A Lambeth Palace Statement in reference to the Letter from Rowan Williams to Bishop Howe

“It should be understood that the Archbishop’s response to Bishop Howe was neither a new policy statement nor a roadmap for the future but a plain response to a very urgent and particular question about clergy in traditionalist dioceses in TEC who want to leave TEC for other jurisdictions, a response reiterating a basic presupposition of what the Archbishop believes to be the theology of the Church.

The primary point was that – theologically and sacramentally speaking – a priest is related in the first place to his/her bishop directly, not through the structure of the national church; that structure serves the dioceses. The diocese is more than a ‘local branch’ of a national organisation. Dr Williams is clear that, whatever the frustration with the national church, priests should think very carefully about leaving the fellowship of a diocese. The provincial structure is significant, not least for the administration of a uniform canon law and a range of practical functions; Dr Williams is not encouraging anyone to ignore this, simply to understand the theological priorities which have been articulated in a number of ecumenical agreements, and in the light of this not to increase the level of confusion and fragmentation in the church.”

    Comments & Responses

  1. In the above statement put out by the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, we have a clearly-defined understanding of the basic ecclesiology of the Anglican Church structure - which bases lines of authority solidly within the ancient pattern of the Early Christian Church.

    The Bishop is the focus of the local Church, and as such is responsible for the pastoral oversight (episcope) of the Diocese. He (or she) it is who ordains clergy to assist in the ministry to and with the laity in the episcopal area.

    The Bishop is, and always has been - in the Anglican tradition - the basis of cennectivity with the Church Catholic; whereas the National Church provides the ethos within which the local dioceses operate. To move away from the pattern of estabished episcopal responsibility (in the hands of the local bishop), in order to defer to rule by the Primates, would be to undercut the basic pastoral needs of the local Churches. This would be to institute what might be called ‘Rule by Conclave’, which has never been the nature of Anglicanism.

    The Anglican Consultative Council, on the other hand, is a duly-constituted body of the Church which represents the 3 orders of Bishops, Clergy and Laity - and as such is a more truly-representative organ of the Church, which enables a forum of ongoing dialogue between the different levels of Church membership. 

    This is precisely why the action of various Global South Primates - in ordaining clergy to introduce their own agenda within the diocesan structures of TEC - is so abhorrent to those of us who understand, and adhere to, established practice with the Anglican Church.

    For any Bishop to trespass within the properly- constituted jurisdiction of another Bishop of the Anglican Church - by ordaining rival clergy to work within another Diocese - is an offence against the estabished polity of Anglicanism.

    To continue to pursue such illicit ordinations, is to resile from established tradition within our Anglican Communion, and can only lead to the schism which some Primates of the Global South seem to be looking forward to.

    Posted by  on  10/25  at  05:01 AM

  2. Boy “Father Ron” (who is really Father Guido Sarducci, a has-been comic who peddled a similarly bizarre formulation of something that he seemed to sincerely think was some form of ‘christian religion’) I’m impressed. You’ve added “the basic ecclesiology of the Anglican Church structure” (praise and blessings be upon it) to the even more critically important characteristic of the TRUE ANGLICAN FAITH, polity (praise and blessings be upon it).

    Father Guido, I think you’ve just officially declared that in your world view of ecclesiology and polity there just is no room left for the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ to lift humanity from the burden of sin that is endemic in our fallen nature.

    So, when will we see you back on Saturday Night Live where you really belong, Father Guido?

    Posted by  on  10/25  at  07:23 AM

  3. Mrs Arlen’s little boy, Ricky, has so obviously missed the boat in his amateur theology class.

    Jesus Christ has already ‘lifted the burden of sin that is endemic in our fallen human nature’.
    Does Ricky not know; has he not heard? This is the Gospel of Christ - the GOOD NEWS to all people: Christ HAS redeemed us! - even you, Ricky!

    “Amazing GRACE, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me (and Ricky); I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see!”
    D’ye NOT see, now Ricky?

    As the Bishop once assured a crass young evangelical Christian who enquired of him, on a train journey in the UK: “Bishop, are you saved?”

    The good Bishop replied: “My son, I have been saved, I am being saved, and I will be saved! Thanks be to God”

    Posted by  on  10/25  at  12:54 PM

  4. It is quite interesting to read the statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury suggesting that the provincial structure is significant, not least for the administration of a uniform canon law and a range of practical functions. Fr. Smith seems to echo this as a norm that has been violated. The reality is that part of the reason this crisis on all sides has proliferated is because there is no universal or uniform canon law that belongs to Anglicanism in the 21st Century.

