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Kevin Kallsen and Archbishop Venables discuss the Anglican Communion… with some very surprising answers.

THE CONSECRATION of Mary Glasspool as a bishop in The Episcopal Church (TEC) last year rejected the authority of all four of the Anglican "Instruments of Communion".

If the invitation to TEC's Presiding Bishop to preach in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, during the recent Primates' meeting (Gazette, 4th February) was issued without consulting the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of Ireland should apologise publicly for undermining his authority.

If, however, he acquiesced in the invitation, he has undermined the authority of his own office, perhaps irretrievably.

The marriage of two female clergy in Massachusetts on 1st January 2011 showed that TEC is going to act independently, regardless of the consequences.

Two clear messages have gone out from Dublin.

First, the authorities in Dublin Diocese were happy to showcase TEC despite its promotion of same-sex marriage. They have hammered in a wedge that may split our Church in two.

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By David Virtue, VOL

The following Primates were elected as members of the Primates' Standing Committee at the recent Primates' Meeting in Dublin, Ireland, and have agreed to serve for a period of three years.

 From Africa, Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul Yak (Sudan) was elected, but he was not in Dublin for his election. The alternate is the liberal leaning Burundi Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi who told me he was there to represent Global South interests because a third of the archbishops, mostly Global South, were not. Later, he told Ruth Gledhillof The Times (London) that the 38 warring provinces should learn to get on with each other, because of Jesus' command to "love your neighbor."

Archbishop Ntahoturi said: "The Anglican Communion is our communion. We have a share. We have a place in that communion…. The Anglican Church of Burundi recognizes there are problems in the Communion. The Communion is a family. When children disagree on certain issues, you do not separate. You meet and discuss those issues together." He said the boycott was not against The Episcopal Church, but because previous decisions of the Primates' Council had not implemented. "For us in Burundi, we say some decisions take some time to implement." He supports the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

For sheer hubris, Central, North, South Americas and the Caribbean are being represented by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of The Episcopal Church with the alternate Archbishop John Holder (West Indies).

Jefferts Schori no more represents the Southern Cone and Archbishop Hector "Tito" Zavala or his predecessor, Archbishop Gregory Venables, than Manchester United represents Real Madrid. Mrs. Jefferts Schori might speak for Canadian Archbishop Fred Hiltz and some, but not all Central American dioceses. She certainly does not speak for the vast majority of Anglicans in the Southern Cone. This is to make an already ludicrous situation into a first class mockery.

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Transcript of Anglican TV Video here (Hat Tip: Anglican Mainstream South Africa)

(KK = Kevin Kallsen, GV = Bishop Gregory Venables)

KK Welcome to another Cam2Cam. I have with me Bishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone which he was formerly the Primate of. You’re now the Bishop of… if you want to describe your whole geographic area to me?

GV Bishop of Argentina and Northern Argentina, the two Argentine dioceses, stretching from the very ends of the earth down in Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, where the first Anglican missionaries came and gave their lives in the mid 19th century, up until the vast areas of scrubland in the Northern Argentine chuko [?] where we have been working amongst the Ama-Indians for the last 100 years. So it’s a large area and a lot of good things going on.

KK Wow! I’m talking to you today because there’s a lot of news going on in the Communion especially after the Primates meeting in Dublin and I thought we’d get a chance to have a little conversation about what’s going on in the Communion. Let’s start with, what’s the most important issue going out of the Anglican Communion today?

GV Well, the vast majority of Anglican leaders worldwide, together with Anglicans in general, want to get on with preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the fact that there is a message of hope and love and forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. But we’ve hit a problem and the problem is that within what we call the Anglican Communion there is a significant group which, unfortunately, seems to dominate much of the public life of our Church, which is suppressing the truth, which is exactly the expression Paul uses in the first chapter of his controversial but vital letter to the Romans. And the reason why we feel this urgency is because it’s clearer than ever, even within our own Church, that we are under the wrath of God. Now, that’s not something people like to talk about very much and it’s not a very pleasant subject, but it’s an important one.

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From Kevin Kallsen, Anglican TV

IT IS a shame that the Primates were so media-shy in Dublin. It would have been good to catch on film an image of the names of the absent Primates placed variously around a candle or on empty chairs rather than having to rely on a verbal description. In whatever medium, however, it must be the abiding image of this Primates’ Meeting. We trust that it was done in the same spirit as when a place is set for Elijah at Passover, and not in the way in which Lord Hattersley was once represented on Have I Got News For You 1.

