For those who wish to brave the fog of the Windsor Continuation Group Report and peruse the moratoria, they can be found here.
In summary, “gracious restraint” (a phrase subsequently mangled into meaninglessness) was asked for:
- Consecration of Bishops living in a same gender union
- Permission for Rites of Blessing for Same Sex unions
- Interventions in Provinces
Since the forming of ACNA and ANiC, no further “interventions” have occurred, so that leaves the other two – which have never stopped occurring.
This has led Rowan Williams to have an Advent Moan:
These questions are made all the more sharp by the fact that the repeated requests for moratoria on problematic actions issued by various representative Anglican bodies are increasingly ignored. Strong conscientious convictions are involved here. No-one, I believe, acts out of a desire to deepen disunity; some believe that certain matters are more important than what they think of as a superficial unity. But the effects are often to deepen mutual mistrust, and this must surely be bad for our mission together as Anglicans, and alongside other Christians as well. The question remains: if the moratoria are ignored and the Covenant suspected, what are the means by which we maintain some theological coherence as a Communion and some personal respect and understanding as a fellowship of people seeking to serve Christ? And we should bear in mind that our coherence as a Communion is also a significant concern in relation to other Christian bodies – especially at a moment when the renewed dialogues with Roman Catholics and Orthodox have begun with great enthusiasm and a very constructive spirit.
The fact is that the North American Anglican Provinces aren’t interested in theological coherence, are continuing to press ahead with same sex blessings – full blown marriage to follow shortly – the ordaining of actively homosexual clergy and the legalised persecution of those who refuse to go along with them. The word “moratorium” is never mentioned.
It’s hard to take Rowan Williams’ complaining about everyone ignoring the moratoria too seriously, when he himself not only welcomes Bishop Michael Ingham, who has a same-sex partnered Dean and continues to bless same sex marriages, to Lambeth for a pally chat, but offers to look for a replacement priest for St. John’s Shaughnessy on Ingham’s behalf.