    Fr. Smith is quite write the when he writes that the normative body for legislation is the ACC. Here is an illustration again of misplaced ecclessiology for a church that claims catholicity. 

    The historical and canonical fact is that the Primates as Metropolitans, posses the canonical and conciliar authority. To that point a few observations from the canonical tradition:

    The bishops inherits in their role particular norms through positive law (ius divinum positivum- which derives from Christ’s teachings and Divine Revelation), natural law (ius divinum naturale - which is the given order deduced rationally), as well as human law (ius humanum - often established as a result of custom). What is to be said and taught is bound by these elements of law as bishops do not exercise their oversight functions by their own will but rather by the divine right granted through the succession of apostles as guardians of the deposit of faith. It should be stated here that Apostolic Succession as part of the “ius commune ecclesiae” refers to a ministry of oversight that was initiated by the Apostles for a succession of ministry. This perspective has been narrowly interpreted in Anglican circles by principally limiting the criteria to geography, but in fact has a broader context in the conciliar tradition that is in keeping with the positive and natural laws that commends these leaders to:

    1.Authentic teaching and preaching of the faith

    2.Promoting the Sacramental Life

    3.Inspiration of the Church’s Mission

    In Anglicanism, bishops who have offered oversight and pastoral care to clergy and congregations who are not “in communio” with their local bishops due to conflict and interpretation over how they uphold doctrine and tradition of the catholic and apostolic faith do not stand outside the bounds of norms for communio whne one considers that the principles of communio reflect that communio …

    a. Is Rooted in the Divine Origin

    b. Has An External Expression { i.e juridical form}

    c. Offers a Dynamic vs. Static Reality [1]

    When one consider the actions of the Bishops and Primates of the Global South (and the retired Orthodox ECUSA Bishops), in the wake of the Windsor Covenant it seems evident that their response to these pastoral circumstances implies authentic communion from a bishop who is not static in the growth of the faith and vocation as bishop and accepts the dynamic obligation guided by the church’s teaching in Scripture and the conciliar tradition to determine how communions is to be maintained through grace fully realized and made manifest in the mission of the church.

    American Canonist James Coriden writing about the nature of communio states that by its very nature “communio” is polysemous in character which influences the interpretation of the Articles of the Windsor Covenant and the some Anglican canons between a vague disposition and an organic reality.[2] The challenge to maintain “communio” is at times contextual as communio is not an abstract ideal subject to theological insight and canonical deduction. 

    Communio has a praxis that has evolved since the early days of the church, which is rooted in the experience of being “ecclesiae particulare et universalis” while eventually offering theological reflection on that experience [3],resulting in the paradox of praxis. This paradox of experience and reflection based upon norms and tradition calls for the expectations of obligations to maintain the order of the “anglicanae ecclesiae ius commune”.

    The fact is that the Primates have the charism historically to function as an Episcopal College which is the proper element of governance for what it means to be part of the church catholic (East and West). The catholicity of the Communion cannot be derived from the particularity of the local Churches as the TEC asserts but rather from expression of their unity.[4]

    Moreover, while dynamism of Provincial Churches, with their own particularity, takes different juridical forms throughout the Communion But it cannot eradicate the unity of the Church and the deposit of faith it proclaims. If it does it fails to be in Communion.[5]

    If the thought is that that selecting a body such as the ACC as the norm for legislation and rejecting the Primates as a College of Bishops to function as such it would appear that Anglicanism has broken significantly with the conciliar tradition of the East and the West by:

    a.Rejecting historic oversight from a universal college of bishops

    b. Rejecting participation in the deposit of faith as received in the Sacred Scriptures and Councils of the Church.

    c.Rejecting the Canonical tradition of the universal church, affirming their own particular law which makes exceptions for errors to be permitted in the catholic faith

    It would seem in light of this that any insistence that territorial boundaries are superior to the doctrinal unity of the Faith are misplaced and indeed outside the bounds of the orthodox catholic faith. The Church Fathers and Reformers certainly understood this in numerous conciliar actions.

    The thought that Anglican Canon Law makes geography and local authority the dominant norm illustrates a failure to recognize that orthodox faith and doctrine are to be pre-eminent. In critiquing the legiitimacy of pastoral intervention there is a clear failure to honor the developments of church history, the canonical tradition and doctrine.One must share in the whole conciliar and canonical tradition which does make such allowances ( albeit in exceptional circumstances) if they are to be a part of the conciliar church.