The Canadian Primate, Archbishop Hiltz, reported afterwards that the Primates at the meeting had “endeavoured to consider, as much as we could, their perspective on the issue before us”. They were successful on at least one point: the Global South absentees had wished to signal by their absence the insignificance of the Primates’ Meeting, as long as it proved unable or unwilling to enforce earlier disciplinary measures against the Episcopal Church in the United States concerning gay bishops and same-sex unions. The Primates who were present in Dublin showed remarkable compliance, redefining the Primates’ Meeting as an essentially toothless body.

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From ACI

Much has already been written about the Primates’ Meeting that concluded last Sunday. From our perspective, the most important evaluation of this gathering is one that assesses its place in the ecclesiology of the Anglican Communion that has been developed with considerable effort, thought and consensus over the last century. That ecclesiology can be summarized as defining the Anglican Communion as a communion of autonomous churches bound together by a common faith—in the words of TEC’s constitution, the “historic faith and order as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer”—and linked institutionally by four “Instruments of Communion” that, in the words of the Covenant, “assist in the discernment, articulation and exercise of our shared faith and common life and mission.” Sadly, the Dublin meeting constituted a repudiation of this well developed Communion ecclesiology.

First, as we and others have already noted, the Dublin meeting represented only a small fraction of the Communion’s active members. Thus, from the very outset it lacked one of the defining criteria of a Communion Instrument, the ability to function as a body that “interprets and articulates the common faith of the Church’s members (consensus fidelium)”. (Covenant 3.1.4.) Last week, the consensus fidelium was to be found elsewhere with those who did not attend.

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By Ed Beavan, Church Times

THE Dublin Primates’ Meeting represented “comfort-zone Angli­can­­ism”, the Bishop of Argentina and chairman of the conservative GAFCON network, the Rt Revd Greg Venables, said this week.

Speaking on behalf of the GAFCON Primates of Uganda, Rwanda, West Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, and the Southern Cone — none of whom went to Dublin — Bishop Venables said that the meeting “had ignored the difficult issues that divide us.

“There was a denial of the serious­ness of the crisis facing the Communion which led to the absence of Primates representing two-thirds of the Anglican Com­munion, and there remains a com­plete lack of trust, which every day is getting worse.

“The Dublin meeting has just made things worse, as they did not deal with the reasons why people stayed away, or the causes of the divisions in the Anglican Church.” 

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By Ed Beavan,  Church Times

THE Archbishop of Canterbury will engage in a round of shuttle diplomacy in an attempt to improve relations with the Global South primates who boycotted last week’s primates’ Meeting.

Speaking during the closing press conference at the Emmaus Centre, near Dublin, on Sunday afternoon, Dr Williams spoke of his plans to visit some of the provinces of the absent Primates, such as South-East Asia. He said that he had recently met the Archbishop of Kenya, Dr Eliud Wabukala, one of the Primates who did not attend, taking part in “a very long and detailed conversation on a variety of matters”.

Such diplomatic endeavours would be a “long task”, he said; and trying to keep the diverse Com­munion together was “difficult”; but “the task we’ve been given, it’s part of the gift of living in the Church” and “part of the cross we carry”.

Dr Williams acknowledged that there remains a “critical situation” in the Anglican Communion. “Nobody would deny that. But that critical situation has not ended the rela­tionships, often very cordial and very constructive, between Churches within the Communion.”

Of the 13 Primates who were absent, seven from the Global South cited as their reason the policy of the Episcopal Church in the United States concerning gay bishops and same-sex unions.

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By Charles Raven, SPREAD

The Dublin Primates’ meeting marks one more step along the road which is slowly but surely seeing the Anglican Communion evolve into two distinct groupings. As A. S. Haley observes ‘The takeover of the Instruments of Communion by ECUSA, aided and abetted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, is now complete’ . For instance, in sharp contrast to the ultimatum issued by the Primates after their meeting in Dar es Salaam in 2007, no word of censure or rebuke was evident in the ‘statement of purpose’ issued by the Primates on Sunday Despite the fact that just weeks before this meeting, two senior female clergy of the Episcopal Church were ‘married’ in a ceremony at Boston Cathedral.

So if the official Lambeth institutions are no longer worth fighting for, should orthodox Anglicans now simply let history take its course, get on with evangelism where they can and hope for the best? I believe not, because the Dublin meeting makes explicit a theological shift which is even more significant than the predictable institutional changes made to enhance Lambeth’s control, such as the establishment of a Primates’ Standing Committee. The essential common interest of Rowan Williams and ECUSA/TEC becomes clear, whatever their differences over the pace of change, in the closing paragraph of the Dublin Primates’ statement where they affirm that ‘In our common life in Christ we are passionately committed to journeying together in honest conversation’.

