Disappointing actions from Canterbury

As previously reported here, the Archbishop of Canterbury declined to invite the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire to his decennial conference in Lambeth, as someone who has been a lightning rod of contention within the greater Anglican Communion. He also declined to invite various (mostly conservative/schismatic) bishops (the actual list is, I believe, unknown) who have been been consecrated in an irregular fashion or by groups or in circumstances not recognized by the Archbishop..

That’s his prerogative, of course. Lambeth is supposed to be a consultative gathering, a chance for the bishops of the Communion to, well, commune at table together. At the time, the ABC hinted that there might be some other activities or interactions that Bp Robinson could participate in.

Now word comes that not only will Bp Robinson not be able to attend the conference formally, he will not be welcome to preach or celebrate at services while in England. The excuse seems to be that Robinson is too controversial, and that allowing him to do so would be tantamount to offering Official Approval of him.

Citing fears of creating a controversy, Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury has refused to grant Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the right to preach or preside at the eucharist in England. Robinson received the news in an email yesterday morning.

Sources familiar with the email say Williams cites the Windsor Report and recent statements from the Primates Meeting in refusing to grant Robinson permission to exercise his priestly functions during his current trip to England, or during the trip he plans during the Lambeth Conference in July and August.

[…] The email, which came to Robinson through a Lambeth official, says Williams believes that giving Robinson permission to preach and preside at the Eucharist would be construed as an acceptance of the ministry of a controversial figure within the Communion.

Of course, there are plenty of other controversial figures that the ABC has not similarly enjoined.

Williams has not denied permission to preach and preside to Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, who gave his support to a failed legislative attempt to limit the rights of Nigerian gays and their supporters to speak, assemble and worship God collectively. Akinola has yet to respond to an Atlantic magazine article which suggests he may have had prior knowledge of plans for retributive violence against Muslims in his country that resulted in the massacre of more than 650 people in Yelwa, Nigeria.

Williams has not denied permission to preach and preside to Bishop Bernard Malango, the retired primate of Central Africa and one of the authors of the Windsor Report. Malango dismissed without reason the ecclesiastical court convened to try pro-Mugabe Bishop Nolbert Kunonga for incitement to murder and other charges.

Williams has not denied permission to preach and preside to Bishop Gregory Venables, primate of the Southern Cone, who has now claimed as his own, churches in three others provinces in the Anglican Communion (Brazil, Canada and the United States). Nor has he denined permission to preach and preside to Archbishops Henry Orombi of Uganda, Emanuel Kolini of Rwanda, or Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya, all of whom have ignored the Windsor Report’s plea not to claim churches within other provinces of the Communion.

The issue seems to be, though, that the ABC has decided that unity — of both the Communion and of his own Church of England — trumps other considerations. Though he does feel badly about it.

Sources who have read the email say Williams expresses sorrow for the way the ban on Robinson must appear to the bishop and his supporters, but says he is acting for the good of the Church and the Communion.

Abp Williams seems determined to not do anything that might give the conservative elements of the Global South an excuse to bolt the Communion — even as they proceed with plans and processes to do so. It’s disappointing that, someone who ought to be a spiritual leader, is simply fighting a pastoral holding action, seeking to avoid blame for the Communion’s break-up regardless of the cost to others — and in so doing, is probably accelerating that very outcome. By acting out of “fears” and upholding form and organizations over individuals, Abp Williams is not acting in what I would call a Christ-like fashion.

Disappointing.