In spite of all that I have written, it seems to me that schism in the Anglican Communion is not a fact. I would argue that it has not actually taken place. The Anglican Communion is still ‘teetering on the brink’, still ‘looking over the precipice’, but it hasn’t jumped. I base this conclusion - journalists are trained from the cradle to start not end stories with their conclusions - on all there is to base it on, the ‘instruments’ of the Communion.

We are used to hearing about the ‘music of the spheres’ but now there is a stranger song, the ‘music of the schism’.

In spite of the boycott of one instrument of communion, the Lambeth Conference, by some provinces in 2008, the last two Primates’ meetings have been fully attended apart from absentees explicable for reasons other than those at the root of the present debate. The next meeting will be in 2011, so perhaps we won’t have formal schism until then. But even that might not count. The ultimate arbiter might have to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, himself one of the four instruments of unity.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Archbishop of Canterbury • Anglican Covenant • Anglican Provinces • Church of England (CoE) • Instruments of Unity

1. Adam 12 wrote: She obviously is on the other side of the Pond. If there was no schism there would be no withdrawn dioceses, ACNA, lawsuits, DEPO and revenue and membership loss. And the Pope would have no carrot to dangle. January 7, 2:48 pm | [comment link]

2. Br_er Rabbit wrote: Ruth will have to get over her tintinnitus before she can hear the music of the spheres. January 7, 3:05 pm | [comment link]

3. dwstroudmd wrote: Ruthie has obviously never heard “‘Tis a Gift to be Simple” as regards melodies - only the Copeland arrangements and edifices built on this reality.  It is interesting that Cameron’s committee corrected the ABC on the matter of who can sign what - only provinces not dioceses.  Note bene: a mere priest upstaging an archbishop!  Shades of Robinson. January 7, 3:40 pm | [comment link]

4. Chazaq wrote: the last two Primates’ meetings have been fully attended ... by Primates who don’t share Holy Communion with their fellow Primates. Q: What kind of a Communion is it where the communicants don’t share Communion? A: An Anglican Communion. January 7, 4:53 pm | [comment link]

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