From Ruth Gledhill via TheTimesOnline (UK):
July 31, 2008
In a comment piece in tomorrow's Times, the Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Orombi, will accuse the Arcbishop of Canterbury of a betrayal at the very deepest level. [Editor's Note: the comment piece is posted below.] He will argue that even the Pope is elected by his peers, but Dr Williams in his office is little better than a remnant of colonialism. 'The spiritual leadership of a global communion of independent and autonomous Provinces should not be reduced to one man appointed by a secular government,' he says. Nor is the absence of Uganda, Nigeria and other Global South churches a sign that they want to leave the Communion. Far from it. It is a sign of how much they care that it endures. Read it all from when it goes online at 2100 BST and in the paper tomorrow, it is strong stuff!
Running parallel to the indaba groups in which sexuality is being debated is the Covenant and Windsor Continuation Group, which has drawn up plans for a Pastoral Forum. Here is Joanna Clegg's video of the press conference at which Bishop Clive Handford, retired bishop of Jerusalem, explained how far the bishops have got.
It all comes on a crucial day for Lambeth.
Archbishop of Kenya Benjamin Nzimbi has also made it clear today that there is no way he and his colleagues will cease their interventions in the US.
As I write, Peter Tatchell of Outrage has just got off the train at Canterbury and is running up the hill with his 40 foot banner, Stop Crucifying Queers, which he plans to stake out in the grass outside Rutherford College where the bishops are now enjoying one of their thrice-daily three-course meals.
Tatchell told me on his mobile: 'The Archbishop of Canterbury appears more interested in appeasing and accommodating homophobes than standing up for human rights of lebians and gay people. He is putting unity before compassion and justice.
'There should be no collusions with homophobic Anglican bishops like Peter Akinola and Henry Orombi who support the jailing of gay peopel and the banning of gay churches.
'Dr Williams would never appease a racist or anti-Semitic bishop. Why is he appeasing homophobes?'
It is likely that the liberal Christian groups such as Integrity will distance themselves from Tatchell though. Protesting with banners is not their style. Theirs is a more subtle approach.
Not like mine.
Yesterday, I was running round the campus asking bishops the question: 'When did you last beat your wife?' I'll explain why in my next blog. (Can it really be true that at the age of 48, married with a small child and living in Kew, I am at the historic seat of British Christianity asking bishops time and time again, what they think about gay sex and wife-beating? Am I in some strange dream? It is so embarrassing. What's gone wrong with my life?)
I met a bishop from Sudan. The Sudanese caught the attention of the world early on in the conference with their statement that Gene Robinson should resign.
'What are you planning to do now?' I asked the good bishop, meaning what cunning strategy did they have devised to make things go their way at Lambeth.
He looked at me thoughtfully.
'Now, we are planning to get on a train and go to London and go shopping with our eyes.'
I was not to be deterred.
'How has the Archbishop of Canterbury done here? What do you think of him?'
His eyes lit up.
'The Archbishop of Canterbury is like a saint. We are so impressed. We have never known anyone quite like him. He has had all these important people here, the Coptic archbishop, the Orthodox, the Chief Rabbi, all these Cardinals. Every time he puts them on the podium and lifts them up above himself. It is as if he is saying, listen to these people before you listen to me. Oh he is such a leader. He is a true Christian. He is so humble. His witness has been so powerful. That is the message we are taking back to Sudan.'
That is a snapshot from Lambeth today.
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