The primates’ meeting almost foundered over disagreement about the authority of Scripture, according to a piece in the Church of England newspaper, reproduced at TitusOneNine. It sounds as though Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold of the U.S. Episcopal Church should be congratulated for his patience and forebearance.
By playing the “honest broker” and allowing grievances to be aired fully and
frankly, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, prevented the collapse
of the Anglican Communion last week.Though the official communiqué stated that relations among the Primates
during the Feb 21-25 meeting were convivial, “characterised by generosity of
spirit, and a readiness to respect one another’s integrity, with Christian
charity and abundant goodwill”, tempers and voices were raised behind
Dromantine’s walls, testing the Archbishop of Canterbury’s diplomatic skills.* * *
Expectations were low as “some of us [had] fears that it might have been the
last” Primates’ Meeting, Archbishop Gomez stated. Archbishop Njongonkulu
Ndungane of South Africa noted: “At the beginning of the meeting I was dismayed
to have the impression that many colleagues had come with their minds made up.
Positions were entrenched and irreconcilable.”
In the months following the consecration the Bishop of New Hampshire, 22
Provinces broke with the Episcopal Church. While the presenting issue was V Gene
Robinson’s fitness for the episcopacy, for many Primates the crux was “whether
Scripture was trustworthy and true”. If it was true, then the normalisation of
homosexuality violated both the word and the spirit of Scripture.Meeting in Nairobi on Jan 27-28, 16 Primates called for the Episcopal Church
and the Anglican Church of Canada to be disciplined. “Failing any substantial
change of direction within the next three months the global south primates and
the others who share our convictions would confirm that they have chosen to
‘walk alone’ and follow another religion.”For leaders of the Episcopal Church, the consecration of V Gene Robinson was
equally a matter of faith – faith that God was working in new ways, or a
“leading of the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Griswold explained on Jan 14.Bishop Griswold telegraphed to the Primates he would not be bullied in a Feb
20 sermon delivered at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast extolling “white
martyrdom”. He argued Christians must be willing to take risks and “push off”
into the unknown in obedience to God.* * *
With both sides equally determined, and certain of the rightness of their
position, the first casualty of the meeting became the celebration of corporate
Eucharist.Archbishop Akinola wrote to Dr Williams on behalf of the global south
coalition stating they would not share altar fellowship with Bishop Griswold. Dr
Williams suggested a “pastoral Eucharist”, and then proposed a priest be brought
in to celebrate Communion.Archbishop Akinola responded it was not the worthiness of the minister that
prompted their objections, but their belief that unity of doctrine preceded
unity of worship. It was not a question of receiving “from” Bishop Griswold, but
“with” Bishop Griswold.Dr Williams relented and it was agreed on the Monday that the Rev T Shane
Forster, chaplain to Archbishop Robin Eames of Ireland, would celebrate the
daily noonday Eucharist for those whose “personal discipline” required it;
formally recognising the state of broken Eucharistic communion between the
global south primates and Bishop Griswold.* * *
Presiding Bishop Griswold and Canadian Primate Archbishop Andrew Hutchison
spoke plainly and firmly to the Primates on Wednesday about the innovations in
their Churches over the normalisation of homosexuality, recounting the canonical
and democratic processes that brought about these changes.Primates from the global south were unmoved by these arguments and not
persuaded that doctrine was democratically determined.At the dinner break, the Communion was at an impasse, as both sides would not
relent upon their principles, nor accommodate the other’s wishes.On Wednesday evening, Archbishop Williams brokered a deal. The consensus of
the Primates was that the American and Canadian Churches would be asked to
withdraw from the affairs of the Communion for a season to either reform or
explain.* * *
As problems unfolded over [a news leak], Bishop Griswold became perturbed after
witnessing the departure of a number of global south primates with their
American supporters to dine off-campus.Bishop Griswold spoke with Dr Williams, who then dressed down the Primates
upon their return for sneaking away. In rebuking the Primates, Archbishop
Williams committed his first gaffe of the meeting, as his infelicitous tone
offended the African leaders.* * *
The expression of repentance from the Episcopal Church found in earlier
drafts did not materialise due, in part, to the rush to finish. Archbishop Peter
Carnley explained: “At the beginning of our meeting we did talk about an
expression of regret”, however “I think we lost sight of that particular issue
in the course of the meeting”.The endorsement of the communiqué, however, did not return harmony to the
Primates. After the deal was done, Archbishop Williams announced he was going to
lead the noonday Eucharist on Friday and invited all the Primates to attend as a
gesture of unity. The global south primates declined.
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