CNS: Pope, Anglican leader pledge to continue dialogue for unity

Posted by Kendall Harmon

Asked for the pope's reaction, the archbishop said, "the main message was that the constitution did not represent any change in the Vatican's attitude toward the Anglican Communion as such."

As for the issue of ordaining openly gay men and blessing gay marriages, which a few Anglican provinces have done, Archbishop Williams told Vatican Radio the official policy of the Anglican Communion remains opposed to such practices.

"We have to keep considering this, praying about it (and) reflecting without creating too many facts on the ground that pretend the debate is settled," he told the radio. At the same time, he said, it must be done in a way that shows how much "we value and appreciate the contribution made already by many faithful gay and lesbian people who serve as clergy and laity in the church."

Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and Archbishop Williams both said they thought the next topic to be treated by ARCIC would be the relationship between the local and universal church.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams • Anglican Provinces • Church of England (CoE) • * Religion News & Commentary • Ecumenical Relations • Other Churches • Roman Catholic • Pope Benedict XVI

2 Comments
Posted November 23, 2009 at 4:24 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. dwstroudmd wrote:

“In the end, the archbishop said in his speech, the question can be formed as: Is the universal church “an entity from which local churches derive their life, or is it the perfect mutuality of relationship between local churches?”“

If the Anglican Communion, with its renegade provinces enacting facts on the ground without any regard to “mutuality”, is the definition of “mutuality of relationship between local churches,” the answer is patently obvious to all save the ABC: such is nonexistent. Not a particularly good example.  And, of course, there is the apparent decision by fiat proclaimed by the ABC prior to this meeting on WO in disregard of the Orthodox and Roman positions (not to mention the historic Anglican position and current non-received status of that innovation in significant parts of the Anglican Communion) to consider in the “mutuality of relationship of local churches” considered on a global scale.

Were the ABC looking carefully and reading carefully the Anglican Communion, this would not be seriously suggested.  Perhaps it was not.

November 23, 6:28 pm | [comment link]
2. Passing By wrote:

The Pope gave ++RW 20 minutes, huh?  Wow, that would make me feel real important.  Was there even time to serve tea?!! 

“As for the issue of ordaining openly gay men and blessing gay marriages, which a few Anglican provinces have done, Archbishop Williams told Vatican Radio the official policy of the Anglican Communion remains opposed to such practices”.

“Official policy” maybe but that’s window dressing, because it is not a policy that is enforced with any discipline for violating it.

November 23, 9:37 pm | [comment link]
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