Ruth Gledhill - Times Online - WBLG

Who stands to gain most from credit crunch?

We've been hearing so much about the losers in the present crisis, I thought it would be fun to focus for a few minutes on the winners. Feel free to add your own suggestions.

1. Gordon Brown. He suddenly looks electable. The Tories, having only yesterday offered prosperity, are now warning of tough times ahead. Coming from capitalists, this feels quite scary. Do we really want proponents of the free market running the country after what the free market has done to us? A canny, wiley, Presbyterian Scot with a reputation for fiscal prudence bordering on meanness today seems quite a deal more attractive than he did even a week ago. It is after all partly if not mostly thanks to him that we are bearing up better than the Americans. I keep thinking of his recent visit to the US, and the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare. I think some in my business  might have been a bit to hasty in writing this old tortoise off.

Lambeth Diary:church suffering 'spiritual Alzheimers' says Rome

Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for Evangelisation, has just addressed the Lambeth Conference bishops. This cardinal is understood to be one of those favouring a positive reception for disaffected Anglicans. This is what he told the 650 bishops: 'Much is spoken today of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. By analogy, their symptoms can, at times, be found even in our own Christian communities. For example, when we live myopically in the fleeting present, oblivious of our past heritage and apostolic traditions, we could well be suffering from spiritual Alzheimer's. And when we behave in a disorderly manner, going whimsically our own way without any co-ordination with the head or the other members of our community, it could be ecclesial Parkinson's.'

Lambeth Diary: Ecumenicals condemn 'with love'

The Archbishop of Canterbury is shown here at last night's ecumenical service chatting to Russia's Archbishop Hilarion and the Greek representative. Cardinal's Kasper and Diaz from Rome are not here yet. As we touch on at the end of our Sunday Times story today, the messages to Dr Rowan Williams from the guests were light incarnate, but this merely to sweeten the bitter pills within. Will the Anglican Communion take their medecine? I doubt it. The letters were helpfully printed at the end of the order of service, some extracts are below. See also Riazat Butt's excellent and fuller report in The Observer.

(Photo by George Conger. See his report in Christianity Today on the 'crack-up' of the Communion. Many thanks to Peter Crumpler and staff for finding a way at the final hour to get the grateful press into the service in the Big Top.)

TEC: May the Force be with you, and also with you!

Like many English Anglicans I guess, I have assumed myself to be in possession of an innate understanding of The Episcopal Church of the US. This rather arrogant assumption came from the knowledge that we are both blessed by the same language, similar liturgies and have roots in the same historical tradition of a reformed Catholicism. It was rather like being a vicar's daughter made me imagine that I knew all there was to know about the Church of England when I began writing about it for The Times two decades ago. The Socratic awakening there came almost immediately. I wised up early to the knowledge that I knew next-to-nothing. But it was only recently, in a conversation with Jane Williams at a Lambeth Palace reception to mark the departure of communications chief Jonathan Jennings, that I suddenly grasped a little more insight into TEC, and realised simultaneously how little I had known before. As mentioned previously on this blog, it is as Bernard Shaw wrote: two great nations separated by the same language. We are two great churches separated by the same religion. Jane is a great teacher, she somehow increases your knowledge while aiding the illusion that you've thought up the answers yourself. Anyway, another friend has sent me this essay by Garrison Keillor, a further aide to understanding that I thought readers of this blog might enjoy.

Judge rules for Virginia 'orthodox'

The Rev Martyn Minns is seen here at the press conference after his church, Truro in Fairfax, voted to affiliate with Nigeria in 2006. I never believed the subsequent statements from both sides that all attempts would be made to avoid legal action. The first important ruling about this and ten other parish secessions has been made, and seems to be on the side of the conservatives. However, before they claim a victory, they should be aware that there are several more legal hurdles to leap over and it seems unlikely in the end that the US courts will intervene in TEC affairs in this way. Also, the relevant statute in Virginia does not exist in other states where similar divisions have happened. So its long-term significance is unclear.

