Global South Anglican

So in short, I am commending the Primates’ communiqué, for all its inevitable imperfections, as representing a serious attempt to go beyond the surface problems and to give us some space to look at the underlying and neglected theological factors. I’m well aware of the way in which the imminence of the Lambeth Conference focuses some of the risks and choices. But I’m also aware of the continuing obstinate will to make the Communion work, and to work as some sort of properly Catholic and Reformed unity. I’d be sad if that will were so much eroded in this country that we felt no investment in the sort of processes envisaged in Dar es Salaam.

The meeting was a remarkable one in that we were able, through much painful honesty and clear speech, to come to a common agreement. Frankly, I was surprised at that. Given the great polarization in the Anglican Communion, I held out little hope for a way forward. 

Q:Archbishop: How do you like to be remembered? When your tenure of office is over, when you have gone to retirement, how would you like the world to remember you?
A:I would like the world to remember me mercifully, and I hope, as somebody who tried to serve the Body of Christ. 

With regard to CANA, we were recognized as having a valid place in the life and work of the Anglican Communion, under the Primate of Nigeria, and our mission and ministry understood as prompted by our desire to serve as faithful Anglicans. As to whether there will be an eventual reconciliation between the various Anglican bodies operating in the USA — that question awaits both the response of TEC and also the effectiveness of the various structural recommendations. In the meantime, we will continue to work to provide a life-boat for all those who wish to embrace biblical truth and the Anglican tradition in North America.

UPDATED

We have posted here, in full, the various Primates’ responses and comments on the recent Tanzania meeting. We expect a few more to be coming out soon. Meanwhile, below are responses from others:

A summary of responses from TEC bishops can be found here from ENS. 

Church Times (UK) have also release a few reports with the links here.

Titus One nine has a link to all the responses. Go here.

I was joined in Dar es Salaam by Bishop Bruce MacPherson of Western Louisiana from the wider Windsor Coalition (a coalition of some two dozen diocesans that includes all the Network diocesans among its members). We were given the opportunity to provide testimony and entreaty as to how the situation in the United States could be addressed.

The outline of a “covenant” document for local Anglican Churches suggests ways in which we could commit ourselves to a future process where consultation was fully built in. The requests to the American Church for further clarification and a moratorium on certain actions while the covenant process is going forward are essentially requests to show that their desire to stay with the Communion is strong enough to cope with a halt for the sake of continuing to move and work together. The suggestion of a structure in America to care for the minority tries to remove any need for external intervention.

The Primates have together and unanimously offered a plan which seems the one most likely to help in the long run to ease the pain that exists on all sides in America. We do not imagine it to be a pain-free remedy, nor do we regard it as a ‘miracle cure’. It is however an honest attempt to offer a way forward. The journey is not over yet ; but while seeking to respond to this area of concern work goes on across the Communion in the other areas in which there is disagreement so that the gifts that the Anglican Communion have brought, and continue to bring, to the life of the church world-wide may be released.

Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori offered the following reflections following the February 15-19 meeting of Anglican Primates near Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

What I think I really want to say is that I am cautiously optimistic. Anglicanism, as represented by the Primates at this meeting, has stood with the faith once delivered. We are in the midst of a reformation, and still have much work ahead for us.

I want to thank my brother Primates from Africa who have elected me to represent them on the Primates Standing Committee; it is an honour and a huge responsibility.  We are comprised of five Primates from the five main regions of the world in which the Anglican Communion is present, and chaired by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This Primates meeting has not solved the current crisis in the Anglican Communion.  We hope we have clarified the steps needed for trust to be restored, healing to take place, and for our full bonds of affection to once again flourish. 

“This could have been the meeting that could have broken the whole thing apart,” he said, instead it was marked by “a general atmosphere of congeniality and friendship across party alliances.” He said the prescriptions offered to The Episcopal Church “and the willingness of the presiding bishop to take that proposal back to the House of Bishops” was what “saved the day.”

ACN: Anglican Communion Network Expresses Gratitude for Primates’ Work

Fulcrum:
Fulcrum response to the Communiqué of the Primates’ Meeting February 2007
& Fulcrum response to the Covenant for the Anglican Communion.

Telegraph: Anglican Church leaders give liberals ultimatum

BabyBlue: Quote From Bishop Minns

Ruth Gledhill: TEC put on notice

Times: Church deadline to curb gay rights

Independent: Anglican leaders: US Church must bar gay bishops

Washington Post: Anglicans Try to Avoid Split in Church

Worth reading - Ed

Bishop Bruce MacPherson of Western Louisiana and president of the Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop’s Council of Advice; Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh and head of the Anglican Communion Network; Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Primate of the Episcopal Church; and I were asked to address some 38 Primates (heads of the various worldwide Provinces of the Anglican Communion) at the start of their meeting in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, last week.

The 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion are grouped together into five regional districts, and each district elects its own candidate.

The Communique is also available as a PDF Document here

The draft copy of the Covenant is further down the page.

PDF download of report
PDF download of draft covenant text only

The Living Church: Divisions Remain as Deadline for Communique Approaches

Timesonline - Bitter Fudge

The Telegraph: Anglican Church on verge of schism

Kendall Harmon: An Appeal for Calm

Michael Poon - Reconstructing GC2006

By inventing a new history rather than speaking out the truth, the Sub-group would make reconciliation more difficult. - Michael Poon

Revd Dr Andrew Goddard (ACI): Commentary on Sub-Committee’s Report at ACI and Fulcrum
“...This is clearly an accurate summary of the heart of the report. However, its release – five months later at the Primates’ Meeting itself, thus giving no time for serious weighing of its claims and leading to instant reactions – has revealed that it take a more positive interpretation of the ‘mixed response’. Crudely speaking, it gives TEC a score of “2 out of 3” rather than the “barely 1 out of 3” many such as ACI and the Bishop of Durham expected and still believe to be more realistic. Hence the joy of some and the anger and despair of others.”

