House of Bishops statement on the Lambeth Conference

The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church

Meeting at the Camp Allen Conference Center,

Navasota, Texas

March 12, 2008

Give to your Church, O God,
a bold vision and a daring charity,
a refreshed wisdom and a courteous understanding,
that the eternal message of your Son
may be acclaimed as the good news of the age;
through him who makes all things new,
even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We, the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church, approaching the forthcoming Lambeth Conference, are mindful of the hurt that is being experienced by so many in our own Episcopal Church, in other Provinces of our global communion, and in the world around us. While the focus of this hurt seems centered on issues of human sexuality, beneath it we believe there is a feeling of marginalization by people of differing points of view. Entering into Holy Week, our response is to name this hurt and to claim our hope that is in Christ.

As the Lambeth Conference approaches, we believe we have an enormous opportunity, in the midst of struggle, to be proud of our heritage, and to use this particular time in a holy way by affirming our rich diversity. The health of such diversity is that we are dealing openly with issues that affect the entire global community. Thus, even as we acknowledge the pain felt by many, we also affirm its holiness as we seek to be faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Even though we did not all support the consecration of the Bishop of New Hampshire, we acknowledge that he is a canonically elected and consecrated bishop in this church. We regret that he alone among bishops ministering within the territorial boundaries of their dioceses and provinces, did not receive an invitation to attend the Lambeth Conference.

We appeal to the faithful of the Episcopal Church and the faithful in the wider, global Anglican family, to focus and celebrate our unity in the comprehensiveness of diversity. In union with Christian tradition through the centuries, we are willing to face challenges that precipitate struggle as a means towards reconciliation.

During our meeting we have been praying for a "daring charity and courteous understanding." With this intent and guided by the Holy Spirit, we go to the Lambeth Conference spiritually united and praying that God will sanctify our struggles and unify us for Christ's mission to a hurting world.

source: episcopal life online

Gene says no thanks to being an exhibit at Lambeth

The Rt Rev. Gene Robinson, although an elected diocesan bishop in the Episcopal Church has not been invited to attend the Lambeth Conference of bishops of the Anglican Communion. Lambeth Palace offered him a place in the Marketplace - the exhibit hall for the conference. Here is his letter in response:

I first want to thank Ed and Bruce and Tom. (ed.note - the bishops who tried to negotiate with Lambeth for Gene and the House of Bishops) They have been so true to what they were asked to do by the Presiding Bishop. They have been in close communication with me. I have felt very supported by them. They have represented me extremely well.

I want to be clear than I am not here to whine. I learned of the result of this negotiation on Friday evening. I have been in considerable pain ever since.

But I want to acknowledge that I am not the first or last person to be in pain at a House of Bishops meeting.

My own pain was sufficient enough that for 36 hours I felt the compelling urge to run, to flee. My inspiration for staying came from my conservative brothers in this house. I have seen John Howe and Ed Salmon and others show up for years when there was a lot of pain for them. I see Bill Love and Mark Lawrence, and I know it is a very difficult thing for them to be here right now. For me, the worst sin is leaving the table. And that is what I was on the verge of doing. But, largely because of you, I stayed. Thank you for that.

I want to tell you why I declined the invitation as it was proposed. I really had high hopes that something might work out. I have been talking with the Anglican Communion Office for almost a year now. I got my first phone call four days before the invitations to Lambeth went out. I thought something would work out.

The offer to be hosted at the Marketplace is a non-offer. That is already available to me. One workshop on one afternoon and being interviewed by the secular press was not anything I was seeking. I wasn't going to Lambeth to have another interview with the secular press. If interviewed at all, I want to talk with a theologian. I want to talk about the love of Christ. I want to talk about the God who saved me and redeemed me and continues to live in my life. I want to talk about the Jesus I know in my life.

But my mind boggles at the misperception that this is just about gay rights. It might be in another context, but in this context it is about God's love of all of God's children. It's a theological discussion, it's not a media show. I have been most disappointed in that my desire was to participate in Bible study and small groups, and that is not being offered. It makes me wonder: if we can't sit around a table and study the Bible together, what kind of communion do we have and what are we trying to save?

I am dismayed and sickhearted that we can't sit around a table, as brothers and sisters in Christ, and study scripture together.

It has been a very difficult 48 hours sitting here and hearing your plans for Lambeth.

In my most difficult moments, it feels as if, instead of leaving the 99 sheep in search of the one, my chief pastor and shepherd, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has cut me out of the herd.

