Category: The Lead

The Bishop and General Convention deputies of the Diocese of New York posted their separate responses to the draft covenant yesterday. The posts didn’t get much notice in the rush of Lambeth invitation news. But those attending Lambeth, whoever they all turn out to be, will most likely have a great deal of their time spent discussing the content of the Covenant that will ultimately have to be adopted by the individual provinces of the Communion.

Not much new to report this morning about the announcement yesterday that the Archbishop of Canterbury has issued the invitations for the 2008 Lambeth Conference. But the working press have started to issue their stories reporting on the news and each version has a slightly different emphasis.

Around the blogosphere and in news outlets around the world, reactions

to today’s announcement that Bishops Gene Robinson and Martyn Minns had

not been invited to Lambeth has come fast and, at times, furious.

Announcement was made todaythat the long awaited invitations to next year’s Lambeth Conference have been sent out by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams and every one wants to know who is and who is not on the invitation list.

Mindful of the speculation that has surrounded the issuing of invitations to the Conference Dr Williams recalls that invitations are issued on a personal basis by the Archbishop of Canterbury and that “the Lambeth Conference has no ‘constitution’ or formal powers; it is not a formal Synod or Council of the Communion”, and that invitation to the Conference has never been seen as “a certificate of doctrinal orthodoxy”. Nevertheless Dr Williams recognises in his letter that under very exceptional circumstances an invitation may be withheld or withdrawn.

UPDATE: Bishops Gene Robinson and Martyn Minns have not been invited according to the Washington Post. Read it here.