SHADOW ARCHBISHOP

from Midwest Conservative Journal by The Editor

The Anglican left is still seething about the sanctions imposed on the Episcopal Organization by Rowan Williams and if you want to see just how angry they are, check out any given Thinking Anglicans comment thread(this one and this one are typical; thanks, Prof) or read little Katie Sherrod’s nasty, petulant and childish account of the Executive Council’s recent meeting with Kenneth Kearon.

Which brings up the question: if push were ever to come to shove, would the Anglican left walk away from Canterbury? I’m not sure that they would. For one thing, I think the liberals need whatever “legitimacy” the Canterbury connection can offer them. If they walk away, they’re just another bunch of Protestants.

But suppose TEO decided to cut ties. Would others follow them? Episcopalians would have no problem with leaving, of course, and neither would Central and South America, but others might. Fred Hiltz can talk a good game about supporting the Americans but if TEO walked, I think Church House might hesitate to follow them out.

After all, Elizabeth II is the Queen of Canada and her image adorns that country’s Great Seal so cutting ties with the mother church might be a difficult thing for Canadian Anglicans to commit themselves to. Add to this the fact that the colossus to Canada’s south would be running the show(for it would) and you can see why the Canadians might develop qualms about a final break.

Church of England supporters of the Americans might hesitate as well. Perhaps Colin Slee would consider himself the most blessed of men just to be permitted to grovel at Mrs. Schori’s feet but British law might prove a stumbling block to the Dean’s aspirations.

So I can’t see the liberals walking out. Particularly when they don’t have to. Why?

Liberal GAFCON.

What’s the ultimate goal of the Anglican left? To increase the worldwide prestige of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Organization.

How do you do that? Let’s say that Mrs. Schori is informed that her presence at the next Primates Meeting will not be helpful or whatever euphemism my gracious lord of Canterbury chooses to use. So she stays away.

Because of the “insult” to the Presiding Bishop, TEO itself completely withdraws from Anglican affairs for a short time. They won’t formally cut ties; they’ll call it a “period of discernment” or whatever other weasel words those people like to employ.

At the end of that time, Kate, Fred, whatever other Anglican primates want to join them and sympathetic bishops from England and other places announce that they’re going to hold a Very Important Anglican Meeting^TM, probably in London, which will be extensively covered by the sympathetic British and American press.

The result of that meeting?

Liberal GAFCON. L-GAFCON will have a mission statement and a professional web site and a way for people to contribute or join if they want. And L-GAFCON, of course, will have a presiding bishop who will, of course, be named Katharine Jefferts Schori.

L-GAFCON will emphasize that it has no intention of withdrawing from the Anglican Communion but that it does intend to represent the interests of its constituent churches in the councils of the Anglican Communion. And L-GAFCON will have an advantage that its conservative counterpart lacks. Respectful and extensive media coverage.

Think of it. For all practical purposes, Anglicanism will become the first and only Christian tradition with its own organized political parties and Mrs. Schori will become a left-wing alternative to Rowan Williams. Every time he says something about anything at all, the media will be sure to find out what her take is on the subject.

The two of them may agree or may disagree. But they’ll be mentioned in the same news stories so often that as far as the uneducated public will be concerned, Dr. Williams and Mrs. Schori will become two versions of the same thing.

And down the road? Who knows what the de jure politicization of the Anglican Communion will be able to achieve?