SHOWDOWN AT LAMBETH
The civil war in the Anglican Communion, that the Archbishop of Canterbury had tried to avoid, appears to be on the cusp today. The issue is the interface between the Communion and homosexuality. This is not new. It has been the big issue for more than two decades but it has never been so contentious as it is now. The Fifteenth Lambeth Conference may be coming apart at the seams.
Apparently two sides have squared off. Anti-homosexual-rights bishops are being led by the conservative (or reactionary) Global South sub-division. Someone(s), perhaps bishops of this segment, put into the original "Calls" document, a statement that the 1998 Resolution 1.10, that condemned homosexuality and same-sex marriage, was "the mind of the Anglican Communion," as if it were the rule for all of the provinces of the Anglican Communion.
The other side arose in protest. The pro-homosexual-rights contingent apparently is being led by the 100-bishop-strong American delegation which itself is led by the formidable Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry. This side managed to get the "Calls" revised to take out "the mind" provision and emphasize that different provinces have different views of the issue, a sort of agree-to-disagree attitude. Thus, the "Calls" flipped from pro-Global South to pro-TEC on the issue of homosexuality.
This has prompted a huge backlash from the anti-homosexual-rights coalition. They have demanded and gotten a meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury for tomorrow. My guess is they will read him the Riot Act. It is us or them. They are also promising to force a vote on reaffirming the 1998 anti-homosexual resolution. This may well tear up the meeting.
Read the excellent article from ENS about this HERE .
Actually, anti-homosexual Anglican bishops have been trying to divide the Anglican Communion along lines of social policy for more than two decades. This all started when the Episcopal Church, in America, went through a process from 1989 to 1996 in which it settled on equality for an inclusion of non-celibate homosexuals in the life of the church. Reactionary American Episcopalians reached out to Third World bishops who lived in cultures that historically condemned and criminalized homosexuality. This coalition of disgruntled Americans and anti-homosexual Third World (mostly African) bishops forced a majority vote on Res. 1.10 in 1998. The war intensified after the American church affirmed its first partnered gay bishop, chose the first woman primate of the Anglican Communion, the anti side drew up its Jerusalem Declaration in 2008, and created a new church (ACNA) as the replacement for the Episcopal Church in 2009. In 2016, the anti side pushed through a "punishment" of TEC but it was virtually ignored. When Covid came along, everything was thrown into limbo. No more. The Anglican civil war over homosexuality is back with a vengeance.
It is not just the Americans who are now the targets of the anti set. They have also condemned pro-gay policies of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Church of Brazil, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church in Wales, and the church in New Zealand and Polynesia.
As I see it, the overriding issue is whether the Anglican Communion will have a set of policies and procedures forced on all forty-two provinces or whether the forty-two will govern themselves separately. In the first place, Anglicanism is by history and nature a non-dogmatic and tolerant religion. It had to be in order to unify the diverse religious views in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century England. What the antis are trying to do now is change the character of Anglicanism into a dogmatic and authoritarian world church. If they cannot do that, they appear to be ready to go their own separate way as a new Anglicanism more suitable to the cultures where homosexuality remains taboo and misogyny prevails.
In the second place, the AC is only a friendship club bonded by a common historic identity. It is not a law making body. It has no right whatsoever to interfere in the internal working of any province. The Archbishop of Canterbury is first among equals but he has no authority at all to meddle in any province outside of his own.
So, the question at hand is---whither Anglicanism? Continue on as it has been or break apart with the majority forming a new kind Anglicanism. The wedge issue is homosexuality to be sure but there is something at hand here much bigger than that. The future of Anglicanism, and of the Anglican Communion is at stake and the hour of decision is nearer than ever.
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On a cheerier note, look at the class pictures. Here are the 650+ bishops in attendance at the Lambeth Conference now. Click on image for enlargement. The Archbishop of Canterbury is front center, with crucifer behind him.
I think I have spotted Bishop Ruth. Look for the bishop on the front row wearing the checkerboard stole slightly right of center, go up to fourth row from top and look for the blonde curly hair.
