Friday, March 24, 2006

Schism looms...

This is probably the clearest signal from Canterbury about the impending fate of the Communion. The Bishop of Exeter, representing the Archbishop of Canterbury, was speaking at the ECUSA House of Bishops retreat at Kanuga. He said:

"'I suppose one of the major challenges for the Episcopal Church now has to do with whether there are enought of you to stand broadly on the same ground, holding a range of opinions on Lambeth 1.10 but firm in carrying forward the Windsor vision of a strengthened and enabing communion life. This, I believe, is the key question rather than questions about whether the Episcopal Church will either be pushed out of the Communion or consciously walk away. Let's be clear. On the one hand, noone can force another province or diocese either to go or remain. We are not that kind of church. Yet equally, no diocese or province can enforce its own continued membership simply or largely on its own terms. There has to be engagement There is no communion without a shared vision of life in communion. So it does seem to me, as I listen to those other parts of the communion that I know best, that any further consecration of those in a same sex relationship, any authorisation of any person to undertake same sex blessings, any stated intention not to seriously engage with the Windsor Report, will be read very widely as a declaration not to stay with the communion.'"
A report of what sort of went on there can be found on Ruth Gledhill's Blog - Times Online: Schism looms, Exeter warns US bishops:

I know that many of my Episcopal colleagues here at Trinity look towards the General Convention in June with some anxiety. To be honest, I see very little signs of ECUSA repenting as was called for in the Windsor report.

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