Archbishop of Canterbury appeals to factions to put differences aside
as traditionalists stress the sanctity of Christian marriage
Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent
Thursday November 25 2010
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/24/african-clergy-reject-unify-anglicans
The future of the Anglican Communion was thrown into doubt today after
religious leaders in Africa withdrew their support for an initiative
aimed at maintaining a truce over issues such as homosexuality, just
as the Church of England gave the plan its overwhelming approval.
Traditionalist archbishops of Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
and west Africa, described the text of the Anglican Covenant as
"fatally flawed" and said that supporting it was no longer
appropriate, exposing the deep rifts within the church. They represent
six of the 38 provinces needed to make the covenant work.
Instead they invited churches in England and elsewhere to adopt an
alternative doctrinal statement of beliefs.
Called the Jerusalem Declaration, it advocates "the unchangeable
standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the
proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family" and the
rejection of "those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox
faith in word or deed".
They announced their decision as the Church of England moved closer to
signing the covenant, which is designed to provide a framework for
settling differences across the international communion. Of the 400 or
so members of General Synod taking part in this morning's crucial
vote, only 50 opposed the motion to send it out to dioceses for
consultation.
The result will at least boost the confidence and leadership of the
archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who earlier this week made a
heartfelt plea to the various factions, calling on them to put aside
their differences. He had warned of the risk of the "dissolution" of
worldwide Anglicanism.
One synod member urged his peers to throw their weight behind
Williams. Mark Russell said: "The archbishop of Canterbury has the
most impossible job in the history of the world. It is a lonely task.
I have never heard Rowan Williams ask for our support in the way he
has. If we say no, we're not backing our archbishop when he asked for
our help."
But as clergy and laity rose to air their opinions during the debate,
it became clear that there remained reservations. Even Church of
England bishops, who were proposing the motion, expressed concerns
about the language and content of the covenant.
The bishop of Lincoln believed it would lead to a "factory farmed
religion rather than a free-range faith". John Saxbee said: "I feel
like we would be sending sincere and faithful Anglicans to stand in a
corner until they have seen the error of their ways and return to the
ranks of the pure and spotless."
Michael Perham, the bishop of Gloucester, had his doubts too but said
he would vote in favour partly out of loyalty to Williams.
The US Episcopal Church caused a split in the communion by endorsing
the election of a non-celibate gay man to be bishop of New Hampshire
in 2003.
It has since consecrated a lesbian, Mary Glasspool, as assistant
bishop of Los Angeles, ignoring Williams's call for a ban on
provocative moves.
The African initiative has the support of the Anglican Church of North
America, a breakaway group from the Episcopal Church.
The draft covenant, at more than 5,000 words long and seven years in
the making, would commit national churches "to act with diligence,
care and caution in respect of any action which may provoke
controversy".
Disagreements would be referred to a panel of Anglican leaders, which
could declare a proposed development to be incompatible with the
covenant. National churches would be free to withdraw from the
covenant at any time.
Signatories would pledge to "respect the constitutional autonomy of
all of the churches of the Anglican Communion", but they could object
to the innovations in other churches regardless. Only those who sign
the covenant would belong to the communion.
Opponents of the covenant said a two-tier communion appeared
unavoidable. The No Anglican Covenant Coalition said it was
"disappointed" that the Church of England had decided to proceed with
its consideration of the controversial document.
guardian.co.uk Copyright (c) Guardian News and Media Limited. 2010
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
No comments:
Post a Comment