I ask two things of you. Some of you have indicated that if I am not invited, you won't go either. I want to say loud and clear - you must go. You must find your voice. And somehow you have to find my voice and the voices of all the gay and lesbian people in your diocese who, for now, don't have a voice in this setting. I'd much rather be talked to than talked about. But you must go and tell the stories of your people, faithful members of your flock who happen to be lesbian and gay.

For God's sake, don't stay away.

And second, please don't let them separate me from you. Please don't let that happen. It will be difficult, and we will have to be intentional. I know that the last thing you will need at the end of the day is another meeting just so I can catch up with you. But I hope you will be willing to stay in touch with me.

From the day I have walked into this House I have been treated with respect and welcome, even, and perhaps especially, by those of you who voted no on my consent.

I can never thank you enough for that. I will always and every moment treasure your welcome and your hospitality.

Don't let them cut me off from you.

All this is really sad for me and for my diocese. I won't have the experiences you will have, to share with them. But I will be there in the marketplace, willing to talk with anyone who wants to talk, especially with those who disagree with me. If you know me at all, you know that that's true.

Now, my focus has to change. Maybe this is what God has in mind. I had hoped to focus on the community of bishops at Lambeth, making my own contribution to its deliberations. But now, I think I will go to Lambeth thinking about gay and lesbian people around the world who will be watching what happens there. I will go to Lambeth remembering the 100 or so twenty-something's I met in Hong Kong this fall, who meet every Sunday afternoon to worship and sing God's praise in a secret catacomb of safety - because they can't be gay AND Christian in their own churches. I will be taking them to Lambeth with me. They told me that the Episcopal Church was their hope for a different, welcoming church. They told me they were counting on us. Yes, the things we do in the Episcopal Church have ramifications far, far away - and sometimes those ramifications are good.

I hope we can talk about the ways we can stay in touch in Lambeth. I will be praying for you, all the time. I know it will seem very strange, being separated from you. But we can do it if we want to. I have nothing but respect and sympathy for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the difficult place he is in. I was trying to help him, and it just didn't work.

Pray for me. I will need that. A lot.

Read the negotiations and news here.

An Open Letter to the House of Bishops ...

... meeting at Camp Allen.

=========================================

Dear Colleagues in Christ,

Prayers ascend for your work on behalf of the whole church at Camp Allen this week. I am presuming to write this afternoon to reflect briefly on the "faith based reconciliation" aspect of your work together -- a process I am very familiar with as both Brian Cox and Joanne O'Donnell are diocesan colleagues of mine here in Los Angeles.

I am deeply convinced of the efficacy of the work of reconcilers.net and believe giving the whole House of Bishops the shared experience and vocabulary of this reconciliation process is a great gift to the church and to the communion. I also want to "enter into the record" the long history which Integrity & CTB leadership have with participating in the kind of process you have undertaken at Camp Allen.

I write because I want to make sure that the hard work that has been done by scores of committed progressive leaders over this last decade+ toward reconciliation with the conservative minority in the Episcopal Church is recognized. And I write because I want to reiterate the commitment my predecessor, Michael Hopkins made in 2002 in his "Message to the Church:"

We are absolutely committed to this Church and we are absolutely committed to the Continuance of as broad a diversity—including theological—as is possible for us to maintain together. This commitment is, in part, a commitment to continued messiness and frustration … Liberals and conservatives, progressives and traditionalists, must learn to live together in this Church or there will be no Church in which for us to live. But learning to live together must mean “mutual deference” not moratoriums or some insistence that we all convert to being “moderates.”

Below are the reflections on Faith Based Reconciliation I posted to my blog yesterday -- offered as a witness to the hopes of our past and in commitment to the opportunities for reconciliation in our future.

All best blessings,
(The Reverend) Susan Russell
President, Integrity USA

====================

FAITH BASED RECONCILIATION

The reports this afternoon from Camp Allen are that the bishops of the Episcopal Church spent the day engaged in exercises focused on faith based reconciliation.Good for them.Brian Cox and Joanne O'Donnell are able facilitators and the process they brought to Camp Allen is one that has been practiced for many years in many different contexts ... including a 2003 "National Reconciliation Conversation" subtitled "Conflict in the Episcopal Church" held at St. James Episcopal Church here in the Diocese of Los Angeles.

