The overwhelming sense was of relationships made and strengthened, a firm commitment to remain in relationship despite the challenges and a yearning for greater exchange between the widely separated parts of the communion. We did not resolve anything, but we did discover how much we have to learn.
This Lambeth Conference could have been a positive turning point for the Anglican Communion, but instead the powers that be chose to seek a middle way that is neither “the middle” nor “the way.” It will therefore be up to bishops from around the Communion who have continuing partner and companion relationships to work toward a more holistic view of the church.
The GAFCON primates have said a little bit about the Lambeth Conference, as have the border-crossing bishops they ordained. Mark Harris provides excellent analysis.
At Lambeth’s final press conference, Rowan Williams attempted to offers some clarity on what he means by a moratorium on same sex blessings. A reading of the transcript suggests that in his view, the proposed moratorium on “same sex blessings” is on the authorization of rites for same sex blessings, not on the practice of providing such blessings. But not so fast…
The lead editorial in the Church Times today provides an excellent overview of what happened at the most recent Lambeth Conference and some context in which to view it.
Certain current proposals in the Anglican Communion would tend to lead towards a ‘global Church’ model. However … according to our Preamble and Declaration, the General Synod is the chief legislative and administrative body in the Church of Ireland (BCP, p.777, Section IV). It should remain so. – Editorial in the Church of Ireland Gazette
A sufficient number Churches in the West at least will not be able to accept either centralised meddling or a Covenant that intends to discipline or produce a two-speed communion. The Global South outside of GAFCON may have all the works: Covenant, Catechism, co-ordination, and the GAFCON group can knock up its own Covenant, if it sees the need to put others on the spot, quickly. There won’t be a centralised Communion: it will balkanise.
Every decade or so, the Lambeth conference has urged bishops to champion human rights for all and enter into dialogue with the gay and lesbian community. But this has been widely ignored: blessing same-sex couples is apparently a far greater offence than allying with repressive governments to hunt them down. – Savitri Hensmen
The most important “facts on the ground” were not created by us, whether “innovators” or “traditionalists,” whether primates or bishops or synodical structures. The most important “facts on the ground” were created by God. They are the men and women whom we might serve, to whom we might reach out, and whom we might invite into our midst.
The Telegraph is today covering–as in writing about, not paying for–the shortfall faced by Lambeth organizers now that the £6 million price tag is coming due. The Archbishop’s Council of the Church of England is lending £600,000 of the £1 million that the Lambeth Company urgently needs to raise to cover expenses, including the three-week rental of the University of Kent campus as well as feeding and transporting hundreds of bishops and their spouses.