'Mini Lambeth' would be the way forward, say dissatisfied bishops

From The Guardian (UK):

by Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent

Friday August 1 2008


The once-a-decade gathering of the world's Anglican bishops in Canterbury has been described as inadequate by those attending it, who yesterday recommended that a smaller group meet every three years.

It is thought that a "mini" Lambeth would allow bishops to have more frequent contact and discussions when attempting to resolve disputes over issues such as the ordination of gay clergy.

The suggestion was one of several to come out of an ongoing process, called Reflections, designed to gain consensus from group meetings involving the 670 bishops who have been in Canterbury for more than a fortnight.

Historically the conference takes place every 10 years and this meeting follows the June launch of a breakaway conservative evangelical movement in Jerusalem.

The Global Anglican Future Conference has repeatedly challenged the leadership and authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, most recently in an article written by a Gafcon leader Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda.

Writing in the Times today, he accuses Rowan Williams of betrayal arguing that even the Pope was elected by his peers but that 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," Orombi said.

He is one of several African archbishops to align themselves with Gafcon.

Two hundred and thirty bishops, including Orombi, have boycotted Lambeth in protest at the inclusion of liberals from the US Episcopal church and the Anglican church in Canada, which consecrated partnered homosexuals into the clergy and bless same-sex unions.

The conference conclusions are to be printed on Sunday but a resolution on divisive matters is unlikely.

One bishop told the Guardian: " Unless we reach some kind of resolution in the next 48 hours this whole thing will have been an expensive waste of time."