From The Common Cause Partnership Website.
Bishop Duncan Shares Concerns on Windsor Continuation Group
A letter by Bishop Robert Duncan, moderator of the Common Cause Partnership, to Bishop Gary Lillibridge of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas has been made public. In that letter, dated August 11, Bishop Duncan put in writing concerns of the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, Quincy and other members of the Common Cause Partnership caused by the suggestions of the Windsor Continuation Group for dealing with divisions in the Anglican Communion. Bishop Duncan had initially shared these concerns with those present at the Lambeth Conference of Bishops.
The August 11 letter was forwarded with permission by Bishop Lillibridge to members of the Windsor Continuation Group and subsequently leaked to liberal activists and published online and via email on August 18.
“I am happy to publicly acknowledge this letter and my description of the concerns we in the Common Cause Partnership have about the proposals of the Windsor Continuation Group. Nonetheless, it is disturbing to discover that at least one member of the Windsor Continuation Group, a body that is supposed to be working for reconciliation in the Anglican Communion, so quickly leaked private correspondence in an attempt to gain some passing political advantage,” said Bishop Duncan.
The members of the Windsor Continuation Group are:
The Most Revd Clive Handford, former Primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East (chair)
The Most Revd John Chew, Primate of South East Asia
The Right Revd Gary Lillibridge, Bishop of West Texas
The Right Revd Victoria Matthews, former Bishop of Edmonton
The Very Revd John Moses, former dean of St Paul's, London
The Most Revd Donald Mtetemela, Primate of Tanzania
They will be joined as a consultant by:
Dame Mary Tanner, Co-president of the World Council of Churches
and assisted by:
Canon Andrew Norman of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Staff and
Canon Gregory Cameron of the Anglican Communion Office
The Common Cause Partnership
* American Anglican Council
* Anglican Coalition in Canada
* Anglican Communion Network
* Anglican Mission in the Americas
* Anglican Network in Canada
* Convocation of Anglicans in North America
* Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas
* Forward in Faith North America
* Reformed Episcopal Church
The speculation about who leaked Bishop Duncan's memo and why by the boys and girls in Viagraland is fascinating and, more importantly, quite instructive.
What's really "disturbing" is the reference to "liberal activists" - like that's a bad thing.
7 comments:
Sounds like they are worried there may be a person who tries to follow what Jesus taught on the WCG.
Worry? I don't think Bishop Duncan worries about anything. Not even being deposed. He's over that. Angry? Annoyed? Well, that's more like it.
He's absolutely convinced of the rightness of his position and completely committed to carrying out his vision.
No time for worry. Especially about what Jesus taught.
Who cares about what Jesus taught, he was not even a member of Gaf(fe)Con! Besides, he tried to empower mere women. Hardly a role model you know!
;;sigh;;
FWIW
jimB
I'm not sure why the language of "liberal activists" is particularly disconcerting.
What's disturbing is the fact that the report of a committee has become law without any process of reception.
What's disturbing is that another committee has effectively become the Anglican Curia (Anglicuria?), or perhaps the Anglican Holy Office (Anglisition?) without anyone ever acknowledging what was happening.
What's disturbing is that a committee whose mandate supposedly has to do with reconciliation and unity is composed of five guys implacably opposed to any reconsideration of gay issues, and one woman who, while having never said "never," has also consistently voted no.
When the one moderate conservative is the closest thing there is to a liberal on the committee, then a sane person realizes the fix is in.
BTW, while Victoria Matthews is the former Bishop of Edmonton (Canada), she is now the Bishop of Christchurch (New Zealand).
Thanks, Malcolm. I was making light, of course. Everything you point out is quite disturbing - especially Victoria Matthews who worked on the 1998 Lambeth Resolution which encouraged a long period of "open reception" re: the ordination of women.
Just because there are changes in the faces at the top, doesn't mean there will be systemic or transformational change.
Don't get me wrong. I know Victoria. I think very highly of her. And I was quite disappointed when she was not elected Primate of All Canada. I trust her to be rigourously fair and honest.
But if a moderate conservative is the only person on the committee who is not a conservative hardliner, it hardly creates the conditions for any but one outcome.
The manner of +Duncan's eyebrows presents a challenge to me. Why, oh why, did Jesus (and Paul) have to be silent on matters of such importance?
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