Anglican Meeting Set
on Gay Issue
By AP from the
NYTimes on the Web, April 17, 2007
TORONTO, Apr. 16 -- The
spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans said Monday he has agreed to an urgent
request for a meeting with U.S. church leaders as the Anglican fellowship nears
a split over the Bible and sexuality.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, visiting Canada for a spiritual retreat
with the country's Anglican bishops, said he would meet with U.S. Episcopal
leaders in the fall.
''My aim is to try and keep people around the table for as long as possible on
this, to understand one another,'' Williams said at a news conference at the
Anglican Church of Canada headquarters.
Last month, U.S. Episcopal bishops affirmed their support for gays and rejected
a compromise plan that would have required the Americans to give up some
authority to theological conservatives outside the U.S. church.
The Episcopal bishops then implored Williams to meet with them to hear their
views.
The Episcopal Church is the U.S. wing of the 77 million-member Anglican
Communion. But it is at odds theologically with the vast majority of
Anglican churches, which take a more conservative view on sexuality and other
issues. The conflict erupted in 2003 when the Episcopalians consecrated
the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
Williams has no direct authority to force a reconciliation, and has been
struggling to negotiate a truce.
''Yes, these are difficult days,'' Williams said. ''I think the (church)
in recent years has had to face the fact that the division on certain subjects,
especially sexuality, has been getting much more deep and bitter and threatens
to divide us.''
The latest plan emerged from a February meeting of Anglican leaders, called
primates, in Tanzania -- and it included an ultimatum for the U.S. church.
Episcopalians were given until Sept. 30 to unequivocally pledge not to
consecrate another partnered gay bishop or authorize official prayers for
same-sex couples. Otherwise, the church could have a much-reduced role in
the communion.
As part of the Anglicans' demands, Episcopalians were told to accept a ''primatial
vicar'' and special committee that would oversee U.S. dioceses that reject
Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who supports gay
relationships.
The Episcopal House of Bishops is scheduled to meet in September in New Orleans.
''If there is to be any change on the church's attitude on gay and lesbian
behavior then I would hope it would be a change of attitude on the part of the
church as a whole,'' Williams said. ''We have to determine what is for the
health of the body of Christ regionally and locally.''
Just before Williams traveled to Toronto, the head of the Anglican Church of
Canada, Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, criticized how Williams had handled the
global rift.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph of London published April 10, Hutchison
called Williams ''indecisive'' and said he had failed to properly lead the
church.
At Monday's news conference, Hutchison called Williams ''a man of deep
spirituality.''
The Canadian church will hold its national meeting in Winnipeg in June, when
they will consider whether to allow priests to conduct blessing ceremonies for
same-sex couples.
On the Net: Anglican Church of Canada:
http://www.anglican.ca/index.htm
The Episcopal Church:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/
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