Updated with the NPR story.
There have a been a number of stories about the Global Anglican Future Conference appearing in the press today. Here’s a list of a few we haven’t already mentioned.
The Telegraph in the UK has an editorial, the final paragraphs of which read:
Whether the Anglican Communion can survive the inevitable discord of Lambeth is still unclear. But it is encouraging that some of the most vociferous critics of liberal Anglicanism have decided to join in debate and worship with their fellow bishops at their traditional gathering in England rather than declare allegiance to a rival body meeting in the Middle East.
Gafcon is dominated by the single issue of homosexuality; its relative failure should remind us that ordinary Anglicans – and especially members of the Church of England – are not obsessed with sexual mores or gay marriage. The challenge of Lambeth is to revive Christianity in a secular age. Dr Williams is well aware of that fact, and we wish him well..
US News & World Report says:
Divisive as it all may sound, conference organizers are quick to reject the charge that they are trying to upstage the upcoming Lambeth Conference, the official meeting of Communion bishops held in England every 10 years under the auspices of the archbishop of Canterbury, now the Most Rev. and Right Hon. Rowan Williams.
But many attending the Jerusalem meeting, including the Most Rev. Peter Akinola of Nigeria, have said that they will not attend the Lambeth gathering in mid-July. And GAFCON attendees admit they have lost patience with Anglican and Episcopal church leaders, who conservatives say have refused to take clear or decisive stands on such issues as gay marriage and openly gay clergy.
The Providence Journal wins our award for inaccurate headline writing in an article entitled “Episcopal Church fighting to survive”, which says very little about the Episcopal Church’s threat of extinction but does contain quotes from the Bishop of Rhode Island about her desire to help do what she can to support the Anglican Communion.
Time Magazine’s take is found here. They cover pretty much the same material as the other reports, though they do have a quote from JIM (don’t call me James) Naughton, our editor-in-chief here at the Cafe.