    1 R..Kaslyn., Communion with the Church and the Code of Canon Law.  An Analysis of the Foundation and Implications of Canonical Obligation to Maintain Communion with the Catholic Church. Lewiston:  The Edward Mellen Press, 1994

    2 James A. Corriden., Canon Law as Ministry: Freedom and Good Order for the Church. , (New York: Paulist Press, 2000

    3 L.Hertling ., Communio: Church and Papacy in Early Christianity, ( trans. J.Wicks)., Chicago: Loyola University Press,1972.

    4 Daniel Doyle,., Doctrinal Discipline in the Letters of St. Augustine.” In Studia Patristica 38 (2001): 84-94

    5 St. Thomas Aquinas., Summa Theologiae (Westminster: Christian Classics,1989) Exposit. in Symbol. Apost., a. 9-15

    Posted by  on  10/30  at  10:09 PM

  5. So, Father Guido, because you seem to believe the gift of forgiveness of sin through the grace of Jesus Christ crucified permits us to turn our back on Him and continue in sin without consequence. As a plain, hick layperson, even I understand it is impolite, at the very least, to denigrate a gift by dishonoring it. If I dishonor the gift (by continuing in sin) is it not the very least I can do to ask forgiveness and do my level best not to repeat my offense? If this makes no sense to you “real” theologians, why do you “real” priests dress up so funny to provide absolution following the confession and bother with the eucharist? Do you love theater so much? The act of worship can’t have any other meaning for you.

    Come out of the closet and confess yourself to be the fraud you are. You are no priest of Christ.

    Posted by  on  10/30  at  11:08 PM

  6. Putting together a montage of comments made from Ron Smith-Guido Sarducci and Father Mark-Guido Sarducci, helps one to understand where these Katharine Jefferts Schori types are coming from, and where they want to take us—Religious Humanism.

    The ‘Sola Scriptura’ cry of the Global South is a ploy which no longer obtains in a world which has accepted the place of scientific research in matters pertaining to human gender and sexuality (Father Ron Smith on 09/07 at 02:56 PM).

    Only by face to face dialogue, and an acceptance of a modern interpretation of the Bible, can we ever hope to dispel the mythology surrounding issues of gender and sexuality - to the point where each and every Christian person is welcomed at the Eucharistic Feast of Christ (Father Ron Smith on 09/13 at 03:02 PM).

    Many aspects of human life have been discovered to be different from what was once considered normal to previous generations of believers in the Judaeo/Christian ethic - like slavery, the subordination of women, etc., so that the Church can no longer close its eyes to the realities of life which have been revealed to us by medical, psychological and social, scientific research (Father Ron Smith on 09/15 at 07:51 AM).

    …the world has moved on since the mere state of being homosexual has been accounted patholigical or ‘sin’ (Father Ron Smith on 09/25 at 11:06 AM).

    Let us not now turn back from the discovery that God’s gift of sexuality is actually more than just a partnership in procreation. It is something to be embraced by all God’s children and not only by those equipped to have children (Father Ron Smith on 09/22 at 08:27 AM).

    Unfortunately, fundamentalism of any sort, that seeks to stifle theological input from any perspective other than one’s own, is seldom to be accounted trustworthy, and in fact might be considered spiritually dangerous. To suppose that the wisdom and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit was confined to past ages, and to the pages of a book - even that as holy to all three strands of Abrahamic descent as the Scriptures - is to preempt the saying of Jesus… (Father Ron Smith on 09/23 at 09:26 AM).

    The truly Anglican Episcopacy, however, headed by Archbishop Rowan and those loyal to the liberal Anglican Way of Scripture, tradition and REASON(Father Ron Smith on 09/23 at 01:15 PM).

    The discipline of Bible reading with modern hermeneutical interpretation does require more than some people - even Bishops - are prepared to give in terms of the time and effort required, and it does pre-suppose an openness to the wisdom of God’s Holy Spirit(Father Ron Smith on 10/10 at 01:22 PM).

    When will the Evangelicals (the fundamentalists I mean, not the proclaimers of the True Gospel) learn that the Word of God is not confined to THE BOOK any longer? The Sacrament of Christ in the Eucharist speaks more loudly than the inanimate words in a book - even the Bible, which is a way, not The Way, who is Christ himself (Father Ron Smith on 10/09 at 04:46 AM).

    Anglicanism has always been characterised by its stress on reason, and has always been broad and inclusive when compared to the other major denominations: that is our particular charism, our “niche” in the market, if you like. So, if you are really interested in biblical fundamentalism, you will never be happy with the Church of England, and should probably look more towards the Southern Baptists. But please do not tell me, an English Anglican, that I have to subscribe to a literalist view of Scripture, as I simply don’t accept that intellectually(Fr Mark on 10/11 at 05:13 PM).