Leadership of both the American Anglican Council and Integrity/Claiming the Blessing were invited to a four day opportunity to work together to explore the faith based reconciliation process ahead of the upcoming General Convention.

We showed up. They didn't.

And yet it was a helpful exercise for those of us who came. The blog I wrote in response to that gathering was called "Longing to Hope Again" ... and reading the ENS release today, I was struck that the bishops gathered at Camp Allen in 2008 were being asked the same question we were asked in that parish hall in 2003: How have I given and received offense?

Here's what I wrote about that very question in 2003 ...

===========

For me, the most powerful exercise of the conference was the opportunity for a representative of each constituency – progressive, moderate and conservative – to offer a list of both the hurts we have received and those we have inflicted in the course of this now decades long conflict. Speaking for “the progressive side,” I offered the following:

We have been hurt by:

• the assumption that we’re driven by a non-faith” agenda – by having our desire to fully include GLBT persons in the Body of Christ dismissed as “purely political.”


• the constant questioning of our salvation and by the threat of judgment, the lack of trust that we mean what we say – by accusations of “hidden agendas” and threats of “future coercion” which attack our integrity and block conversation


• the dishonoring of our relationships by defining them in terms of sexual acts. Andrew Sullivan has written, “We’d never talk about heterosexual marriage primarily in terms of vaginal intercourse or merely sexual needs; it would slight the depth and variety of heterosexual relationships.” It hurts that our relationships do not receive the same level of respect.


• name calling: Sodomite. Pervert. Morally Corrupt. By being lumped with pedophiles and prostitutes – by those who speak the words and those who do not speak out against the hate mongers.


• having the truth of our experience as GLBT Christians denied as valid – having our sexual orientation become more important than our theological orientation.


• hearing again and again that our presence in the church will cause others to leave – by having the truth of our experience held hostage by threats of schism -- having the burden of unity placed on the shoulders of our silence.

We have caused hurt by:

• the times we have participated in “then show them the door thinking as a means to resolve our differences with conservatives.


• stereotyping those with biblical hermeneutics which differ from ours as fundamentalists – by dismissing them as ignorant.


• not acknowledging the very real pain being experienced by those who see the church changing in ways that they find incompatible with their understanding of scripture.


• not always remembering what it is like to be in a minority and by not acting with sensitivity in those places where we have become the majority.


• proclaiming a Gospel of God’s inclusive love and yet only tolerating those with conservative political and theological perspectives.

Not a complete list. Not a definitive process. But a beginning. An effort. A baby step forward on the journey toward reconciliation. At least I hope so. It isn’t about changing minds or ignoring differences or tabling resolutions. It’s about engaging in the hard work of both encountering and understanding “ the other” – and coming to see each other as equally beloved of God, equally entitled to respect, equally longing to hope.

===========

A lot of water under the bridge across the Anglican divide since I wrote that in May 2003 ... but the same longing for hope that drew us to show up at St. James dwells, I believe, in the hearts and minds and ministries of the bishops who showed up at Camp Allen for this meeting of the House of Bishops ... and who will show up in Canterbury for the Lambeth Conference of Bishops.

And may the God of hope continue to fill us with all joy and peace in believing, so that we will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Integrity Ft. Worth, Joyful Host of Louie Crew

by Barbi Click, South Central Regional Vice President

On Saturday March 1, 2008, Integrity FW hosted a lecture by the founder of Integrity, Dr. Louie Crew. The lecture was preceded by the Holy Eucharist, led by the Rt. Rev. Sam Hulsey, retired bishop of Northwest Texas with the homily given by Barbi Click, vice president of the South Central Region of Integrity.

Barbi’s message spoke to the mission of self-enlightenment for LGBT people – taking responsibility for our own lives rather than letting others set the stage for our admission as full members of this Church. Not only is it our responsibility to speak out but is also our job to teach the Church how to “sing to the Lord a new song.” As long as we continue others to define us, setting the parameters of our existence, the Church will not fully accept its own responsibility to “live as children of the fruit of the Light…”.

Dr. Crew’s message was "Exceedingly Glad in Times Like These”. While there is still much to do as LGBT people in this day and age, there are many things for which we should be extremely grateful. We can find great solace in the fact that, as members of this part of the Anglican Communion, we are leaders in the advancement of LGBT folk as living, breathing contributing members of the Church across the world.

Not only was this an occasion made auspicious by Dr. Crew’s presence, it was also the kick off of Integrity’s Canterbury Campaign. This campaign is all about “Claiming God’s Mission – Proclaiming Christ’s Message.”