Judge rules for Virginia 'orthodox'

The Rev Martyn Minns is seen here at the press conference after his church, Truro in Fairfax, voted to affiliate with Nigeria in 2006. I never believed the subsequent statements from both sides that all attempts would be made to avoid legal action. The first important ruling about this and ten other parish secessions has been made, and seems to be on the side of the conservatives. However, before they claim a victory, they should be aware that there are several more legal hurdles to leap over and it seems unlikely in the end that the US courts will intervene in TEC affairs in this way. Also, the relevant statute in Virginia does not exist in other states where similar divisions have happened. So its long-term significance is unclear.

Archbishop Drexel seeks covenantal unity

My exclusive chat with Archbishop Drexel is getting quite a lot of follow-up. Covenant Communion has offered this 'clarification'. In particular I loved the link on Thinking Anglicans to this video, picked up by Elizaphanian.

The name of the video is 'Fry and Laurie - Diocese of Uttoxeter.'

Stations of the Millennium Goals

Most Anglican churches at Easter walk the Via Dolorosa. They celebrate liturgically the Stations of the Cross. Not necessarily so in The Episcopal Church. Welcome to the Stations of the Millennium Goals. HT to StandFirm for this gem. 'Lord have mercy,' says one commenter there. My own comment? An own-millennium goal possibly. But then again, probably not. Actually, these look quite educative and interesting, although I'ld love to report a General Synod debate on such an addition to the CofE liturgy. If you're a vicar over here and fancy trying this out on your congregation, do read on for an extract and for a link to download the entire file. Please don't hesitate to contact me with your congregation's reaction!

Why we should all love America

Here are my ten reasons why we should all love America, prompted by the Archbishop of Canterbury's latest attack on our friends across the Atlantic. Read the full interview with Rowan in Emel below.

JSC report to Rowan: TEC gone far enough; serious problems remain

As we report today, Thurs, the report of the standing committee of the Primates and the Anglican Communion to Rowan Williams is now available. It is affirming of the TEC bishops, but frank about the serious difficulties still to be resolved - the litigation against orthodox parishes, the interventions inside the US from other provinces. Whether the solutions the JSC proposes will be workable remains to be seen. In my view this is a stunningly brave report, and a tribute once again to the almost desperate determination to resolve the issues facing the Anglican Communion without giving rise to schism. Just how serious things remain is evinced by just one small example - the US parish that was home to Methodism's John Wesley is the latest to leave, to Uganda. How symbolic is that? But maybe John Sentamu can bring some resolution. He is in Mauritius, for one night only, talking to CAPA.

The Church's Unfoundation

A bit naughty this, but it made me laugh so I'm going to post it. This new 'TEC hymn' is circulating on a number of lists, so I thought some of our readers here might like to see it too. Read on...

Could the last one out, please turn on the lights.

I loved this week's Church Times front cover, reproduced here by kind permission of editor Paul Handley. The latest statement from Common Cause illustrates the truth of the cartoon. I understand, meanwhile, that the Archbishop of Canterbury is in the process of calling all the Primates individually before formulating his response to the JSC and TEC reports.

Andrew Brown, in his media column, says The Times' coverage of New Orleans was 'sketchy' because I didn't go. Read on for the reasons why.

Goodbye Father Jeffrey. Hello, Sister Moon.

As we report, the Bishop of Rio Grande, Jeffrey Steenson, has today explained to the US bishops why he is to be received into the Roman Catholic Church. He leaves an Episcopal Church in disarray, led no longer by a 'house' but by a 'community' of bishops, with a songbook of praise to Mother Earth, Sister Moon and Brother Sun. Thank you BabyBlue for finding out what the bishops are singing in New Orleans and thus reminding us that this whole affair actually has very little to do with homosexuality. Read on to enjoy the words of the songs. (Update: here is the updated report in today's Online Times on the message of the US bishops.)

Peter Akinola 'blows the fourth trumpet'

I feel like running a caption competition for this picture. We'll send a bottle of champagne to the best suggestion. This is of course the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, in the US. At a press conference this evening, Dr Williams said the Lambeth Conference is 'necessary' and that smaller provinces should not be held hostage by the larger ones. He also said there was no ultimatum, and no demands or deadline being put to TEC at this meeting. The Episcopal Church has posted a video of his earlier sermon. See below for full transcript of interview with Peter Akinola about this and next week's meeting of the US bishops.

