REFLECTIONS ON LAMBETH XV
Now that the XV Lambeth Conference is over, it is appropriate to consider the significance of this meeting in the history of the Anglican Communion.
The issue of homosexuality overshadowed this year's conference, just as it has overshadowed the Anglican Communion for the past twenty-four years. However, the relative importance of the issue of homosexuality has changed over the years, and this year's meeting shows a clear decline in its role in the life of the Anglican Communion. Let us look at how the data suggest such.
Lambeth XIII met in 1998 with 749 bishops. When Resolution 1.10 came up, an amendment was offered denouncing "homosexual practice" as "incompatible with Scripture." The vote on the amendment:
For: 389 (52%)
Against: 190 (25%)
Not voting: 170 (23%)
The amendment was adopted by a clear but not large majority of the bishops present.
Lambeth XV met in 2022 with app. 650 bishops. There was no numerical vote as in 1998. So, instead, the pro-homosexual-rights coalition offered a statement supporting same-sex relationships in committed unions. In opposition, the anti-homosexual-rights coalition offered a competing statement 1-reaffirming 1998's 1.10, and 2-calling for its enforcement in the Communion. Bishops were invited to "vote" for the anti side by emailing pictures of ID badges with their endorsements. The vote was to be anonymous, so no names would be released. The result as announced on the last day:
Anti statement: 125 (19%)
Pro statement: 175 (27%)
Not voting: 350 (54%)
Thus, 125 anonymous bishops endorsed the anti stand. This was a drop from 389 in 1998 to 125 in 2022. There are app. 900 bishops in the entire Anglican Communion. 650 attended Lambeth XV. If we add the difference, 250, to the 125, we get a total of 375, or 42% of the bishops of the AC. Even if all bishops had been present, there would not have been a majority for the anti side.
There was a dramatic shift in the bishops' responses to the issue of homosexuality between 1998 and 2022. Two big changes occurred in the voting. One was a precipitous drop from 389 to 125 denouncing homosexuality. Percentages likewise fell, from 52% in 1998 to 19% in 2022. The other big shift was in the number of bishops sitting out the votes. From 170 (23%) not voting in 1998, we go to 350 (54%) not participating in 2022. Even though the voting process was not the same in 1998 and 2022, we still see two movements at work: fewer bishops supported 1.10 and its enforcement in 2022 than in 1998, and far more bishops were unconcerned about the issue in 2022 than they were twenty-four years ago.
The data show that homosexuality does not have the importance as an issue in the Anglican Communion today as it had two decades ago. One may suspect that this is the reason for panic on the anti side. All one has to do to see the anguished reactions to Lambeth XV from the anti side is to scan the entries in anglicanink.com .
(Incidentally, it is rich when people not in the Anglican Communion weigh in on what the Anglican Communion should and should not be doing. Do they also want to tell the college of cardinals in Rome how to do their business?)
It is clear that Lambeth XV rendered a serious defeat to the anti-homosexual-rights factions in the Anglican Communion. The defeat has two parts: their utter failure to get the Communion to enforce conformity of their view, and the decline of the issue in the historic life of the Anglican Communion.
The Anglican Communion has reaffirmed its historic nature. This is its real victory over its opponents.
