From the Church Times
THE PRESIDING Bishop of the Southern Cone, the Most Revd Greg Venables, said there had been meaningful dialogue at the conference, but felt the real issues had still not been discussed.
“We’re still not addressing the basic issue which is whether or not we believe the same things and consider ourselves members of the same Church, and that’s obviously the thing that has caused people to break away from their national churches.”
He said he found the method of trying to discuss issues through Bible studies frustrating.
Regarding the observations put forward by the Windsor Continuation Group, he said they were covering ground the Primates had already looked at.
“Since the Primates haven’t been able to move it along some of us don’t have much hope it will take us anywhere.
Any bishop who believes that the Anglican Communion has avoided a split is not being honest with himself/herself, or is unable to read the politics or refuses to admit it publically. Do the liberal bishops not get it?
It is easy to avoid confrontation if the oposition is not present by the act of avoidance. Many bishops avoided Lambeth and thus avoided confrontation. Sure, the liberal bishops do get it. But the tactics they are using are to avoid an outward, open split while they quietly carry on with their own agenda and an approach to scripture that suits their own purpose.
The former Canadian Primate, Andrew Hutchison said that Canada was walking alone. Is not this a split? It surely is. A staff member from a a well kown Canadian theological college made a similar statement in the Niagara Anglican.
Come on, bishops. Get a dose of reality. There is a split and it will continue around the world. How you handle it, is and will be the most important item on your agenda. We lay people who pay the freight are not going to wait in limbo. Liberal and conservative lay people are moving. We will not wait for you.