Rowan should heed that last comment.  I don’t think the attendance at Lambeth is going to be very good.

Before Canterbury, Alexandria was.
Fr. Kingsley

Wow - interesting downplaying of the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury!  I’m curious what Archbishop Williams would think of that comment.  Are the primates (I really hate that word) one of the instruments of unity?  He seems to be saying that it doesn’t matter with the Archbishop of Canterbury says or does, it’s the primates that matter.  It’s like setting up a power structure similar to that of Rome, but without a Pope - no power to the people, only the bishops.

Mark,

Americans and in particular American Baby Boomers love to throw out the words “power” and “the people” and “power to the people” without really any idea of what those words mean or whether they are proper for the context.  The American church and its “people” have the “power” to do whatever they want, but the rest of the Anglican Communion won’t consider them a part of the Anglican rite and will decline to worship or commune with them.  And to the extent the C of E follows the US and Canadian churches over the cliff, it will merit the same treatment.

Out of

The last point is interesting—although hardly new—in that it highlights something I’ve noticed recently:  there are people on both sides (I’ve forgotten the accepted four-quadrant taxonomical terms, but you know which groups I mean) that are prepared to stick to their guns regardless of potential schism in the Communion.  Both of these groups seem to like the idea of keeping Canterbury on their side, and will go to some effort to try to sway that See their way; but neither considers it fundamentally necessary.

I remember a year or two back, when the perennial “Well, what defines membership in the Anglican Communion, anyway?” question was routinely answered, “Whoever gets invited to Lambeth.”  Oddly, I don’t seem to be hearing that as much anymore…

Ross,

That seems to be a concern of Bp. Steenson’s as well.

Ross, I think many of us have written off +++Williams and are prepared to write off the AC as well.  It took a lot to get us there, but there we are.

“In this matter His Grace follows Church tradition in recognizing the authority of older sees such as Jerusalem, Alexandria, Rome and Antioch.”

Can someone explain what this means concretely? I’m not sure how recognizing older sees such as Rome or Antioch touches upon Anglican identity in the same way that Canterbury does. We are, all of us, a branch that has grown out of Canterbury (so to speak). We are not, as far as I am aware, in full Communion with either Rome or Antioch (more’s the pity).

It is no accident that both ++Orombi and ++Akinola are in the US speaking at the same time as the HOB has been meeting. There is a distinct message there. I wonder if they will attend the meeting in Pittsburgh. I wouldn’t be surprised: no reason to fly over just to speak in Wheaton and Lexington.

Both primates have been dismissive of +++Rowan and made it clear that they intend to boycott Lambeth if TEC bishops come, and maybe set up their own “Lambeth” in Africa. I guess the main question is whether it will be held in Abuja or Kampala; or manybe it will be held in Alexandria, since ++Orombi likes ancient sees. The other main question will be how many provinces would attend the African version.

I think the presence of both Africans in the US at this time is to send a clear message that they will continue to encourage and support the creation of an alternative Anglican province in America. Whether it is recognized by Canterbury or not is irrelevant, since they seem to be writing off the ABC.

Neither is writing off the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bob.  Archbishop Orombi is a primate and so is Archbishop Akinola.  They don’t have to report their every move or thought to ++Rowan.  They are equals and they regard each other as such. Archbishop Akinola recently said to Ruth Gledhill: “We keep on praying that Dr Rowan, who we love very much and keep on praying for every day for God’s guidance and God’s wisdom, we still believe that somehow he will resume with us and do what we ask him. Should he refuse to the end, we might have to call our meeting.”  And Archbishop Orombi meets with ++Rowan this weekend to discuss the present situation. Heny and Rowan are friends and have beenfor many years.  They will meet as equals and as friends, and they will speak frankly and in love, but they won’t agree on everything. 

Folks, read Archbishop Orombi’s sermon on Christian leadership.  IMHO, that’s the real news.  All these questions have been asked before and His Grace has offered these answers before, but this sermon is a once only glimpse into what is wrong in TEC.