“What happens at the Lambeth Conference in 2008 will have a tremendous impact upon General Convention in 2009. If a significant percentage of Anglican bishops continue to insist that the Episcopal Church refrain from ordaining additional lesbian/gay bishops and blessing same-gender relationships or else face expulsion from the Anglican Communion, it will very difficult to persuade General Convention to nullify B033 and advance marriage equality.” Read more about the Canterbury Campaign here.

All three messages are vital messages LGBT people across this Church. We have made great strides…greater strides are in our future.

Marriage Equality hits the California Supreme Court

The California Supremes are finally hearing testimony on gay marriage... the decision text may be more important than the verdict.
From The Advocate, via PlanetOut Tuesday:

The national same-sex marriage debate shifts to California on Tuesday, as the state's highest court hears arguments on the constitutionality of a law banning same-sex marriage that was used to end a wedding spree of thousands of gay and lesbian couples in San Francisco, a city famed for its progressive attitudes.

St. Deiniol's Video Postcard

On the last day of the "Rebuilding Communion" course at St. Deiniol's Library in Northern Wales, most of the authors gave summaries of their chapters to the public. Click below to see them on YouTube. There are 8 segments lasting a total of about 45 minutes.

St. Deiniol's Postcard #7

by John Clinton Bradley

Donald

The Rev. Donald Reeves presented the 8th paper, "From Fear To Handshake." He made the following key points...

• This paper is based on his experiences at mediation in Bosnia.
• Nelson Mandela said, "To make peace you must talk to your enemies rather than your friends.
• The Anglican Communion should make use of the wisdom of those Anglicans who are active in mediation to help resolve its current disagreements.
  
• In Bosnia, there is a great deal of ongoing tension between the Serbs and Bosniacs (Muslim Bosnians). Donald helped mediate a dispute over a mine that was used as a slave labor camp for the Bosniacs by the Serbs during the war. Many Bosniacs were killed in the camp and they wanted a memorial established there.
  
• This is the process he used: An invitation to talk. Identifying who wanted to talk. Bringing willing people together in pairs first, then small groups, and then larger groups. Dealing with "spoilers"--people who tried to sabotage the process. Moving beyond ideological "first principles" to pragmatic issues. Allowing participants to tell their personal stories. Repeating back to participants the propaganda they spout. Using the media to advantage.
• He has discussed a mediation process directly with Rowan Williams. The Archbishop said he would discuss it with his staff. Donald is still waiting for Lambeth Palace to get back in touch with him. However, he is facilitating a fringe event on mediation during the Lambeth Conference.
  

St. Deiniol's Postcard #6

by John Clinton Bradley

Donn

The Rebuilding Communion Course continued today. The focus moved from the past and present to the future.

Donn Michell, a member of Holy Apostles Episcopal Church in New York City and a former secretary of Integrity, presented the 7th paper, "Anglicanism and Human Rights." He made the following key points...

• The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the most ambitious statement of international law to date. It was endorsed and reaffirmed by several Lambeth Conferences.
  
• This document is perfectly aligned with biblical teaching and gospel values.
• At the last Lambeth Conference, a Nigerian bishop attempted to perform an involuntary of exorcism upon Richard Kirker. This was both a violation of British law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• According to a report by Bishop Geralyn Wolf, several bishops were instructed by their governments to vote against homosexuality at the 1998 Lambeth Conference or face imprisonment when they returned home. This was also a violation of human rights.
• The canons of the Episcopal Church prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in all orders of ministry. Resolution B033, passed by General Convention, instructs bishops and standing committees to disregard these canons. How can the Episcopal Church speak with any moral authority on human rights under these circumstances?
• With the encouragement of Bishop Mark Sisk of New York, Donn developed a set of objectives and documents to educate Anglicans on human rights. The next Anglican Consultative Council will be asked to endorse this as the Anglican Communion Human Rights Initiative.

St. Deiniol's Postcard #5

by John Clinton Bradley

Davis

Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, presented the 6th paper, "Paying the Price--An African Perspective." He made the following key points...

• He knew he was gay from an early age. Despite some anti-gay sermons he heard from Anglican priests, his own study of the Bible convinced him that homosexuality was not sinful. In the south of Nigeria where he grew up, homosexuality was tolerated if it was not flaunted. Homosexuality was also part of his tribal culture before the missionaries came. The same is true of other Nigerian tribal cultures.
  
