Monday, July 28, 2008
Live from Lambeth: Windsor Continuation Group Throws Us Under The Bus
A quick look at two documents just distributed to the press - which are "very, very preliminary" and are "open to change:"
1. "Reflections on the Lambeth Conference:" a compendium of the way those in charge here view the conference so far - it appears social justice is limited to meeting the Minimum Development Goals, evangelism to everyone but LGBT people is essential
2. the Windsor Continuation Group's ideas for where w e go from here - it is not a pretty view. But of course their ideas are just 'preliminary' and designed to 'stimulate' discussion.
Bishop Clive Handford, the former primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, said the group is concerned that the US & Canadian Church has refused to stop blessing LGBT partners, stop ordaining openly LGBT people, and an end to cross-border interventions.
They wish to find a way to 'heal' the breach caused by the interventions - would require all of the US dioceses to halt all court action to retrieve their propriety from schismatic parishes and diocese.
He likened proposal to hold these provinces in trust and gradually work for restoration of their family - similar to legal principle of escrow.
They propose a new administrative group (a Pastoral Forum) would act "swiftly" to deal with "threats" to the Communion. This group could consign an offending province to second class status in the Communion.
This Pastoral Forum would deal with "addressing those anomalies of pastoral care arising in the Communion against the recommendations of the Windsor Report." Thus the Windsor Report would serve as the basis for governing the Anglican Communion. This is the proposal made by a panel of bishops working as a panel - a panel that includes neither priests nor deacons nor lay people. And they wonder why young people are not interested in 'their' church.
The report "could also offer guidance on what response and any diminishment of standing within the Communion might be appropriate where any of the three moratoria are broken."
But this is all "very preliminary."
"We are nor intending to anywhere imply that bishop gene Robinson should resign....We are aware bishop Gene Robinson was elected bishop according to the process of the Episcopal Church." Sounds a lot like they accept bishop Gene as a real Bishop, so long as we don't make any more openly LGBT priests or deacons or bishops.
But this is all "very preliminary."
"We're just saying there shouldn't be any more" openly gay bishops or clergy.
Q: Where is the offer of space space for LGBT Anglicans?
"These are preliminary observation" which "may not go far enough." Suggests that the final draft will call for all bishops to work for legalization of homosexuality in their countries.
Working toward Anglican Counsultative Council meeting in May 2009.
"Moratorium" calls for cease to blessings of same gender couples, ordination of openly LGBT clergy, consecration of openly LGBT bishops, and interventions of outside your diocese.
But this is all "very preliminary."
Who knows: maybe a majority or the bishops will say: "No, we're not going to sacrifice our LGBTG brothers and sisters any more." Miracles, after all, have happened.
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