Suffering at the heart of schism

I've just reviewed Sir Roy Strong's new book, A Little History of the English Country Church, for our books section. Sir Simon Jenkins reviewed it last week for the Sunday Times. In his book, Sir Roy imagines himself into the pews of the ordinary churchgoer during the Reformation and the subsequent upheavals: 'One is reminded of the Chinese Cultural Revolution: so much trauma visited on so many ordinary people and so little voice given to express what must have been an overwhelming sense of anguish and loss.' These same words could be written today, with regard to what is happening to the Anglican Church, in particular in the US. So serious is it that as Anglican Mainstream reports, Nigerian bishops have tonight, Friday, written to the Archbishop of Canterbury, asking him to postpone the Lambeth Conference. (Update: Rowan admits he doesn't know if he can prevent schism.)

Suffering at the heart of schism

I've just reviewed Sir Roy Strong's new book, A Little History of the English Country Church, for our books section. Sir Simon Jenkins reviewed it last week for the Sunday Times. In his book, Sir Roy imagines himself into the pews of the ordinary churchgoer during the Reformation and the subsequent upheavals: 'One is reminded of the Chinese Cultural Revolution: so much trauma visited on so many ordinary people and so little voice given to express what must have been an overwhelming sense of anguish and loss.' These same words could be written today, with regard to what is happening to the Anglican Church, in particular in the US. So serious is it that as Anglican Mainstream reports, Nigerian bishops have tonight, Friday, written to the Archbishop of Canterbury, asking him to postpone the Lambeth Conference. (Update: Rowan admits he doesn't know if he can prevent schism.)

The TEC woman priest who is also a practising Muslim

I just want to take a brief break from writing about Synod to introduce you to a woman TEC priest who has become a practising Muslim and seems to believe there is no contradiction involved. See the profile of the Rev Dr Ann Holmes Redding on page nine of this newsletter.

Schism begins: Fort Worth to break away

Sensational news from the US. Forth Worth is to seek 'alternative primatial oversight' from an African primate. This is the closest yet to formal schism in the Anglican Communion. Others of the Network dioceses are expected to follow suit. San Joaquin, Rio Grande, Central Florida perhaps? (Some of the Network affiliates want to continue to work it out with TEC.) (Update: Quincy is not going with Fort Worth, see end of post.)

Justice badly done by

Embracing principles of justice and equality as many of have been in the debate over homosexuality in the Anglican Church, it might be time that some of us white Westerners asked ourselves whether we have inadvertently allowed ourselves to become perpetrators of another equally wicked calumny. We must stop and question whether, in condemning so stridently the seemingly homophobic stance adopted by the churches of the Global South, we have not allowed ourselves to veer just a teeny little bit towards racism. What a disgrace that would be, were we so to have done so, on this bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade.

Rowan going to US

The Archbishop of Canterbury is to attend the US House of Bishops meeting in September, as invited by TEC. Not sure yet who is paying for his ticket. He announced his decision at a press conference in Toronto. Mentally I'm in white-out, still schussing down the Matiss in Val d'Isere. Heaven, as the last, late Pope understood well. What it is to come back down to earth.

TEC rejects forces of 'colonialism'

The Rev Richard Kirker, pictured here, is an Anglican deacon refused ordination to the priesthood because of his openly gay lifestyle. He was subjected to an impromptu exorcism by an African bishop at the last Lambeth Conference. Yet until now he has shown remarkable Christian restraint in his public pronouncements on Rowan Williams, once considered a friend of his movement. As we report Thursday, just how serious things have become with the US rejection of the Primates' demands is now clear. Responding for the UK's Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, Kirker said: 'At last some sanity is breaking into the debate. There is an obvious realisation that the consequences of this pandering to the Puritans means an increasing hostility towards lesbian and gay people so clearly demonstrated by the Archbishop of Nigeria who is fiercely promoting anti-gay legislation in his country contrary to Scripture and all the decisions of Anglicanism over the last 30 years. The Archbishop of Canterbury has much to answer for. His decision to sell us down the river in the short term to buy time has back-fired – the Americans are having none of it and we hope he will now come to see his strategy has failed. If the Americans are expelled from the Anglican Communion this will encourage those already bent on our destruction to persecute lesbian and gay people even more. Forces of the extreme American right are playing a significant role in the decisions of the Anglican Communion at the behest of Dr Williams – we see this as a dangerous sign of things to come.' As a further mark of how serious this is, even Andrew Sullivan has taken it up.

