The official statement from the Primates’ gathering has been released. I note that a Task Group to maintain conversation will be formed. That makes me feel so much better:
Statement from Primates 2016
14 Jan 2016
Today the Primates agreed how they would walk together in the grace and love of Christ. This agreement acknowledges the significant distance that remains but confirms their unanimous commitment to walk together.
The Primates regret that it appears that this document has been leaked in advance of their communiqué tomorrow. In order to avoid speculation the document is being released in full. This agreement demonstrates the commitment of all the Primates to continue the life of the Communion with neither victor nor vanquished.
Questions and further comments will be responded to at a press conference tomorrow at 1500. Full details are available here.
The full text is as follows:
1. We gathered as Anglican Primates to pray and consider how we may preserve our unity in Christ given the ongoing deep differences that exist among us concerning our understanding of marriage.
2. Recent developments in The Episcopal Church with respect to a change in their Canon on marriage represent a fundamental departure from the faith and teaching held by the majority of our Provinces on the doctrine of marriage. Possible developments in other Provinces could further exacerbate this situation.
3. All of us acknowledge that these developments have caused further deep pain throughout our Communion.
4. The traditional doctrine of the church in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds marriage as between a man and a woman in faithful, lifelong union. The majority of those gathered reaffirm this teaching.
5. In keeping with the consistent position of previous Primates’ meetings such unilateral actions on a matter of doctrine without Catholic unity is considered by many of us as a departure from the mutual accountability and interdependence implied through being in relationship with each other in the Anglican Communion.
6. Such actions further impair our communion and create a deeper mistrust between us. This results in significant distance between us and places huge strains on the functioning of the Instruments of Communion and the ways in which we express our historic and ongoing relationships.
7. It is our unanimous desire to walk together. However given the seriousness of these matters we formally acknowledge this distance by requiring that for a period of three years The Episcopal Church no longer represent us on ecumenical and interfaith bodies, should not be appointed or elected to an internal standing committee and that while participating in the internal bodies of the Anglican Communion, they will not take part in decision making on any issues pertaining to doctrine or polity.
8. We have asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to appoint a Task Group to maintain conversation among ourselves with the intention of restoration of relationship, the rebuilding of mutual trust, healing the legacy of hurt, recognising the extent of our commonality and exploring our deep differences, ensuring they are held between us in the love and grace of Christ.
ECUSA should stop any funding of the Anglican Communion for the next three years…so their money will not taint the holiness of the church. No more students coming to the USA to get theological training, no more money going for missions in Africa, no more funds to keep the shop going at the Anglican Communion Office or to fund gatherings…no more homosexual funds going to fund anything, the ECUSA money is of the devil and should not be used by the righteous and God-fearing African bishps
Many of the African bishops have been refusing ECUSA’s money for quite a while now.
Good..not a single penny from ECUSA or the ACC
Meanwhile, somewhere in Africa, some Anglican priest or bishop spouts homophobic drivel from a pulpit, while his three wives, one official and the other two listen from a pew
Although I’m inclined to be pessimistic about the outcome of the gathering, the whining of you liberals has cheered me up a little.
Whinning?…not really…whatever polygamist bishops do or say in Africa has no effect whatsoever on me…and I believe it´s the same for many Anglicans in Canada and the US, so that smirk on your mug is completely irrelevant
I have to agree with your point. Many clergy around the globe and multiple wives which is conveniently forgotten when people in North America try to align themselves with fellow “conservative” believers in other parts of the world.
I remember meeting one Christian pastor in Asia who was ranting about the evils of the North American church and its tolerance of homosexuality. When we then asked about how he can justify his “second wife,” his reply was that this was a cultural issue and at least “they were still women, not men.”
Gosh..now I can sleep at night. Yet again nothing was decided. It is so Anglican in thought word and deed. So much talked about nothing of import was said. I am struck gormless!
No need to decide anything. Time will resolve the issues, especially as it pertains to the ACoC. It will cease to exist anon. Will ANiC remain? Probably. Patience is all that is necessary.
A bit anticlimactic actually. It appears that Archbishop Welby managed to kick the proverbial can down the road for 3 years. There was no calling The Episcopal Church to repentance for acting unilaterally on doctrinal matters in opposition to the clear teachings of Scripture. We’ll see what the next 3 years hold. (From Father Richard Jones of Tulsa, Oklahoma)
From the commencement of this meeting it was abundantly clear that the ABC would avoid any genuine discipline toward the TEC or the ACoC. His previous actions including consulting with the apostate Michael Ingham confirm this fact. In reporting I have noted reference has been made to “liberal” and/or “conservative” whereas the appropriate reference is “apostasy” and “orthodoxy”. There is only ONE Gospel and that demands both full acceptance of the authority of Scripture and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. This meeting has shown that Archbishop Welby is either apostate or unwilling to make a firm stand for the Gospel. As such he is not worthy of his position.
“You, sinful and godless you !” … yelled the African bishop from the pulpit…while his three wives listened attentively from the pews
You must have that reply on a keyboard macro that has stuck; you have said exactly the same thing in two different comments.
First, perhaps you could enlighten us on which African bishop has three wives?
Second, since, presumably, you think there is nothing amiss in having an active homosexual relationship, you can scarcely object to a polygamous one or, to be fully inclusive, an incestuous one – or any combination of the above, throwing in a few I haven’t yet thought of.
Third, I will delete any further comments, by anyone, that exhibit signs of your condescending, pompous neo-colonial bigotry.
Now now. This thread is starting to exhibit signs of why the Anglican Church has been in a death spiral for many many years But I have a solution. Try being a Christian and maybe the rest of the myriad problems within and without the institutional church will work themselves out.