I’ve been only following the ongoing brouhaha in the Anglican Communion with but half an ear. Life’s been busy, and my church life has been more focused on our new rector (who’s working out quite well) rather than beating the same moribund horse.
But I found this news blurb mentioned at Fr. Jake’s too surreal to avoid comment:
Last week English bishops issued a pastoral statement saying that they would allow their gay clergy to register their civil partnerships under the new act which comes into force this December but they would be required to abstain from sex. Peter Akinola the Archbishop of Nigeria, the largest Anglican province in the world, ridiculed the policy by asking the Church of England bishops if they were intending to place cameras in the bedrooms of their clergy and said that Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and his church should now face disciplinary action.
“I believe that the temporary suspension of the Church of England is the right course of action to take. The church will be subjected to the same procedures and discipline that America and Canada faced”.
The Anglican Communion, as I understand it, stems from communion through the Archbishop of Canterbury. If Canterbury and the rest of the Church of England is suspended … what’s left? Quite possibly a permanent schism, with the “Global South” taking on their own “Anglican” sovereignty, leaving the AC consisting of the Church of England, the Church of Canada, the Episcopal Church, and similar apostate organizations.
Jake’s comment here is of interest:
This move will make the prayer of Jesus, “…that they all may be one,” even more difficult to become a reality. For that reason, I would imagine that it will grieve the heart of God. In many ways, it is very similar to a divorce, which is always a tragedy, and never a cause for rejoicing. But, if this “realignment” will end the incessant squabbling, and allow us to focus once again on the mission of the Church, it may be the best resolution to a difficult situation.
It will certainly resolve the complicated dancing going on with external ecclesiastical oversight and American conservatives looking toward Lambeth out of tradition but drawing their political and doctrinal support from Nigeria, et al. It would let folks (here and abroad) honestly profess and follow their conscience, which might, in fact, be a good thing.
Stay tuned.