Primates and Parable

I am concerned about the increasingly steamy rhetoric we are seeing here, much of which arises out of inappropriate notions that we are in a struggle between two - and only two -- forces within the Anglican Communion.

Brief review, as seen from here:

• The Archbishop of Canterbury, in spite of dismal predictions by some who have labelled him "inept," "incompetent", "cowardly," etc., has led us very well.
• He chaired the Communion Subgroup which was formed after General Convention 2006 to evaluate the Episcopal Church's response to the Windsor Report. When he received the report and recommendations of the Subgroup he sat on it very solidly, allowing no leakage to the press and thus no opportunity for premature fighting over it. He presented it properly and promptly to the Primates at their Dar es Salaam meeting, where it surprised many people by its very moderate tone toward TEC.
• He then maintained control of the agenda, preventing Archbishop Akinola from taking it over.
• He stated very clearly that Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori is the properly elected head of TEC and has a full place as a Primate. As a result, all the Primates present sat at the table together, even those who had previously threatened to refuse to sit with Bishop Jefferts Schori.
• He introduced, as his guests, several TEC bishops who presented several different views of TEC, thus making it very clear (to the surprisingly receptive Primates) that TEC is actually not of one mind at all.
• He preached a magnificent sermon at Zanzibar, where he was joined in the Eucharist by all but seven of the Primates.
• He then resumed the chair in the subsequent meeting which, under enormous pressure of time and crisis, produced a detailed "interim solution" which:
  • Promoted the concept that the world has changed greatly and the WWAC has changed within it, so that "gentlemen's agreements" are no longer sufficient and a new Covenant must be developed during the coming years;
  • Accepts the apology of TEC for breaking the bonds of fellowship,but needs further clarification and reassurances from the TEC House of Bishops that there will be no further ordinations of same-sex bishops and no further blessings of same-sex unions;
  • States that secessions by parishes and dioceses are not permissible;
  • Suggests the formation of a "Pastoral Council" (two members chosen by the Primates, two by the Presiding Bishop, and one by the Archbishop of Canterbury) to select and guide a "Primatial Vicar" for pastoral care to dissidents within TEC;
  • States that that arrangement will remove the necessity for intrusion into TEC from other Provinces, and such intrusions should cease;
  • Admonishes TEC to cease all civil litigation.

The many minds of TEC:

1. There is a relatively small portion of TEC who are militant about the permanence and literality of Scripture, they are intensely anti-glbt, they are vigorously planning a temporary series of secessions of parishes and dioceses from TEC in order to form a "parallel Province" which will eventually replace TEC within the Anglican Communion, and they are actively cooperative with "pastoral" intrusions into TEC by other Provinces led by Nigeria.
2. There is a portion of TEC who, although less militant, are inclined to support literal Scripture, are not supportive of further ordination of gay bishops or blessing of same-sex unions, but are definitely not interested in secession, and are not enthusiastic about alien intrusions into TEC.
3. There is a portion of TEC - difficult to identify precisely, but apparently substantial -- who are somewhat isolationist, regarding neither the Scripture issues nor the glbt issues not the Anglican Communion itself as crucial enough to fight about, pleading "why can't we all get along together"?
4. There is a relaltively small portion of TEC who are militant about progressive evolution of theology and Scripture, they are intensely insistent upon full participation of lgbt Christians in all aspects of TEC as a baptismal and justice issue, they are vigorously opposed to secessions - especially if they involve claims about ownership of property, and they are highly indignant about intrusions into TEC by other Provinces, especially Nigeria.

It is because of the unpredictable and shifting agreements and disagreements amongst these various portions of TEC that the actions of GC2006 were so confused, uncertain, and distressing to so many. It also appears that the Primates are not of one mind, even though their communique at the end of the Dar es Salaam meeting gives the illusion of unanimity.

1. The eucharist issue demonstrated that only seven of them took the hardened anti-TEC stance.
2. Apparently some of them feel that TEC should be admonished and asked for clarifications and reassurances about the glbt issues, but nothing further need be done.
3. Many of them were supportive of PB Jefferts Schori.
4. Few, if any, supported formation of a parallel Province.
5. Some, mostly those from countries which have strong histories of representative democracy, are definitely aligned with TEC, but relieved that although their polity and actions have been similar to TEC they have not yet come under aggressive scrutiny.
6. This meeting welcomed fourteen new Primates who replaced those who had completed their terms - a 30% change since the previous meeting. The effects of their participation in this meeting are not yet known.
7. Abp Hutchinson of Canada remarked, after the meeting: "You need to recognize that there is a small core of Primates who, with all sincerity and integrity in the world, believe that this is a salvation issue, (that) it is perverse, disobedient, and leading the church to hell."

Conclusion:

• Disaster has been averted. A provisional plan has been devised. WWAC is - if somewhat precariously - intact and operational.
• Since the Primates are not, in fact, an iron-fisted gorilla which is out to destroy the polity and position of a hapless TEC, and TEC is not, in fact, a rebellious adolescent who is grimly determined to defy its custodians, the pronouncements from members of this list (Ed. the HoB/D mailing list) about the "arrogant and uninformed judgment" of the Primates, and the shouts of RESIST and REFUSE are utterly inappropriate. Angry rhetoric is not useful.
• Abp Akinola and his group act as if they are "the Primates," and some members of this list have fallen into the serious error of referring to THE PRIMATES as if they were a solid bloc synonymous with Akinola.

It seems necessary to recall that most of the Primates are senior clergy from all over the world, caring and wise Christians who would much rather be preaching and showing love of God and neighbors than dealing with dissent. They genuinely hope that the House of Bishops of TEC will be able to give them clarifications and reassurances.

At the same time, it seems inevitable that, after some months of soul searching, the HoB will find itself saying something along these lines: "After very serious deliberation we find that we cannot provide assurances that there will be no more ordinations of gay bishops and no more same-sex blessings. We bishops are not of one mind, nor do we have authority to speak for the clergy and laity of TEC who are surely not of one mind. We ask the Primates and people of the Anglican Communion to continue to work with us for the peace of the Church and the glory of God."

A Parable for our Times

There was once a village that had been in existence for many years. There came a time of great storms from the north and from the south, and there was much destruction and suffering.

The people began to restore and repair their village. But there was much quarreling. Some said, "Your repairs are badly done, and ugly" or "What you are doing will diminish the value of our property" or "You are causing more erosion" or "You are using resources which are needed elsewhere." Some said, "Our neighborhood is different from your neighborhood, but you are disregarding us" or "This is painful for us and our children" or "You have no right to make our village different than it has always been" or "Why should our village be always the same?"

Then the Elders of the village gathered together. (There was also in the village a Very Wise Woman, and she was acknowledged as an Elder, although some grumbled.) The Elders listened to all that was said. Then they said, "Temporary repairs have been made, but strife continues. Differences of opinion are valuable, but strife is not good. Let us agree to hold off on further repairs, since some of them provoke great disagreement. Let us wait until later in the year, when the storms have decreased. Let us have time for much discussion. Then we will be able to make plans and work together for the comfort and safety of the village, and for the best use of our resources, so that our village can continue." Some people shouted that it is intolerable and unjust to wait that long. Others agreed with the Elders, saying "We must make a plan so that all agree."

But the wisest said, "We must make a plan so that we can live and work together even though we continue to have disagreements."