Primates Press Briefing 5th February 2009

Anglican Communion News Service

Posted On : February 5, 2009 9:38 PM
ACNS: ACNS4577


At the press briefing the Archbishop of Canterbury said the spirit of the meeting had been very constructive and while people might not have changed their minds on key issues there had been a willingness to listen and to try to find accommodations for each other.

The Archbishop of Canterbury went on to outline the main items from the meeting including the report of the Windsor Continuation Group which contained three main elements as outlined in the communiqué:

1) The need for a shift of focus in the life of the communion from autonomy of provinces with communion added on, to communion as the primary reality with autonomy and accountability understood within that framework.

2) A set or recommendations about the instruments of communion and how they should work. All four; the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primates Meeting, The Anglican Consultative Council and the Lambeth Conference need some looking at as to whether their present structures of working are adequate to the situation.

3) The current situation in North America and the coalition of the Anglican Church of North America out of the common cause partnership. The continuation group report notes the enormous difficulties of parallel jurisdiction but also recognizes the desire of these groups to be Anglicans and be in relationship with the Anglican Communion. The recommendation was that the Archbishop of Canterbury convenes a professionally resourced mediation process. In addition there was support for the appointment of a pastoral forum and pastoral visitors who can act as consultants in situations of stress and conflict.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams also spoke about the Primates statement on Zimbabwe and of hearing harrowing first hand reports from the region and from Zimbabwe itself.

He also talked about the statement on the situation in Sudan and about the brief statement on Gaza, calling for greater support for humanitarian effort and support for ceasefires.