• If it is true the humans came from Africa, then Africa gave the rest of the world homosexuality!
• He was headmaster of a church school. There were no complaints about his performance, but he was eventually sacked because of this sexual orientation.
• After founding Changing Attitude Nigeria, the Church of Nigeria stated a smear campaign against Davis. Davis has refuted these charges.
• Davis was arrested by the Nigerian police and held for 3 days. With the help of Colin Coward of Changing Attitude UK, he bribed the police and was released.
• He received several death threats. He is currently living in exile in another West African country.

St. Deiniol's Postcard #4

by John Clinton Bradley

Michael

The Rev. Michael Hopkins, past-president of Integrity USA, presented the 5th paper, "Paying the Price--A North American Perspective." He made the following key points...

• He was at Lambeth 1998. The night after resolution 1.10 was passed he wandered the streets of Canterbury deeply wounded. Despite the rejection he felt, he decide to stay within the church and work for its change.
• The next day he wrote (prophetically) that resolution 1.10 would not be accepted by the Episcopal Church--that ordinations of gay and lesbian priests and same-sex blessings would continue.
• The last 9 years have been a roller coaster ride for the LGBT faithful in both the United States and Canada as they have struggled to end "sacramental apartheid" (to quote current Integrity president Susan Russell).
  
• LGBT clergy have often been called to dying parishes that no one else wanted--and helped them live again.
• Most LGBT Episcopals are saddened by the ongoing schism within our own province and the Anglican Communion as a whole.
• Despite Resolution 1.10, the Episcopal Church is increasingly attractive to unchurched LGBT people. Nevertheless, the ongoing controversy within our province has damaged our evangelistic efforts.
• It is simple impossible for the Episcopal Church to turn back the clock as some in the Anglican Communion would like.
• Resolution B033, passed by General Convention 2006, has had a chilling effect on LGBT clergy running in episcopal elections.

St. Deiniol's Postcard #3

by John Clinton Bradley

Savi

Savi Hensman, Vice-Chair of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, gave the 4th paper, "Paying the Price-An Asian Perspective." She made the following key points...

• This is not THE Asian perspective, but her perspective as a native of Sri Lanka.
  
• Issues of sexuality are caught up with other issues--such as poverty, health, and human rights. She read from 3 recent news articles--China addressing the spread of AIDS among gay men. A young Iranian gay man sentenced to death in Iran. A gay Indian rajah adopting a boy as his heir.
• Christians are a minority in Asia, and Anglicans are a minority among Christians. Most Anglicans work ecumenically.
• Asian theology focuses on the marginalized, poor, and oppressed. She read from several Asian theological statements.
  
• Attitudes towards homosexuality vary in Asia. In some parts of India same-sex relationships are tolerated. In some parts of Asia attitudes are hardening.
• There is yearning in some parts of Asia for an imagined "golden age," which is used by conservative politicians against homosexuals.
• Many Asian Christians (including Anglicans) have not thought or talked much about sexuality. This is partly because of their missionary heritage. Limited literature is available in Asian languages.
• The former primate of Southeast Asia was especially unhelpful. He was extremely hostile to study of and dialog on homosexuality. The current primate is not as outspoken, but Southeast Asia has not responded to the Listening Process. When Singapore was considering decriminalization of homosexuality, Anglican leaders campaigned against it (while the Muslim leaders did not).
• The Episcopal Church in Japan is much more open to diversity.
• The rise of Christian and Muslim fundamentalism has caused some Anglicans to become hardliners on homosexuality. Other Anglicans feel called to work against discrimination.
• The Bishop of Columbo has written very passionately in favor of inclusion.
• To summarize, the situation in Asia is full of danger and opportunity.

An audio presentation from the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia was played. It included real stories from 4 people..

1. A former priest who left the church to live openly with his partner.
2. A homosexual man who once lived in a same-sex relationship but has now chosen to live in celibacy.
3. A woman who started the process of becoming a man but stopped and is now married to a man and has two children.
4. An openly gay priest who has a life partner.
   

St. Deiniol's Postcard #2

by John Clinton Bradley



The Rebuilding Communion Course continued this morning.

Richard Kirker, Chief Executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement presented the 2nd paper, "Paying the Price--a British Perspective." He made the following key points...

