williams in consultation and reflects the breadth and diversity of the Anglican Communion as well as providing substantial canonical, theological and ecclesiological expertise.
The Commission will report back to the Archbishop of Canterbury within twelve months (October 2004) in preparation for subsequent meetings of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council.
Dr Williams said that the Commission's main task would be to offer advice on finding a way through the situation which currently threatens to divide the Communion.
We shall see.
Dr. Eames has been making appeals for unity from the get go, but in the end it might be too little too late, as events are moving ahead faster than his commission can or will keep up, and within a year it is distinctly possible the whole Anglican Communion will have come unglued, and the Commission's work made irrelevant.
Furthermore we know from history that Commissions are set up to deflect issues not resolve them. The Archbishop of Canterbury has called for "patience" while this process is underway, but events are already beginning to overtake him.
The mandate, though well-intentioned, is being viewed by many orthodox in the ECUSA as a delaying action to broker in more same-sex blessings, allow more sodomite priests to run for bishop, while the Commission whistles Dixie.
Thus it was with the first Eames Commission on Women's Ordination.
But there are some sharp edges in what Rowan Williams wants reported back. He wants practical considerations allowing for episcopal oversight for those Anglicans within a particular jurisdiction, where full communion within a province is under threat.
All well and good, but as of now there is not one hint of a suggestion from Frank Griswold or his fellow ECUSA revisionist bishops that he will allow any sort of pastoral oversight for besieged orthodox parishes in revisionists dioceses without diocesan approval, and the right of the diocesan to make visitations after the flying bishops have come and gone. His idea of pastoral "care" will not violate the sacred right of the sitting bishops to decide the ground rules for such oversight.
Now that is totally unacceptable to people like Canon David Anderson of the American Anglican Council and Fr. David Moyer president of Forward in Faith, North America.
How will that impasse be crossed if continued ecclesiastical disobedience by the ECUSA bishops continues? Furthermore the notion that Griswold will repent of his action in consecrating Robinson is steeped in fiction, and now Robinson himself has said this week that the church should split over this issue. We cannot live together he now says.
So who are these commission members and where do they stand on sexuality issues that will affect the Communion.
Virtuosity has obtained an insiders look at Who's Who on this commission.
The members of the Commission are listed below and where they stand is offered in CAPITAL letters.
Archbishop Robin Eames, Primate of All Ireland, Chairman, - FUNDAMENTALLY A LIBERAL AND AN INSTITUTIONALIST. BUT WHEN HE SAW THE COMMUNION BEING THREATENED HE MOVED TO THE RIGHT. HE IS NOW PLEADING FOR EVERYONE TO BE OBEDIENT TO THE '98 LAMBETH CONFERENCE RESOLUTION.
FAT CHANCE.
The Revd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Director of Faith, Worship and Ministry, the Anglican Church of Canada - LIBERAL.
Bishop David Beetge, Dean of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa - LIBERAL
Professor Norman Doe, Director of the Centre for Law and Religion, Cardiff University, Wales, - VERY BALANACED AND FAIR INSTITUTIONAL CANON LAWYER. HE WANTED TO HARMONIZE THE CANONS AND TOTALLY SURPRISED AND SHOCKED THE ECUSA WITH HIS SUGGESTIONS.
Bishop Mark Dyer, Director of Spiritual Formation, Virginia Theological Seminary, USA, - WAFFLY WIMP. NO THEOLOGY TO SPEAK OF AND WILL GO WITH WHATEVER IS DECIDED AS LONG AS IT IS NOT ORTHODOX.
Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies, - ORTHODOX, 24-CARAT PRIMATE.
Archbishop Josiah Iduwo-Fearon, Archbishop of Kaduna, the Anglican Church of Nigeria, - ROCK SOLID ON THIS ISSUE BUT IF MOVES EVEN SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT BECAUSE OF HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH ACC HEAD JOHN PETERSON, PRIMATE AKINOLA WILL LOP HIS MITER OFF...WITH HIS HEAD.
The Revd Dorothy Lau, Director of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council, - OKAY, BUT NOT STUNNINGLY ORTHODOX.
Ms Anne McGavin, Advocate, formerly Legal Adviser to the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church, - BASICALLY ORTHODOX.
Archbishop Bernard Malango, Primate of Central Africa, ORTHODOX, 24-CARAT PRIMATE.
Dr Esther Mombo, Academic Dean of St Paul's United Theological Seminary, Limuru, Kenya, - BASICALLY ORTHODOX, BUT SHE WAFFLED ON THE INTERNATIONAL DOCTRINE COMMISSION. SHE WILL HAVE TO COME THROUGH AS HER PROVINCE AND PRIMATE ARE SOLIDLY ORTHODOX.
Archbishop Barry Morgan, Primate of Wales - LIBERAL. NO THEOLOGY WORTH TALKING ABOUT.
Chancellor Rubie Nottage, Chancellor of the West Indies - ORTHODOX
Bishop John Paterson, Primate of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia,and Chairman of the Anglican Consultative Council - VERY LIBERAL. HAS NEVER MET JESUS AS FAR AS ANYONE KNOWS AND HATES ORTHODOXY.
Dr Jenny Te Paa, Principal of College of Saint John the Evangelist, Auckland, New Zealand - ANOTHER LIBERAL FROM THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD.
Bishop James Terom, Moderator, the Church of North India - SOLIDLY ORTHODOX.
Bishop N Thomas Wright, Bishop of Durham, the Church of England - SOLIDLY ORTHODOX.
The Revd Canon John Rees, Legal Adviser to the Anglican Consultative Council, will act as Legal Consultant to the Commission - GOOD INSTITUTIONALIST BUT EVANGELICAL. HE IS NOT IN PETERSON'S BACK POCKET.
The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron, Director of Ecumenical Affairs and Studies, Anglican Communion Office, will act as Secretary to the Commission - MODERATE. NOT MUCH THEOLOGICAL SPINE. WILL BE PUSHED BY MAJORITY VOTE.
END
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