Lambeth lament

‘An expensive exercise in futility’ says one bishop, while another declares ‘the unresolved issues are still dividing us’, three others say ‘GAFCON is the heir apparent to assume leadership of the Anglican Communion’

The recently concluded Lambeth Conference was a missed opportunity to address the crisis in the Anglican Communion. That chance may never come again.

The fact of crisis is undeniable.

North American Anglicans have severely compromised the declared mind of the Communion on human sexuality stated ten years earlier at the previous Lambeth. As a result, many churches have broken communion with the North American churches. At the urging of the Primates, the Archbishop of Canterbury convened a committee which issued the Windsor Report to answer the call for action. The North American innovations were condemned, a covenant to govern behaviour was proposed and Panel created to care for ‘dissenting parishes and dioceses’.

There was an opportunity to discipline the theological innovators in North America by not inviting them to Lambeth but all bar one were invited, so as a matter of conscience about twenty five percent of the other bishops stayed away.

There was an opportunity to act positively to stand with the parishes and dioceses now in litigation over property. A declaration that the Lambeth Conference remains in full communion with those parishes and dioceses would materially assist the orthodox to retain property. But the final Lambeth release is silent.

Contrast this with GAFCON where recognition is given to a North American Province. There was an opportunity to positively engage with GAFCON and the Jerusalem Declaration but Lambeth studiously ignored this new development. There was an opportunity to redress the now indefensible ‘England-centric’ nature of the Instruments of Communion: Lambeth, Canterbury, the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council.

The heartbeat of the Anglican Communion is now in Africa, not London or New York.

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