Here is a rather strange, almost confrontational, interview from the New York Times with Archbishop Bob Duncan: the interviewer begins by accusing him of being “ultraright”!
Abp. Duncan ends with a thought that is encouraging for Canadian ANiC parishes engaged in lawsuits: “They may get the stuff, but we’ll get the souls. They may get the past, but we’ve got the future.”
As the archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, you are known as the leader of a conservative — and even ultraright — movement that was founded last year in a break from the Episcopal Church. Do you plan to convert to Catholicism now that Pope Benedict has opened his doors to Anglicans?
I wouldn’t characterize us as ultraright. We don’t beat up folks. We are sort of mainstream right. I am very pleased that the Vatican has done this, but my call now is to lead all those Anglicans who stand where Anglicans have always stood.Have you had any contact with the pope?
I corresponded with him as Cardinal Ratzinger in 2003, when we had the first national gathering of Episcopalians and Canadian Anglicans who realized they couldn’t go on with the Episcopal Church or the Anglican Church of Canada.Was this at the time that the Rev. Gene Robinson was being consecrated by the Episcopal Church as the first openly gay bishop?
It was between the time he was confirmed and ordained. He’s a likable enough guy, but the problem is he’s leading a whole generation astray. I don’t believehe should be a bishop.You and Robinson were fellow students at the General Theological Seminary in New York.
Yes. That was in the early ’70s. He was living a heterosexual lifestyle at the time. He was married. Then he left his wife and later committed himself to a male partner. I don’t wish him ill.We should point out that you were deposed from ministry of the Episcopal Church by the presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, after you threatened to have your diocesein Pittsburgh secede.
That was a year ago, but what’s interesting is that virtually no one in the Anglican world accepted that sentence. Within two weeks of being deposed, I was received at Lambeth Palace in London by the archbishop of Canterbury, who continues to consider me a bishop.Bishop Schori heads the Episcopal Church in this country, and you opposed her election in 2006?
She was the least qualified, the least experienced, of the candidates, but I hoped that what she would bring if she were elected was the kind of grace that women often bring. She turned out to be far harder, far less willing to bend or compromise, than any of the men.Where are you from?
I was raised in Bordentown, N.J., at Christ Episcopal Church in Bordentown. It’s a very special place. It’s where I was married, where I met my wife. It’s just a great parish church.What was your childhood like?
My family knew a lot of turmoil, and there were a lot of things that happened in the house that were very unhappy. My mother was emotionally disturbed. She was a very difficult person. There were times when I was not sure I’d wake up in the morning because of her violence.And your father?
He just died last week.I’m sorry. Were you close to him?
Again, not greatly close to him. I tried to be a faithfulson. He didn’t know how to handle my mother.How large is this new denomination of yours?
In June, when the Anglican Church in North America was constituted, there were 702 congregations. Right now there are 755.Is there any truth to the popular notion that the Anglican Church was created by Henry VIIIjust so he could annul his marriage? He wanted to ditch Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.
There’s no question that the Anglican Church, the Church of England, was created as an aspect of state policy. It had a very bad beginning. It had a very secular, very political beginning. God used it for good.I see a lawsuit was filed by the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to take away both money and property in your control as the longtime bishop there.
There is an ongoing lawsuit. They may get the stuff, but we’ll get the souls. They may get the past, but we’ve got the future.
I’m always surprised when I see that a newspaper that considers itself the world’s newspaper of record can’t bother to find reporters and writers who know anything about religion. I mean, their politics reporters are leftists too, but they know something about politics.
+++Duncan ordains women — why would the writer think he might go running off to the Pope?
David, I saw Abp. Duncan’s quote on Boar’s Head Tavern, a blog run by a Southern Baptist in Kentucky, before it appeared here. Blogging is a tough task master.
We must remember that the media has its own agenda and that is anything but orthodox. They will use any method to try and discredit anyone or any organization that disagrees with their agenda. Reporters are not interested in the truth, their sole interest is in selling their product. It is for this very reason that you cannot believe anything that is written or said without a very close examination. They have the backing of the “gay agenda” and have no desire whatever to hear or know the truth.
It is not a matter of being “left or right” but rather one of being able to accept the truth and that is one thing in which the media has no real interest.
Frank (#3), although I agree that what you say is too often true, you have tarred all reporters with the same brush. I imagine you don’t think it’s fair when the media tars all Christians with the same brush.
Ha, my dad is a longtime newspaperman. Reporter/photographer, then editor, then regional editor. He loves to take the minority view in his editorials – and push people’s buttons so that they’ll think a little more about what they are seeing and hearing in the media.
(David, I think the two of you would get along wonderfully!) Some publishers have a slant that they push through their editorial departments, but in my experience, most individual print journalists seem to be genuinely interested in people of all stripes. And they generally do report the truth – or what is perceived to be the truth according to the subject of their story!
Me, push people’s buttons!?
#3 Frank wrote:
“We must remember that the media has its own agenda and that is anything but orthodox…”
Yes, their aim is to sell newspapers so mainstream journalists play up the most lurid and sensational angles of any story. These days, however, they’re selling fewer and fewer newspapers because people would rather get their news from online sources like this blog. Once upon a time there were at least competing rags providing some sort of balance if you read them all. These days, though, commercial media reporters are being laid off all over the place so we suffer through news about more and more complex issues filtered through fewer and fewer journalists and editors who know less and less background.
Q. How large is this new denomination of yours?
A. In June, when the Anglican Church in North America was constituted, there were 702 congregations. Right now there are 755.
I’m sure that ArchBishop Duncan must have missed part of this question. I didn’t know that the new ACNA is a new denomination. If it is, then one could say the KJS had all the rights to depose, kick out and do whatever she pleased to Archbishop Duncan, however, we all know that what she did was totally against church canons. I think that he best described KJS when he said she is harder than any of the men who were nominated and certainly the one least qualified for the job….
I was most blessed to witness live, a young, pretty, sharply dressed, CNN reporter at the conclusion of the RC ceremony (I forget what it was called) in preparation for Mother Theresa’s Sainthood. This reporter aggressively shoved a microphone in Saint Theresa’s face and with an obvious narcissism (no doubt in my mind, thinking she was about to make her career) asked Saint Theresa “How do you feel about being called Holy” At this instant I witnessed the Power of the Holy Spirit. Saint Theresa looked for a long moment at this reporter with such love and compassion and said, “aren’t you?”. In the next few seconds that can be described as a “pregnant pause”, I watched this reporter either whither into obscurity or into humility, grasping at the passing gates of heaven.
I tell this story because I believe the reporter in the above article was in the same boat when he asked these totally off the wall and inconsistant questions.
Where are you from?
What was your childhood like?
And your father?
I’m sorry. Were you close to him?
Point one- A NY Times reporter who did not properly prepare (background) for an interview of this magnitude would certainly not last long. I contend these where “leading questions”. which speak to the circumstance of ulterior motive.
Point two – Our Archbishop showed wisdom that was, to say the least, blessed.
We are blessed to have this man at our helm, sharing the tiller with our Lord and Saviour. With TRUTH, knowing the way and leading us into life.
Having just returned from or St. Kits Synod I would like to correct my last statement “leading us into life.” – Serving our Servants as we move into life in His service