We might well ask ourselves what sort of Communion we are in when the chief passion of the Archbishop of Canterbury and those still willing to work with him is for ‘conversation’. Why this preoccupation with interminable and inward looking dialogue? What about a passion for reaching the lost, for faithful teaching and preaching, for the glory and honour of Jesus Christ? However sincere or even passionate the Primates may feel themselves to be, this is actually ‘dishonest conversation’ which displaces the gospel and is spiritually dangerous. Fundamentally, this is because ‘conversing’ has come to replace ‘confessing’. In my book ‘Shadow Gospel’ I demonstrate how Rowan Williams’ methodology amounts to a sophisticated redefinition of orthodoxy as a process of dialogue rather than faithfulness to a deposit of faith with its associated church order and morality. As long ago as 1983, Dr Williams’ wrote:

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From Anglican Journal

by David Virtue, Virtueonline

A candle was lit and empty chairs were placed around the room to note the absence of some 15 Anglican archbishops from the meeting at the Emmaus Center north of Dublin. Simultaneously, some 23 archbishops bewailed the death of a gay man in Uganda, called for clarity over the role of primates, argued for the reduction of violence and pressed for peace on earth, but, ironically, could not find peace and unity among themselves.

For the first time in modern ecclesiastical history, only two-thirds of the Anglican Communion's body of Primates was present. Dr. Rowan Williams wanted even in a vacuum to continue the conversation of the past. Left unsaid was the fact that those present represent only 30% of the Anglican Communion. The vast majority of Anglicans were with no representation or voice. To correct this, Dr. Williams plans a "face-to-face, person-to-person" tour of Africa (Kenya) and South East Asia in an effort to shore up his base and engage in "detailed conversation". It's going to be a long task, he said.

I asked him directly at a press conference how he proposed to re-establish his credibility with the absentee Primates, and bring them back to the Primatial Table, bearing in mind that GAFCON and the Jerusalem Declaration are now a reality, and that they represent about 70% of the practicing Anglican Communion though with fewer archbishops. Dr. Williams replied that he might have a few words to say about the phraseology of "establishing credibility, which I think begs a few questions."

"The answer is, as I have already indicated, we hope that the new members of the Primates' Standing Committee will, all of them, be doing some work to re-establish local and regional relationships. And, as I said, I am myself, in very regular contact with all of them."

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By A S Haley

The documents posted at the close of the recent Primates' Meeting in Dublin tell the story. The takeover of the Instruments of Communion by ECUSA, aided and abetted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, is now complete. Anything of substance was carefully avoided at Lambeth 2008; the proposed Covenant itself was derailed at ACC-14 in Jamaica, and then carefully defanged by the newly reorganized Standing Committee; and now the Primates' Meeting has let itself descend into irrelevance — with the primates of the churches having most of the Anglican Communion's membership absenting themselves, and refusing to prop up the pretense of normalcy any longer.

Look at how the remaining primates now view themselves and their function. Their statement of purpose could as well have been written by the Presiding Bishop's staff at 815 Second Avenue:

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By Gavin Drake

I do sometimes wonder about the sanity of some of my colleagues in the media. At a press conference in Dublin this afternoon, held at the end of the 18th Anglican Primates Meeting, RTE’s Religious and Social Affairs Correspondent Joe Little asked the Archbishop of Canterbury about the murder of Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato

[...]  The Archbishop had earlier said that the Primates had spent very little time at their meeting talking about matters of sexuality. They did issue a statement about the death of David Kato in which they said: “no one should have to live in fear because of the bigotry of others”; and they reiterated statements from the Primates Meeting in 2005, the Windsor Report and the 1998 Lambeth Conference. The Primates statement follows the Archbishop of Canterbury’s comments earlier this week.

David Kato was amongst a number of people identified as gay in a Ugandan newspaper under the headline “hang them”; but the police say his murder – he was beaten to death – was not linked to the newspaper campaign.

Ugandan Police say the main suspect in the killing is a man who lived with David Kato and who is now on the run.

To blame an Archbishop for the death of a somebody because they boycotted a meeting over genuine theological differences is to engage in exactly the type of demonisation the journalist was seeking to criticise.

The Church is often accused of focusing on sex and sexuality; but this week the Primates got together and addressed a number of subjects – sexuality not one of them – and yet the media reports focus again on sex. Just who is it obsessed with sex? The Church or the media?

