Anglican church leader to summon bishops

AP | 8/08/03

[kattracks]

LONDON (AP) — The archbishop of Canterbury said Friday he would summon leaders of the world's Anglican churches to consider the impact of the confirmation of a gay bishop in the United States.

Archbishop Rowan Williams said the meeting was planned for London in October, and invitations would be sent this week.

"I am clear that the anxieties caused by recent developments have reached the point where we will need to sit down and discuss their consequences," Williams said.

The U.S. church this week confirmed the election of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, a gay clergyman, as bishop of New Hampshire.

The move provoked outrage in parts of the Anglican communion, particularly in the doctrinally conservative African churches.

"I hope that in our deliberations we will find that there are ways forward in this situation which can preserve our respect for one another and for the bonds that unite us," Williams said in a statement issued by his office.

"I hope we can use the time between now and then to reflect, to pray, to consult and to take counsel," the archbishop added

[Fifth Business]

please add me to your ping list. Also add gman, who I believe is a priest in the Anglican Mission in America.

[Fifth Business]

Thanks for the update.

[sweetliberty]

I understand that, but I guess what I am trying to say is that it is hard to call them thieves when the keepers of the treasury are handing them the keys. They are usurpers and reprobates and deserve to be painted as such. No honest person believes that they are holy and righteous and acceptable to God in their sin. But it is hard to call them to account as thieves when their enablers are the church leaders themselves and, in effect, the stamp of approval has been given to their behavior by the church. Herein is the flaw of an episcopal form of church government.

[FlyingEagle]

The Archbishop of Canterbury has already been approached three times by orthodox American clergy, and responded favorably each time, that if there is a decision in the American Epicopal Church to have gay bishops and gay weddings, a new Anglican Council in North America should be created for churches and dioscese in opposition to join. I am sure this will happen soon. The next move will be to exclude the Gay American Epicopal Church from Anglican affiliation. I am sure this will happen too, but take longer. The sad thing about it all is that a lot of fine people who do not ascribe to sodomites as spiritual leaders will meanwhile leave the church. And many existing churches and dioscese, their property included, will go the gay way. The church property and capital accounts do not belong to the individual parishes, they belong to the dioscese which is governed by a bishop. Unless the dioscese joins the new orthodox Anglican North American organization, if the choice is to remain with the American Episcopal Church, the property and cash goes to the gay bishops bunch. So, if you were wondering what happened last week: it was all about money and butt-piracy by the new social order in the good old stuffy Episcopalian Church.

I guess that makes me an E-co-palian now. That is an Episcopalian who is pi$$ed off.

[Honorary Serb]

"I hope that in our deliberations we will find that there are ways forward in this situation which can preserve our respect for one another and for the bonds that unite us," ....

This one can't be soft-soaped away, in a typical "mainline" mis-leader fashion. It's a choice between catholic, apostolic Christianity and apostasy, pure and simple!!!!

This summons from the Archbishop of Canterbury, however, was expected, and indeed asked for by the American Anglican Council. But I hope that the date for the meeting in England was not selected to pre-empt the AAC meeting in Texas to perhaps form a new orthodox Anglican entity. If all that happns in Canterbury is "soft-soap", that Texas meeting will be needed more than ever.

[sunshine state]

Can I be on your ping list? I'm Catholic but I'm very interested in what's going on with this issue.

[ladylib]

They are obsessed with taking over public schools also.

[ahadams2]

You wrote: "Williams is trying to hang out in the middle of the road.

Can you say "Ecclesiastical Road Kill"."

NO KIDDING!

and George Carey (the former Archbishop of Canterbury who retired last fall) and his wife are probably in Bermuda or somewhere with the phone off the hook and deciding whether to enter the shuffleboard tournament or go deep sea fishing again... :-)

[Ryle]

Not likely from South Africa - it's a liberal church there - but the Anglican Church in Nigeria is conservative and has spoken out strongly against the confirmation of Robinson.

[Northern Yankee]

Must have been the Anglican church in Nigeria I heard about.

[Ryle]

Please add me to your list.

[Eala]

The Archbishop of Canterbury has already been approached three times by orthodox American clergy, and responded favorably each time, that if there is a decision in the American Epicopal Church to have gay bishops and gay weddings, a new Anglican Council in North America should be created for churches and dioscese in opposition to join. I am sure this will happen soon. The next move will be to exclude the Gay American Epicopal Church from Anglican affiliation. I am sure this will happen too, but take longer.

I doubt this will happen. As noted on this thread, the Archbishop of Canterbury is quoted as saying: "My own personal conclusion is that I can see a case for acknowledging faithful same-sex relationships."

[FreeRep]

"if the choice is to remain with the American Episcopal Church, the property and cash goes to the gay bishops bunch."


It's like buy stock in WorldCom, Enron, as they go down into Bankruptcy. You has so much invested, one hates to sell at a low price and get out. However, one must on lose more.

[Irene Adler]

Please add Irene Adler to your list. Many thanks.

[Irene Adler]

I guess I was already on, actually. Thanks again.

[mosby]

Hopefully someone can answer a question I have regarding the gay Bishop. I assume he was a priest in charge of a congregation up to this point in time. I also assume that it was well known that he was gay - after all he left his wife and children to live with another man. I quite frankly do not understand why his "gayness" was not a problem when he was a priest, but becomes a problem now that he is a Bishop. I take it that openly active gay priests are acceptable in the Episcopalian church. If so, it is corrupt at its very core, and the uproar over the Bishop is a non-event.

[bimbo]

I did find "put some ice on it", though.

I found: "Can't we all just get along?"

[hellinahandcart]

Tell me, will your black armband also have a swastika on it?

What sort of Catholics are they rearing in Peru, for you to even ask such a question?

Think for a moment about today's gospel lesson. "What would Jesus do"???

Forgive their sins. Not reward their sins or devise a special blessing for their sins. Not treat them as a separate creation to whom the rules do not apply!

Why, what did your rector say Jesus would have done? Advise us to lie back and try to enjoy it, lest we be condemned as Nazis? Conform to the world, not the word? I'm really curious as to what could have prompted this extremely odd first post of yours.