    It’s really not going to work in the modern Western world to push fundamentalist views of Scripture. I know one you lives in Georgia, so perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, as creationism seems to be alive and well down there, but the other is in nice liberal Canada, of all places, a country which is so forward-thinking and accepting of diversity(Fr Mark on 10/11 at 11:21 PM).

    I want to make sure the intolerant fundamentalists don’t take it over (Fr Mark on 10/13 at 01:31 AM).

    The Church must be open to what is being revealed afresh for the mission of the Church in the world of today - in order to fulfil our calling to be co-redeemers with Christ. By scientific and social observation, the world has discovered the fact that some people are differently gifted in the area of sexuality and human response. The reason I am an Anglican priest, and not a minister of any other Christian body, is that I feel the Anglican Way is more diverse and open… (Father Ron Smith on 10/18 at 06:55 AM).

    When are you ‘literalists’ going to realise that the WORD of God became FLESH,
    (Father Ron Smith on 10/20 at 01:55 PM).

    Well, I suppose Abp Jensen’s comments… Is this man really fit to be an archbishop of a diverse modern first-world city? He can’t exactly be connecting well with the wider society in Sydney, can he (Fr Mark on 10/26 at 04:29 PM)?

    Isn’t Mr Jensen near retirement age? If not, can he be pensioned off early? His thinking is definitely 19th century (Father Ron Smith on 10/26 at 05:48 PM).

    What must be remembered is that the Word of God was not meant to remain between the covers of a book - holy as that book might seem to be - especially to certain scholars of the Church. In other words, the Book is a guide only to the ultimate reality of the God who has - according to orthodox Christian theology - been revealed to us once ands for all at the Incarnation of his Blessed Son, Jesus Christ - Word-made-flesh (Father Ron Smith on 07/29 at 10:05 AM)!

    Perhaps the righteous fundamentalists of the Diocese of Georgia should move into the modern world and offer workshops on the subject of Homan Sexuality - with experts from the sociological and psychological community meeting with serious theologians who are willing to open their eyes to the real world around them(Father Ron Smith on 08/03 at 06:29 AM).

    Noticed that there are negative connotations when strict, fundamentalist, sola scriptura, pre-modern, literalist interpretation are applied in reading and interpreting the Holy Bible. There are positive connotations for readings and interpretations outside of the Holy Bible in areas of Science, Psychology, Eucharist, and postmodernist, modernist, liberal interpretations of the Holy Bible.

    These people are Religious Humanist that have infiltrated the Churches and are engaged in reconstituting (reconstruct; recompose) the Anglican Church from with in.

    Humanist Manifesto states in part:

    “Though we consider the religious forms and ideas of our fathers no longer adequate, the quest for the good life is still the central task for mankind. Man is at last becoming aware that he alone is responsible for the realization of the world of his dreams, that he has within himself the power for its achievement. He must set intelligence and will to the task.”

    FIFTH: Humanism asserts that the nature of the universe depicted by “modern science” makes “unacceptable any supernatural” or cosmic guarantees of human values.

    THIRTEENTH: Religious humanism maintains that all associations and institutions exist for the fulfillment of human life. The intelligent evaluation, transformation, control, and direction of such associations and institutions with a view to the enhancement of human life is the purpose and program of humanism. Certainly religious institutions, their ritualistic forms, ecclesiastical methods, and communal activities must be “reconstituted” as rapidly as experience allows, in order to function effectively in the modern world.

    “Science” and economic change have disrupted the old beliefs… Today man’s larger understanding of the universe, his scientific achievements, and deeper appreciation of brotherhood, have created a situation which requires a new statement of the means and purposes of religion. Such a vital, fearless, and frank religion capable of furnishing adequate “social goals” and “”personal satisfactions” may appear to many people as a complete break with the past.

    TEC, HOB, COE, Ron Smith, Fr. Mark and followers seem to fit the religious humanist mold.

    Posted by  on  10/31  at  02:31 AM

  7. Not exactly right, Gary, but getting closer. However, regarding your comment on myself and significant others whom you claim to be heretical because of our theology of the Incarnation. This unificatrion of the Son of God with our common humanity - attested to in the first chapter of Saint john’s Gospel - was a very significantly religious-humanist activity.

    Herein, God determined to declare - through the ‘Word-made-flesh humanity of Jesus - the connection between God’s Self and the human beings created in the divine image and likeness. Jesus was our perfect specimen, being both human and divine by nature.