J wept

No not Jesus, although I expect he did too, after recent events in the Anglicans' own very special incommunicado Big Brother-style Bishops' house in Dar es Salaam. I have it on good authority that one Primate lost his temper and yelled, while TEC Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori wept during the Primates' meeting in Tanzania. Welcome to what it feels like to be a woman in the world of international Anglican politics. I learned to stop crying long ago. I think Lambeth 1998 was the last time an Anglican bishop actually succeeded in drawing my tears - although in my case it was a liberal, not an orthodox, who so reduced me. I am now a thick-skinned hardened tough old hackette immune to insults of 'sensationalisation' (actually I take that one as a compliment to my newswriting skills) and 'misrepresentation' (actually I take that seriously and am arguing my corner hard. See brief diversion, below.) My original source for this info about the PB was a comment on RMadison's blog: 'One of the commentaries today reported that Bishop Katharine was crying as she signed it. If it's true, I was sorry it was reported, as the uglies out there would certainly relish that.' I checked this out with a source who was in Dar es, and they told me she was not actually weeping as she signed the communique but at another time during the meeting. I am willing to be corrected on this if she or her spokesmen at TEC tell me it is categorically not true. However, given TEC's stance on this whole issue, who could blame her if she was? Many are wondering how on earth she managed to sign it in the first place.

TEC put on notice

As we reported in The Times today in a story updated for later editions, there has been a surprising, late-night development from Tanzania. I had speculated that the softness so far towards TEC augured a tough line in the Covenant and Communique, but even I did not expect anything quite so hard-line.

The US Episcopal Church has been given seven months to change its ways or face being kicked out of the Anglican Communion. In an unexpectedly hard-hitting set of recommendations, Primates of the Anglican Communion demanded an "unequivocal common covenant" under which dioceses in The Episcopal Church agree not to authorise same-sex blessings. They also demanded that no more gay men or women in active relationships with a person of the same sex be consecrated bishop. The recommendations are so severe in demanding proper repentance and a turning back from  The Episcopal Church that even arch-conservative Peter Akinola of Nigeria was prepared to sign up. Bishop Jefferts Schori also signed it, but there will be many in The Episcopal Church who will be angry at what they see as a sell-out of their liberal ideals. Reuters carried a report during the night. Early reaction is appearing on StandFirm. Thinking Anglicans is keeping up to date.

Anglican Covenant now published

The Anglican Covenant can now be read at ACNS, along with the report of the design group. I've also done a story for Times Online.

The key paragraph of the Covenant comes at the end:

'We acknowledge that in the most extreme circumstances, where member churches choose not to fulfil the substance of the covenant as understood by the Councils of the Instruments of Communion, we will consider that such churches will have relinquished for themselves the force and meaning of the covenant's purpose, and a process of restoration and renewal will be required to re-establish their covenant relationship with other member churches.'

See previous stories on the Primates' meeting at our newly-revivified Faith Page.

Schori triumphs in Dar as new Anglican queen

So far from being excluded from the Primates' Meeting in Dar es Salaam, I can break the news that TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has been elected onto the all-important policy-making Standing Committee. 'Next thing you know, Benedict will be reversing Apostolicae Curae,' said one observer. There will be much speculation about how this came about. (Schori's election that is.) It is obviously interesting to note that the administration of the Anglican Communion Office depends on funds from TEC. Balancing the books without TEC would not be possible. It is equally likely that Rowan Williams respects her, and that many of the Primates wanted to make a particular gesture of support after the opposition that has been expressed to her. A source close to what's happening in Dar es tells me that things will be "very rough" this afternoon. I am just wondering whether the TEC report, the election of Bishop Jefferts Schori onto the standing committee and the apparent acquiesence of so many of the Global South Primates in what has been going on so far might perhaps indicate quite a tough, orthodox doctrinal line in the Anglican Covenant. I'll post the rest of the SC names in just a sec, when I've had a cup of tea, which I'll raise in a quiet toast at my desk in Wapping to Bishop Jefferts Schori. While I find myself in fundamental disagreement with her on some, although not all, aspects of the doctrine she preaches, as a woman, I have no choice but to salute her. Watch out Rowan! Remember that Kipling poem, which Frieda Hughes wrote about in The Times last week: The female of the species is more deadly than the male... You have been warned!