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From ACNS

At todays press conference the panel comprised of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, The Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi, Archbishop of the Province of Burundi & Bishop of Matana, The Most Revd Dr John Walder Dunlop Holder, Archbishop, Church in the Province of the West Indies & Bishop of Barbados and The Most Revd David Robert Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church & Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane. They were welcomed by The Most Revd Alan Edwin Thomas Harper, Primate of All Ireland & Archbishop of Armagh

Dr Rowan Williams said the outcomes of the Primates Meeting had met his “Chief hopes” for the week. He explained that among other letters and statements agreed by the Primates there were two outlining the scope and purpose of the Primates Meeting and its Standing Committee. His address was followed by a question and answer session with members of the media.

Listen to podcast here

From ACNS

Day 6

On the final day of the Primates’ Meeting in Dublin, Primates discussed the content of final documents that had been prepared over the week. They began with reviewing the first draft of a working document on the proposed purpose and scope of the Primates’ Meeting. They then reviewed other documents—letters and statements—covering a range of international issues.

Documents agreed included a statement on climate change, one on the murder of Ugandan David Kato, an open letter to the President Robert Mugabe on the persecution of Anglicans in Zimbabwe, and a statement on the church’s response to violence against women and girls. These were made public at the afternoon’s press conference and via the Anglican Communion website.

Private letters that the Primates all agreed to send included one to Pakistan’s leaders on the blasphemy laws, a letter of support for Archbishop of Sudan the Most Revd Daniel Deng Bul, a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the Bishop of Jerusalem the Rt Revd Suheil Dawani, a letter to the heads of the six-nation talks on the situation in Korea, and a letter of support to both Archbishop Mouneer Anis and Pope Shenouda III.

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From Associated Press

DUBLIN — The head of the Anglican Communion on Sunday said that work will continue to bridge deep differences within the global fellowship, but he says it will be a lengthy process.

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, spoke at the end of a five-day conference in Ireland's capital, Dublin, which was notable for the absence of several conservative African bishops who refused to join a forum which included the head of the U.S. Episcopal Church.

"The fact remains that two-thirds of the body of primates is present, and something like three-fourths or something more expressed their willingness to be present," Williams said.

The unity of the communion has been severely strained by moves in the United States to first appoint an openly gay priest as a bishop, and then by the elevation of a lesbian to serve as a bishop.

"Of course there is a critical situation in the communion. Nobody would deny that," Williams said.

"But that critical situation has not ended the relationships, often very cordial and constructive, among the churches of the communion," he added.

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From ACNS

The Archbishop of the Province of the West Indies has announced that his Province has adopted the Anglican Communion Covenant. It is the third to do so officially, the others being the Anglican Church of Mexico and The Church of the Province of Myanmar.

Speaking from the Primates’ Meeting in Dublin, Ireland, Archbishop John Holder said his Province saw the Covenant as something that will enable the Anglican Communion to move into the future.

“We see it as a workable document that can help the Anglican Communion to move forward while still addressing issues that face its member Churches,” he said. “For some, the document is only being seen in the light of sexuality issues. That’s a restrictive view. It is a document that can help us to function in relation to the many issues that will arise in the Communion. Today it’s human sexuality, tomorrow it will be something else.

“Our understanding is that it is not an exclusive document; it does not exclude, but rather it helps to lead people to reflect on their role as Anglicans, and identify their responsibilities as members of the Communion.

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By Matthew Davies, ENS

"We're challenged in this very body to 'show up,' to present ourselves ready, willing, and able to help heal this broken world," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said on Jan. 30 during her sermon at the 9 a.m. Sung Eucharist service at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland.

From ACNS

Day 5

Today’s meeting moved from the work of reflecting on the exercise of primacy and the purpose and nature of the Primates’ Meeting, to considering the role, purpose and composition of the Standing Committee of the Primates. In addition to attending the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) and the Standing Committee, other roles suggested for the committee by Primates included “holding” the life, vision and spirit of the meeting between the Primates’ Meetings; helping to shape their future meetings; and acting as a consultative group for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Several groups also suggested that the Primates’ Standing Committee might have an ongoing bridging role between the Primate’s Meeting and the regions from where the Primates come.

The second session comprised three moving presentations on the issue of gender-based violence. The Primates responded to each report with a moment of silent reflection and prayer. Archbishop Bernard – presenting a report that Archbishop Henry Isingoma (Province de L'Eglise anglicane du Congo) had hoped to give – explained how rape and sexual abuse was being used as a weapon of conflict and terror in the Democratic Republic of Congo and across the Great Lakes Region. This, he said, was devastating individuals and communities. Among the work churches are undertaking to respond to such violence is to assist women who have been assaulted to reach health centres as soon as possible and to reintegrate into their communities by empowering them through education and micro-finance projects.

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