The Living Church: Inside the ‘Ring of Steel,’ Primates Under Intense Pressure to Reach Agreement
Participants have confirmed that the primates and staff are working under intense pressure to pull together a large quantity of data and incorporate disparate views into a single statement. Archbishop Williams faces the challenge of his ministry in building a document that satisfies the demands of the Global South coalition while not endangering the historic integrity of Anglicanism or creating new fissures in the Church of England and other divided provinces. 

Janani Luwum, Primate of Uganda, was martyred today, 30 years ago. He would not compromise on Biblical truth and he paid the ultimate price. (16 FEB 1977)

The Report sadly may drive many “in the centre ground” – using Tom Wright’s phrase – to more radical actions.  It is not merely a matter of whether Canterbury can convince his fellow Primates.  He is equally accountable to the faithful.  To insult their intelligence is a grave thing indeed.  “Look not to Cantuar”, as a colleague put it, may prove to win the day.  Such a bitter lesson for church history this would be.

Primates explain absence at Holy Eucharist:

“We each take the celebration of the Holy Eucharist very seriously. This deliberate action is a poignant reminder of the brokenness of the Anglican Communion. It makes clear that the torn fabric of the Church has been torn further. It is a consequence of the decision taken by our provinces to declare that our relationship with The Episcopal Church is either broken or severely impaired.”

The Communion Sub-Group has released their findings. The Primates who will have to make a decision, bearing in mind that the Windsor Process was set up to ‘heal the tear in the fabric’ of the Communion. We can have every trust in the Primates to make a right one. I wont name them here, but those who have been privileged to know some of them up close will know that they are godly, wise and astute in their judgment and leadership. Their commitment to orthodoxy and what is best for the Church is unquestioned. Up till now, we should notice that none has made their opinions known in public, safe for this outcry from ++Hutchinson (Canada). If I can say it respectfully, to throw the issue of poverty (or any other ills for the matter) into the discussion is strange indeed. The Primates are still deliberating and the best kind of work are often done quietly. Let’s keep on praying. I believe it is not about which side is losing or winning. It is about coming out of this mess a stronger, biblical and more orthodox Anglican Communion, a hope which many of us share.  - TW

Other analysis, responses and comments on the report can be found here:

A statement by American Anglican Council

The Sub-Group Report: The Battle Broadens:
Greg Griffith (Standing Firm)

Matt Kennedy (Standing Firm)

Ruth Gledhill: TEC ‘regret’ ok, says Gang of Four.

From Sarah Hey (Standing Firm): Victories & Defeats on the Fields of “Process" (A helpful analysis but *sigh* - when will we stop categorising the Primates? I find that misleading and unhelpful as there is a deeper unifying thread running through some of our Primates, upholding and working towards a stronger Communion. - TW)

From UK Guardian: Anglican leaders avoid church split over homosexuals (This piece I think is inaccurate and pre-mature. - TW)

Canon Kendall has this to say, over at Titus One Nine:
"How can a province which supposedly complies with the calls of the Windsor Report have, since General Convention 2006, more dioceses than ever allowing for the blessing of same sex unions and more dioceses than ever nominating people for bishop who are in non-celibate same gender relationships? The Windsor called a halt to both of these until and unless a new consensus emerges, but instead of stopping, is not the Episcopal Church still moving even further apart?” Indeed - TW

ENS’ Matthew Davies: Primates engage in ‘intense listening,’ discuss Windsor response.

And some nice photos here from ACNS

From Living Church:
• On Day 1, Spotlight on The Episcopal Church (14 Feb)
• Primates’ Official Opening Session Likely to Be Contentious
• UN Anglican Observer May Brief Primates
• Primates’ Session with Episcopal Bishops Changed to Thursday
• Alternate Primates’ Meeting Agenda Proposed
• Global South Will Propose Two-Province Solution
• Elections and Politics Part of Tanzania Meeting
• Large Class of New Primates in Tanzania

Rev. Canon David Anderson, AAC(Tues 13 February)
Security Goes Tight Around the White Sands Special Compound

BBC Anglicans face difficult summit

Daily video updates from Standing Firm
Wed Feb 14

Ruth Gledhill
Time for Anglicans to divorce

In a few days, the Primates of the Anglican Communion will meet in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The largest churches are in the Global South. There is a clear loss of patience with the Americans and their allies. Decisions may have been taken by some leading members of the group not to have fellowship with the Americans. Indeed, various parishes in America have already joined overseas dioceses, rather than remain in the American church, and the Nigerians have set up a branch of their numerically powerful church in US itself. Considerable pain is being experienced, and it may well get worse as Anglicans rearrange their relationships. 

Over 300 participants, comprising bishops, clergy and lay leaders, gathered at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, for the inaugural Provincial Gathering from 5th to 8th February 2007. A statement was released from this gathering. 

The new Primates are those elected/installed after the last Primates Meeting in Dromantine. They will be invited for a pre-meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury for orientation. 

The long road to full possession lies in rediscovering the roots of our beliefs.  The makeshift artifices that the Communion devised especially in the past sixty years have to be re-examined and sometimes dismantled to allow true reciprocity to flourish in the Communion.  The discipleship that is required of us anno domini 2007 is nothing less than that in the times of the Reformation.

The date of Paul Kwong’s installation as Primate has not yet been announced.