Primates: Schismatics to be "pruned from the branch"

"There are many in America who are trying to have their cake and eat it, who are doing the schismatic thing and then accusing those who object of being schismatic." This is what Bishop of Durham Dr Tom Wright told me in a wide-ranging discussion we had on the forthcoming Primates' Meeting in Tanzania. He was quite unequivocal. He said too many in TEC are guilty of "doctrinal indifferentism." The Covenant Design Group in Nassau successfully produced a good document, he said. The Primates have little choice but to follow Windsor at the meeting next week. And if Windsor is followed, then Gene Robinson and those who consecrated him should voluntarily absent themselves from the councils of the Communion, including the Lambeth Conference, unless they express regret in the terms set out in Windsor. Only a Windsor-rooted response in Tanzania can save the Communion from schism. "Almost everybody involved  with this question recognises that there is no way forward from here without pain. It is painful for everybody. There are not going to be winners and losers. There are going to be losers catergory one, two, three, four and five." In reading his words, it is worth remembering that not only is he the intellectual equal of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the two men are good friends. So I reckon this gives us a good idea of how events might unfold next week.

TEC Bishop savages Rowan Williams

Paul Marshall, the Bishop of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has written this extraordinary attack on Rowan Williams, as we report in Times Online. This was published on an internal list for TEC's House of Bishops in advance of their meeting in March and sent to me by a contact. As you will see if you read it, this guy has missed his vocation. He should be out here in the blogosphere, with all of us. Others blogging on this already include Jim Naughton, from the Washington diocese, who says Marshall articulates what many have been feeling for some time, and Thinking Anglicans. (MadPriest had it first but I couldn't find it when first writing this post. Commentators on his blog are almost as cross with me as Bp Marshall is with RW and are suggesting someone send a bunch of eunuchs around to ... to do whatever it is that eunuchs do to naughty religion correspondents.) Marshall has previously been attacked for his revisionist views, including on StandFirm. This site has some good strong comments on this story now. I think Marshall is being just a bit too hard on the Archbishop. Dr Williams has written about why he decided to invite the new TEC Presiding Bishop Dr  Katharine Jefferts Schori to the Primates' meeting in Tanzania, and has also had meetings with US liberals that a fringe Bishop such as Marshall could not possibly know about. The orthodox are worried. Poor Dr Williams is being attacked from all sides. In the letter below, Bishop Marshall writes of the pending crucifixion and resurrection of The Episcopal Church as it is presumably 'forced' to split. But if you ask me, it is the Archbishop who's being crucified here, not TEC or anyone else.

Property battles loom as US churches quit

Two of the most important parishes in the Virginia diocese have voted to leave TEC and take their property them. Martyn Minns, ordained bishop in Nigeria's Convocation of Churches in North America, to which the largest are defecting, has described the scenes at one of the biggest churches as parishioners turned up to vote.  Anglican Mainstream's Chris Sugden, a member of the Church of England's General Synod, describes in next month's Evangelicals Now why the Presiding Bishop's recent offer of a "primatial vicar" did not satisfy those parishes who have appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury for "alternative primatial oversight". Virginia's bishop Peter Lee has pledged to care for the small number of episcopalians remaining in his care, and also to assert his "rights" to the property of those who have left. The original document from the departing parishes setting out the "leaving protocol" details precisely how this has happened.

An innocent's guide to things Anglican in the US

Jonathan has done an excellent story in the Daily Telegraph, a follow to the other Jonathan's offering in the Sunday. I mentioned this story to my newsdesk this week, who groaned. "Schism mark 27? No thank you. Can't you give us more on the Bishop of Southwark?" One problem I believe is that people might be confused by who is who, which covenant is which, what separates the AAC from the ACC (quite a lot), Nigeria from the US. (Ok, well maybe people are not confused about that last one.) In any case, the latest schism with all its ramifications can be followed with links on Thinking Anglicans. The response from Inclusive Church is up there too. Tom Wright has issued a gentle rebuke to his colleague at Rochester in an article for Fulcrum in which he wishes that the strength of feeling in the covenant could have been matched by the strength of thinking.