From the Telegraph:
Leading conservative clergy have declared their support for a motion at this week’s General Synod which would ally the Church with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).
This was formed in opposition to the consecration of Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop, and the actions of liberals in the Episcopal Church of the US, which is the official Anglican body.
However, the House of Bishops has tabled an amendment to the Synod motion which would seek to defuse the issue by postponing a decision until next year.
The Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, Bishop of Blackburn, is opposed to the stance taken by his colleagues. He said: “I am hoping for a sign of early support for ACNA, not a report coming back to Synod by the end of 2011.”
The Rt Rev Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes, a fundamentalist on the Church’s evangelical wing, said: “It seems to me that the House of Bishops’ motion is just needlessly undermining, delaying and prevaricating.”
The original motion, put down by Lorna Ashworth, an evangelical from the Chichester diocese, comes after the Episcopal Church elected a homosexual priest, Mary Glasspool, to be a suffragan bishop in the Los Angeles diocese.
That won’t defuse any row: it will inflame things.
the use of word fundamentalist to describe the Rt Rev Wallace Benn is certainly inflamatory.
Yes, and it’s a fairly strange thing for the Torygraph to be saying…
I am reminded of 2 Peter 3. In God’s own good time things will come to be as He wants. If ACNA is to be in Communion with CoE and/or WAC than it will happen, and there is nothing that ACoC nor TEC can do to stop it.
That’s true, but it’s frustrating that most of the English bishops apparently want to join the Archbishop of Canterbury in dithering as long as possible. This is starting to look like fiddling while Rome burns (but then, they’re not in communion with Rome…).
The Brit Hob is either stalling or fears difficulties at synod. It speaks poorly of the leadership in the CoE. It also seems to place our Mother Church back to the Nicene era. That being the case what does it say about the last two millenium. May I suggest that perhaps the church of our forefathers consider moving back just a little further, Hmmm, wait, over there- yes, yes, I can see, it’s Jesus.
In any event the ACNA needs only the faith building surety of the recognition of God. If success and growth rate can be determining factors, She (ACNA) would appear to be obedient to the will of God.
May I plead again for the “factoring of faith” in the synod motion process? Let all motions require unanimous consent as is the will of the Father.