A Response to Ephraim Radner and ACI on the Anglican Communion

“The Communion needs to come to a more sober estimate of itself and submit again to the authority of the written Word of God. It is incumbent upon the Primates to set servant models for the rest of their bishops, and reform the Communion Office and Instruments accordingly.”

How can we enable one another to discern? I think America and Britain need to be more critical of the empire building attitude that is endemic to the present structures. They need to rediscover their places within a catholic Communion. The future of the Communion cannot be but multipolar: a Church with Provinces in different places in the world. This is why the Primates’ Meeting – rather than Canterbury – is more appropriate in assuming the role to be the focus of unity of the Communion.

A response to ECUSA’s decisions at the General Convention 2006 - by Michael Poon

“What the resolutions conveyed is clear. What remains unclear and needs clarification is ECUSA’s plans in light of their decisions to walk apart –...To rephrase Williams’ words, there needs to be some careful disentangling of what ECUSA do in the Convention (which is alarming) and what they don’t say in the resolutions (which is already clear).”

Editorial: I suggest that readers read this first on their own instead of forming impressions through other reviewers. Don’t just glance through and better still, print it out using the print version option. Worth a careful read.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has set out his thinking on the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of the deliberations in the United States on the Windsor Report and the Anglican Communion at the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA).

Ruth Gledhill’s 10 June 2006 article on Archbishop John Chew is unfortunate.  It reveals how ordinary British, even with the best intent, misunderstand the present crisis that faces the Anglican Communion. 

Has not the Primates agreed to Lambeth 2008 as the target date?...Canterbury needs to discern the Communion agenda with the Primates. This is his duty and task in this changed time.

I’ve been getting phone calls, but I said no, I’m not going to talk. If they want to know what’s happening, come to our country. Since 1988, where there’s suffering, this comes from our Muslim neighbors. We have never on our own initiated any attack on anybody. Never. And that’s because our youth were willing to take our advice. But now they’re accusing us and calling us names—what do we do?

Having been enabled by God to meditate on the passion of our Lord during the holy season of Lent, it is hoped that the lessons of love, perseverance, humility, and absolute trust and dependence upon God have been learnt. 

‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.’ Romans 12:15

Noll noted that we both plead ‘the central authority of the Holy Scripture’ in ecclesial life.  I would hasten to add that the Communion world-wide, including the younger churches…are equally in danger of ‘replacing key teachings’ of the historic faith by various forms of ideology.  I shall attempt the following response in the spirit of friendly conversation across the continents…