• He is retiring after the Lambeth Conference.
• He is only one of thousands who have made a contribution to the struggle for LGBT equality in the Church of England. As a result of this witness, the Anglican Communion is moving in a more homo-positive direction.
• Slavery and women's ordination have had to face the same barriers as LGBT equality in the Church of England .
• The Church of England's avoidance of LGBT equality has embarrassed the church and inhibited evangelism.
• The struggle for equality has polarized friends and colleagues. All manner of ungodly behavior has taken place in the name of preventing LGBT equality in the church.

During the question and answer period, Michael Hopkins, past-president, of Integrity said that many Americans believe that Rowan Williams' primary motivation on LGBT issues since he became Archbishop of Canterbury has been to prevent a split within the Church of England. He asked Richard to comment on this perspective. Richard responded that his view is too simplistic and the threat of internal schism is not as severe as Evangelicals would have us believe. Hopkins added that he thought the schism belief enabled some Americans to distance themselves from the debate and pretend it is not really about them.

The Rev. Dr. Andrew Village, Lecturer in Practical and Empirical Theology at York St. John University, presented the 3rd paper, "Staring Into The Chasm: Attitude Toward Homosexual Among Anglicans in England." He made the following key points...

• Attitudes toward homosexuality are changing in Western societies. British surveys show acceptance among the general population has greatly increased over recent decades.
• It is now illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in the England.
• Vigorous debate continues in the Church of England. Who takes part in the debate? Where does the majority opinion lie? What do ordinary churchgoers think and how do they act?
• In 2001 a survey was conducted by The Church Times on a wide variety of issues--not just homosexuality. 8000 readers responded, 5000 of whom were lay people.
  
• Four questions on homosexuality were asked: 1) It is wrong for people of the same gender to have sex together? 2) Should homosexual couples have the right to marry one another? 3) Are you in favor of the ordination of practicing homosexuals as priests? 4) Are you in favor of the ordination of practicing homosexuals as bishops? All questions were answered overwhelming homo-negative. Only 10% of respondents were completely homo-positive in their responses, while 46% of respondents were completely homo-negative in their responses.
• Older people are more homo-negative than younger people. Younger people are more homo-positive than older people.
• Men were more slightly more homo-negative than women.
• Rural respondents were more homo-negative than urban respondents.
• Respondents who rated themselves as liberal in theology were more homo-positive than others, but not as homo-positive as one might expect.
• Respondents who rated their church tradition as Anglo-Catholic or Broad Catholic were a bit more homo-positive that others. Evangelicals were the most homo-negative.
• Statistical analysis suggested that the most homo-negative respondents more homo-negative than allowed by the survey questions.
• In the Anglo-Catholic tradition, respondents are becoming increasing less homo-negative as time goes on. This is NOT true for Evangelicals.
• Conclusions: 1) Lay people in the Church of England in 2001 were generally strongly against changes to traditional teaching on homosexuality. 2) Sociodemographic factors explained some of the variation in attitudes in ways similar to the general population. 3) Theological orientation explained much more of the differences. 4) The age distribution of attitudes among different church traditions suggest an every-increasing gap in attitudes towards homosexuality. 5) The basis of the gap is almost entirely related to theology and not to sociodemography.
  

St. Deiniol's Postcard #1

by John Clinton Bradley

Peter

About 25 people gathered yesterday afternoon at St Deiniol's Library in Northern Wales for the start of the Rebuilding Communion Course. Several authors are presenting draft papers during the conference and listening to the responses of participants. The final papers will be published in book form around May 1 by Monad Press.

Peter Francis, Warden of St. Deiniol's, welcomed participants. He said the library was founded by William Gladstone--who was prime minister of Great Britain four times during the late 19th century, to house his extensive private collection. Peter noted that Gladstone became ever more socially progressive throughout his lifetime and no doubt would approve of his library hosting a conference on lesbian and gay issues within the Anglican Communion.

The first paper, "Lambeth from 1998 to 2008," was presented by Simon Sarmiento--editor of the Thinking Anglicans blog. His review of key events over the past decade or so included...

