I’m hearing that Rowan Williams has said he is willing to meet with our bishops in September. Details to come.
UPDATE: Details are here, courtesy of Canadian Press.
The story begins: TORONTO (CP) – The spiritual head of Anglicans worldwide announced Monday that he’ll meet with the American church to discuss the controversy surrounding same-sex marriage and gay priests.
UPDATED AGAIN: Episcopal Life Online is also on the story. Here is their version in its entirety:
Lambeth Palace] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, has announced that he intends to visit the United States this fall in response to the invitation from the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church.
Speaking in a press conference in Toronto April 16, Williams said he would undertake the visit together with members of the Standing Committee of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council.
“I look forward to some sharing of our experiences as pastors as well as discussion of the business of the Communion,” he said. “These are complicated days for our church internationally and its all the more important to keep up personal relationships and conversations … My aim is to try and keep people around the table for as long as possible on this, to understand one another, and to encourage local churches.”
(This turns out to be a press release from Lambeth Palace.)
UPDATED YET AGAIN: The Toronto Globe and Mail story is here.
And the Anglican Journal story is here, and includes the following:
“At the Toronto news conference, Archbishop Williams said he intends to go to the September conference with several members of the standing committee of the Anglican Consultative Council, an internationally representative group. He said he also hoped to understand, from the meeting, the problems the primates’ request is causing for the American church, under its constitution. “I’m still waiting to see what the Episcopal Church will come up with as an alternative. The reaction was a very strongly worded protest against what they see as interference, but if not that, then what? I’ve spoken privately to people in the United States and am waiting to see,” he said. ”
And here’s the Toronto Star.