The importance of Archbishop Ernest

In October, Archbishop Ian Ernest, Primate of the Indian Ocean, was along with other leading Global South primates co-signatory to a document in which they called for Lambeth to be postponed and said that 'what is at stake in this crisis is the very nature of Anglicanism.' Today he sat next to the Archbishop of Canterbury at the press conference at Lambeth Palace to launch the 2008 Lambeth Conference. Our brief news report is now online.

Asked whether this meant he had changed his mind, he replied: 'Nothing has changed.' He continued: 'After talking to the Archbishop we thought we should meet, we should engage with each other and be able to see how best we can serve the Communion.' Having now talked with the Lambeth Design Group, he thought it 'best' to hold the Lambeth Conference after all.

His is not the only view to suggest possible fracturing in the conservative ranks.

Dr Williams was critical at the press conference of the 'alternative Lambeth', the Global Anglican Futures Conference scheduled for a few weeks before in June in Jerusalem in Israel. As Pluralist reported, there is some dispute over whether the bishop and Archbishop of the region, themselves conservartives, were adequately consulted. Dr Williams said he did not object to the meeting itself taking place: 'It is important to remember that on previous occasions, there have been major international gatherings preparing for Lambeth. I am very happy to see such regional events going forward. But I do have real concerns that in this case, there are unresolved issues for the local church in Jerusalem, which has pinpointed some anxieties about having such a conference at this time.'

Then there are the extraordinary developments in San Joaquin, a diocese which voted to defect to the Southern Cone, and whose bishop has subsequently been inhibited by the Presiding Bishop at the start of a legal action that will no doubt run and run, but where there appears from Dan Martins' blog to be less unanimity than had previously been thought. Episcopal Cafe has more and thinking Anglicans is also following this story. Episcopal Cafe is also reporting that Dr Williams has written to the Canadian primate saying he cannot sanction interventions in other provinces.

The debate is moving way beyond sexuality to... well not sure what exactly. Ecclesiology maybe? Sexuality will barely be on the Lambeth Conference agenda, and Dr Williams made it clear at the press conference that there won't be a resolution, although there might be a statement. It will be discussed for one day, although it will obviously be a subject of talk behind the scenes. On the prospect of Bishop Gene Robinson attending, Dr Williams said: 'Gene Robinson has not been invited to the Lambeth Conference. It is proving extremely difficult to see under what heading he might be invited to be around.'

Dr Williams accepted that bishops had the right not to attend. He made clear there would be no reversal, with invitations suddenly issued to Bishops Robinson or Martyn Minns. It became clear that the Windsor Report is standard, but that Lambeth will be a consultation and communication exercise of such a standing that it won't really affect anything if a quarter of the Church's bishops do not show up.  As the conference is not a legislative or quorate body, he said, if a sbustantial number of people are absent 'it is not the end of the world.' No schism, he said. 'Sorry!'

Not sure who precisely he was apologising to there, but there was some bright news at the end. The Conference will carbon-offset. A strategy is 90 per cent complete. A programme of reforestation is to be embarked on to compensate for all those flights and cars carrying 600-plus bishops, their spouses and all the other dozens of journalists, clergy and other Communion acolytes to Canterbury for three weeks in July and August.

Comments

[Prior Aelred]

Well, Lambeth has never had legislative authority -- nor have the primates -- nor the Windsor Report -- these are all power games -- nothing of the Gospel that I can see in refusing to talk to one another (that logically would include the duly elected & approved Bishop of New Hampshire -- all these new missionary bishops from Africa to the USA might be a different category since they assume a schism either already exists or they have been created to provide one -- but even this could be negotiated if there were any good will left).

[Peter O]

Ah yes Robert Ian Williams. That's why the person who initiated it was Peter Akinola, that famous WASP.

Of far more interest is this little snippet in Ruth's report:

"It became clear that the Windsor Report is standard, but that Lambeth will be a consultation and communication exercise of such a standing that it won't really affect anything if a quarter of the Church's bishops do not show up. As the conference is not a legislative or quorate body, he said, if a substantial number of people are absent 'it is not the end of the world.' "

If that's true, where does that leave the conservative case that infringement of Lambeth '98 1:10 is the cause of the split? How can there be discipline for the breach of something that has no legislative power? Or could it be that this innocuous sentence and it's shift of emphasis to the Windsor Report is laying ground to have the Primates' Meeting affirmed as the source of ultimate authority (given that the Windsor Report was commissioned by the Primates)?

[David Keen]

Sexuality may not be strongly on the agenda but of the 11 Conference topics listed on the Lambeth website (http://www.lambethconference.org/lc2008/programme/index.cfm), at least 5 are related to the fallout from Gene Robinsons ordination: Anglican identity and the role of bishops, Covenant, Listening Process, Gender and Sexuality, and Relationships.

As an Anglican I'm praying that the conference title: 'Equipping Bishops to Fulfil Their Leadership Role in God’s Mission' is actually what happens, rather than something that gets bypassed because people are too busy playing power games.

[Robert Ian Williams]

Although given the pretence of being a spontaneous developing world revolt against western liberalism, the organisation and planning ( behind the scenes leadership) GAFCON is firmly in the hands of white Anglo-Saxons.