• The acquittal of Bishop Walter Righter on charges of heresy (before Lambeth 1998) was the beginning of the current struggle in the Anglican Communion on LGBT equality. (This premise is presented in "Anglican Communion in Crisis" by Miranda K. Hassett.)
• Lambeth 1998 resolution 1.10 was heavily amended from the sub-group's original. 526 bishop voted in favor of the resolution, 70 vote against, and 45 abstained. Between 100 and 200 bishops did not vote at all. In response, a pastoral statement was drafted by Michael Hopkins of Integrity. With the assistance of Colin Coward of Changing Attitude, 188 bishops eventually signed the statement--including 9 primates and 4 bishop who became primates. Rowan Williams was among the signatories.
• In the Diocese of New Westminster, the diocesan synod vote 3 times in favor of same-sex blessings before Bishop Michael Ingham consented to allowing them. Approximately 50 couples have been blessed since the policy was implemented.
• Gene Robinson was elected (on the 2nd ballot) and consecrated as the Bishop of New Hampshire in November 2003.
• Civil legislation has made great progress. In December 2003, the UK Employment Equality Regulations were passed. In November 2004, the UK Civil Partnership Act was passed. In July 2005 Canada legalized same-sex marriages. In November 2006 South Africa did the same thing. There was no major political opposition to these laws. For most British, the attitude is, "Some people are gay. Get over it!"
• The "Instruments of Communion" have met and responded to the controversy several times. In October 2003 the primates met at Lambeth Palace. In October 2004 the Windsor Report was released. In February 2005 the primates met in Dromantine, Ireland. In June 2005 the Anglican Consultative Council met in Nottingham. In February 2007 the primates met in Dar es Salaam.
• As discussed in "Following the Money" by Jim Naughton, the controversy has been largely funded by American conservatives.
• Some key conservative documents have included the January 2004 Chapman Report, the March 2004 Barfoot draft proposal for alternative episcopal oversight, the July 2004 interview of Peter Akinola in The Church Times, the September 2006 Church of Nigeria's official support of draconian anti-gay Nigerian legislation, and the August 2007 letter from Peter Akinola that was ghost written by Americans.
• The Anglican Covenant may be sunk. A draft was in Annex 2 of the Windsor Report. "Towards an Anglican Covenant" was released in May 2006 . A preliminary report on the covenant was presented at Dar es Salaam. In April 2007 the Nassau draft was released. Only 13 provincial responses were made--including Lukewarm responses from Ireland, Scotland, Canada, USA, New Zealand, and England. The St. Andrew's draft was recently released. The bishops will discuss and comment upon this draft for 2 days at the Lambeth Conference. A 3rd draft will be presented at ACC-14 in 2009.
• The Windsor Report was firmly against uninvited incursions across provincial boundaries. Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya have consecrated bishops outside their provinces. The Southern Cone is attempting to appropriate entire dioceses.
• 14 primates refused to take communion at Dromantine, but only 7 refused at Dar es Salaam. Is this progress.
  
• A "Global Anglican Futures Conference" will take place before Lambeth--partly in Jordan and partly in Jerusalem. The Bishop of Jerusalem is not happy about the conference being held in his diocese.
• Over 800 bishop have been invited to the Lambeth Conference. 570 have accepted so far. Maybe 600-700 bishops will attend. This is compared to 840 in 1998. (Part of the difference is that assisting bishops are not invited.)

An Open Letter to the Powers That Be

Dear Bishop Jefferts Schori and President Anderson,

The following note came as a blog-comment to my post yesterday of the announcement of the March 29th special convention in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin. I want to share it with you and with others who have been working so long and hard to bring hope and new life to those committed to the mission and ministry of the Diocese of San Joaquin.

Stephen's is but one of many "voices in the wilderness" -- and I hope his witness will be an encouragement to you as you continue to move that diocese and this church into God's future.

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"I knew things were working behind the scenes, but I did not have a hint of what was to come until last Sunday, then it was confirmed yesterday morning at our parish staff meeting, then again reading the ENS at midnight. I havebeen literally shaking with excitement ever since.

When I arrive in the Diocese of SJ 11 years ago, I had no idea what was going on here. How quickly one learns upon spending some time in the valley.Many of your readers have only heard of what's happened, but it's only the tip of the iceburg and it's quite unbelieveable and unimaginable. Having said that, tears of joy, excitement and anticipation are being shed as we approach this monumental transition in the diocese.

Right now, I am beyond words. I'm all emotions but will happily share more when the time comes. Your prayers are felt and we ask that you continue your prayers for us."

Stephen Bentley
Stockton CA

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With thankgiving for your ministry,
(The Reverend) Susan Russell
President, Integrity USA
All Saints Church
132 North Euclid Avenue
Pasadena CA 91101

Canterbury Campaign Launched

For details, visit the Integrity Website