The spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans said he feels "great grief" that more than 200 bishops are boycotting the Lambeth Conference, calling it a wound to the once-a-decade meeting of the Anglican fellowship.
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(Photo: Lambeth Conference)Dr. Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, addresses hundreds of Anglicans on Thursday during the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference in Canterbury.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams expressed respect for the decision of church leaders who stayed away, but he said their absence should not stop participants from trying to repair fractured relations, according to a paper released Thursday containing highlights of his private talk the previous day.
"I don't imagine that simply building relationships solves our problems," he told bishops at a closed-door prayer retreat Wednesday. "But the nature of our calling as Christians is such that we dare not, and I say very strongly, dare not pretend that we can meet and discuss without attention to this quality of relation with each other even if we disagree."
The Anglican Communion is a 77 million-member family of churches that trace their roots to the Church of England, including the Episcopal Church in the United States.
The centuries-old fellowship has long held together with different views of ritual and Scripture. But the communion began splintering in 2003 when the Episcopal Church consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
Around one-quarter of the world's Anglican bishops — theological conservatives mainly from Africa — are not attending the Lambeth Conference because Williams invited U.S. church leaders who consecrated Robinson and other church leaders who accept gay relationships.
Robinson and a few other clergy have been barred from the assembly, which runs through Aug. 3. The 650 or so church leaders who are participating are a mix of traditionalists, liberals and others with conflicting ideas on what Anglicans should believe.
Williams has designed a conference program with no votes or resolutions. Instead, the bishops will engage in Bible study and small group discussions on issues ranging from evangelism to the structure of the communion. Williams said the gathering has been set up so "every voice can be heard." The first public event, opening worship, is set for Sunday.
"It's a great grief that many of our brothers and sisters in the communion have not felt able to be with us for these weeks, a grief because we need their voice and they need ours in learning Christ together," Williams said at the prayer meeting.
On Thursday, bishops gathered privately in Canterbury Cathedral, where Williams gave sermons on the role of bishops as viewed through the Gospel.
Details of those talks were not released. But Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island said the archbishop of Canterbury spoke about how bishops must "call everyone together."
"Many people want us as bishops to align ourselves to one group or another," she said, summarizing his remarks. "But as bishops we must say there is more than just being on one man's side. You have to make decisions for the good of the whole. There's not just one way."
Last month, a group of Anglican traditionalists from Africa, Australia and other regions who are frustrated with Williams' leadership formed a new network within the communion that challenges his authority, while stopping short of schism.
Of Williams' sermon Thursday, Wolf said, "For those who like absolute answers and who wish for him to address the issues in the communion, this was probably a disappointment," but she said most people seemed to find his address inspirational.
Bishop Stacy Sauls of Lexington, Ky., who participated in the retreat Thursday, said he has sensed no animosity from bishops who have condemned the decision to consecrate Robinson. One strong critic, a West African bishop, even hugged him, Sauls said.
But Sauls said, "We're also too soon to get into many issues. The focus right now is on prayer."
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Jrmnts87- You write 'What truly wounds Lambeth Conference is the lack of unconditional love and acceptance in the spirit of the Lord Jesus who is the Christ'.
I love Bishop Williams unconditionally. Therefore I warn him unconditionally of the terrible apostasy he has fallen prey to. Therefore I reject unconditionally his apostasy.
Unconditional love and acceptance does not make wrong right and right wrong.
Many people who are part of the ecumenical movement, or part of a denomination trying to encourage or condone sin complain that Christians who call them on their sins are not seeking unity.
But while we SHOULD seek unity, we have to teach the word of God - not the word of the world.
We ARE to seek unity of the faith, but that must be the entire Gospel as taught by Christ, and that includes 'sin no more'. We are to leave our old sinful selves behind, not seek to justify them using scripture. Only when everyone is in agreement with what God said will we have unity of the faith. Until then, we must speak out against sin and condoning of sin, and teach our need for Christ's atonement and our need for holiness.
Ephesians 4:11-13
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until WE ALL REACH __UNITY IN THE FAITH AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD AND BECOME MATURE, ATTAINING TO THE WHOLE MEASURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST__.
But let us look at what unity of the faith means:
Ephesians 4:14-16
14 Then WE WILL NO LONGER BE INFANTS, TOSSED BACK AND FORTH BY THE WAVES, AND BLOWN HERE AND THERE BY EVERY WIND OF TEACHING AND BY THE CUNNING AND CRAFTINESS OF MEN IN THEIR DECEITFUL SCHEMING. 15 Instead, SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
We must be in agreement with the word of God, so we will not be tossed around by what the world says is good. Instead, we must in all things grow up into Christ.
Ok, so what does THAT mean?
Ephesians 4:17-24
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that YOU MUST NO LONGER LIVE AS THE GENTILES DO, IN THE FUTILITY OF THEIR THINKING. 18 THEY ARE DARKENED IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SEPARATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD BECAUSE OF THE IGNORANCE THAT IS IN THEM DUE TO THE HARDENING OF THEIR HEARTS. 19 HAVING LOST ALL SENSITIVITY, THEY HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES OVER TO SENSUALITY SO AS TO INDULGE IN EVERY KIND OF IMPURITY, WITH A CONTINUAL LUST FOR MORE. 20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 YOU WERE TAUGHT, WITH REGARD TO YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE, TO PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, WHICH IS BEING CORRUPTED BY ITS DECEITFUL DESIRES; 23 TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MINDS; 24 AND TO PUT ON THE NEW SELF, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS.
We must all be in agreement with the word of God, so we will be holy and righteous like God. Unity at the sake of God's word is not unity, it is foolishness.
What truly wounds Lambeth Conference is the lack of unconditional love and acceptance in the spirit of the Lord Jesus who is the Christ.
Blacksho89, if oyu are logged in, you can mouse over the word 'delete' on your own posts (next to 'flag') and click it (it will not show up as a link, but it is) and it will delete your post.
Flagged myself. hlerwin: Why must you post 3 times to say one thing?
Would he have been more accurate to say rather than wounds the summit, that it just adds salt to the wounds of the summit?
Bishop Williams said the absence of 200+ bishops wounded the Lambeth conference. No: Bishop Williams' compromising attitude towards apostasy in the Anglican community wounded the conference.
The real schismatics are they who turn away from Christ, not they who do not consort with apostates!
I'm glad you people don't get to vote at Canterbury Cathedral.
"They are no longer Christian."
So you say, pgc.
You folks gets so bitchy about other church's views.
I had to chuckle when I saw the headline, especially when it said the boycott 'wounds' the summit. It needs to be wounded. ICHABOD is probably a more accurate description.
The Bible says to run from those that deny that Jesus is the Christ (or Messiah) in 1 John. The fact that the Lambreth Conference is even taking place is against God's word. The boycott is truly biblical. You are not to fellowship with preachers that deny Christ. Any preacher that says that there is more than one way to God the Father has denied Christ.
I don't understand why Christian publications for the most part just focus on the issue of the ordination of Gene Robinson. Don't these reporters know that the head of the Episcopal Church has declared that Jesus is one of many paths to God???? That right there IS THE STORY. They are no longer Christian.
Let’s see; Postmodernism or the Bible? Hmmm . . . I will choose the latter along with these 200 hundred Bishops.