    How much more ‘religiously-humanist’ could God be in demonstrating God’s connection to his human children?

    In this sense, all who believe in the full humanity and divinity of Jesus could rightly be called ‘religious-humanists’ There is nothing heretical in that.

    As for Gary’s other claims of heterodoxy on my part, I think he may have been coached by someone a little more theologically literate than himself (in the Scloa Scriptura tradition) to have put forward the arguments in post # 6.

    Posted by  on  10/31  at  06:23 PM

  8. Your own words speak for themselves, you can’t escape your own words-religious humanist.

    Keep posting so that your dogma will be exposed!

    Posted by  on  11/01  at  12:02 AM

  9. I suggest that your correspondent Gary Morrow resist posting on this site unless, and until, he takes some basic lessons in Christian theology.
    His confusion about the humanity of Christ might then be resolved. To denigrate the theological implications of the Incarnatrion of Christ is to misunderstand the divine purpose of what God was about in this supreme act of redemption.

    I suggest, Gary (and Gerry) that you both give up some time to obtaining a theological education, which might then equip you to contribute to the serious discussion of the mission of Christ’s Church in and to the world of today.

    The discussion on the polity of the Anglican Communion by your correspondent, the Reverend Kevin Donlan - at post #4 - would appear to be from the particular perspective of the Roman Catholic Church, and therefore not appropriate to the reformed catholicism of the Anglican Church.

    The papal model, as practised by our Roman brethren, is not applicable to the Anglican Way - which opted to be more based around the authority of the local bishop. Also, the existence of Synodical Government, as espoused in the Anglican Communion, does allow involvement of the Laity in matters of Church polity - a system of government totally opposed to the Roman Catholic situation. This lay involvement attempts to address the Pauline model of the ‘priesthood of all believers’, a concept which cannot be lost sight of in the total ministry of the Church.

    Posted by  on  11/01  at  04:49 AM

  10. Father Guido, as to your suggestion, good point. You obviously cut the important theology classes so your call for moratorium must also apply to you. Of course, I don’t accept that you are a priest at all. that you really are Father Guido Sarducci - I’m OK with that.

    Posted by  on  11/01  at  06:09 AM

  11. #9

    “The discussion on the polity of the Anglican Communion by your correspondent, the Reverend Kevin Donlan - at post #4 - would appear to be from the particular perspective of the Roman Catholic Church, and therefore not appropriate to the reformed catholicism of the Anglican Church.”

    - This is a sweeping statement. Care to clarify in what way Kevin’s thoughts are “not appropriate to the reformed Catholicism of the Anglican Church?”

    As for “priesthood of all believers”, you seem to be confusing it with the traditional role of bishops (in his own diocese and as a college, along with ‘prime bishops’)in guarding the faith. The laity is involved in all aspects of the church life and ministry but bishops are best able to handle matters of faith and order (by virtue of their training, calling and responsibilities.) How is this not the ‘Anglican Way?”

    By the way, all commenters here made them in their own capacity and does not represent GS or otherwise. These are just interpersonal discussions at best. 

    Ed

    Posted by  on  11/01  at  09:04 AM

  12. It appears to me that Anglicanism is so tied in knots that it will accomplish virtually nothing.  May God deliver Anglicans from a spirit of confusion and strife.

    Posted by Alice C. Linsley  on  11/01  at  09:57 AM

  13. Hey, Father Ron Guido Sarducci Smith, I have always wanted to know what kind of cigarettes do you smoke?

    Posted by  on  11/01  at  04:44 PM

  14. To Kevin, Web-master of this site.

    In answer to your question in post #11:

    ‘..Care to clarify in what way (correspondent) Kevin’s thoughts are “not appropriate to the reformed catholicism of the Anglican Church” ?

    I would have thought that to anyone familiar with the catholic and reformed polity of the Anglican Church, it would be obvious that the inclusion of ther faithful Laity in the synodical proceedings of the Church - on both diocesan and provincial levels (which is what Kevin seems to question) - is distinctly Anglican, and therefore different from the polity of the Roman Catholic Church, which looks to the papal court for decisions on everything to do with structures and government.

    This is one reason why the ACC, which includes the Laity in its composition, is a more widely representation of the Anglican Church than the meetings of the Primates. Theological and constitutional praxis, therefore, is the concern of a broader base than in the Roman Catholic Church, per se, where it is limited to the clerical orders in the Church.

    The ‘priesthood of all believers’, therefore, may be considered to be a legitimate part of the business of the Church - as it has its proper place in Church government in our Anglican tradition.

    Posted by  on  11/08  at  06:07 AM

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