What would puzzle me is if the Roman Catholic Church would continue to participate in the travesty. Talks of unity while one participant is running away seems like a grand waste of time and money. I think that Pope Benedict has more sense than this.

It will probably only be a matter of time before global south Anglican archbishops commence ecumenical dialogue with certain Roman Catholic counterparts on their own.

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Welcome to the new Anglican Communion.

“The appointment of advocates of same-sex blessings to the Anglican Communion’s ARCIC team does not violate the Archbishop of Canterbury’s ban on participation in ecumenical dialogue of those who propagate views contrary to the church’s teachings on human sexuality.”

Of course it doesn’t! No ban or policy or statement by this Archbishop of Canterbury has any objective meaning, therefore by definition it can’t be violated. All meaning is entirely what Rowan Williams or Canon Kearon says it is, at any particular time. That is why ABC and Kearon+ have lost all credibility.

“It also serves to further erode the credibility of the ACC staff, which has been under sharp criticism from leaders of the Global South and Gafcon movement, and makes the possibility of a rapprochement within the communion less likely.”

Precisely.

“Bishop Linda Nicholls of Toronto was not barred either, ACC spokesman Jan Butter said, as “Canada has not formally breached the moratoria. It was made clear at the time that it was the members of those Churches that had who would be asked to serve as consultants” and not participants in the dialogues.”

Translation: ‘Blah, blah, blah, sophistry, blah blah…’

“I very much doubt that Canon Kearon, speaking as he does for the Archbishop of Canterbury, has reversed his policy of not allowing members of churches which move beyond the common faith and order of the Communion to serve on international commissions such as ARCIC.  It is therefore puzzling and disheartening that a member of the Diocese of Toronto has been so appointed,” Dr. Henderson said.

It is only puzzling and disheartening for those who still naively maintain some shred of trust in the ABC and the ACC. Those who have accepted that ABC’s word can never be trusted on any issue will not suffer puzzlement at all, nor will they be disappointed.

Farstrider at #3,

Not exactly. The Anglican Communion is more like Israel after it had demanded and received a king to its own liking, Saul.

God warned Israel not to desire a king, but they pressed ahead anyway, only to find themselves ruled by a man who did not truly fear God. So it is with the official Anglican Communion today as ABC attempts to centralise and strengthen his powers. So it is with TEC as Ms K Schori does the same.

Fair enough, MichaelA, I’ll give you the kingship issue. I’ll stand strong on the last part of the Judges quote, though. We have shifted to a situation where everyone (or at least every province) does what is right in their own eyes. While judgment will come (and by God’s grace, deliverance), we are firmly locked in the sin cycle that Judges describes—at least in the West.

“It is only puzzling and disheartening for those who still naively maintain some shred of trust in the ABC and the ACC. Those who have accepted that ABC’s word can never be trusted on any issue will not suffer puzzlement at all, nor will they be disappointed.”

The Revd Dr Murray Henderson is one of the least naive persons I know. He is putting in the record a statement that calls for defense and exposes the reality. Just as Conger’s reporting is intended to show the obvious contradiction in what has been said in the ACO. And that is why he quotes Dr Henderson. I wonder if the naivete is actually your own?

“In his Pentecost letter of May 28, 2010, Dr. Rowan Williams stated that members of provinces that were in breach of the moratoria would no longer participate in the communion’s ecumenical dialogues”.

And that has proved to be no more than the usual, corrupt, window dressing/“cookie”. 

One of my first thoughts was similar to #1’s, but then my astute spouse pointed out that the RC’s might see it as an opportunity for a teaching moment.  And, they might not come to any agreement, but they’d “dialogue” with Baptists, too.

I am not disheartened by this most recent action. To be disheartened, one needs to still have had trust in Rowan. At this point, that is naive.

We now are seeing the three moratoria becoming one moratorium - no cross border interventions! Rowan is taking off his sheep’s clothing, but people should have been clued in by the fangs long ago - especially “least naive” people.

C. Seitz,

I agree that those are worthy objectives. For many of us though, there really is nothing surprising in ABC’s behaviour any more. We have long ago picked him as a liberal activist who will say or write anything in order to achieve his ends.

I wonder if the naivete is actually your own?

I’m not sure what this one means, so I’ll let it through to the keeper!

It is naive to assume that someone who comments as did Murray Henderson believes that the ACO and the ABC are fully on side and worthy of trust. This struggle is happening on a variety of fronts at the same time and it is important to expose the pressure points.