The American way
The Guardian has an interesting comment article on the current state of the Anglican Communion. This comes in the wake of the Episcopal Church of America’s recent General Convention, at which it was asked to and did apologise for offending the sensibilities of other churches worldwide by ordaining a gay bishop three years ago.
The American church is to be commended for quietly carrying on with its life. The entire Anglican communion has risen up against it, Lambeth Palace included. But it has chosen to maintain its dignity. Last week Katharine Jefferts Schori became the first woman leader of an Anglican church anywhere in the world when she was appointed to head the US Episcopalian church and said there should be “room at the table” for gay and lesbian members of the church.
Meanwhile in Britain, those of us who supported Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury still dream that he will reveal his masterplan for establishing the open, liberal church in which he and we used to believe. Then we look at the realities emerging over the last five years and the dream disappears.
The official line is that we are engaged in a listening process. Both sides – the liberal Americans and the homophobic Africans – were asked to apologise. Everyone was asked to listen to the experience of gay people, so that we might learn and move forward together. In the meantime, there were to be no more gay bishops, and parishes or individuals who could not bear the liberal regime in their own area could apply to a new international commission for special anti-homosexual pastoral care.
America complied, apologising for the hurt that it might have caused to others by its actions. It agreed that for now there would be no new bishops at all, gay or otherwise. The Africans issued no apology, denounced all gays and liberals once again, and crowed at their success in establishing the commission.
(Thanks to Father Jake for the tip.)
pax et bonum
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