Anglican Meeting In Tanzania Revisited

The meeting could have ended worse! The competing forces of those relying on a rather strict interpretation of Scripture and those trying to address contemporary mores within the general context of Christianity surfaced throughout the conference, e.g., some bishops refused to share communion with the Bishop Jefferts, the Presiding Bishop of the United States Episcopal Church. In the end, the communiqué appears to have burdened the Episcopal Conference of the United States (ECUSA) with some challenges.

In terms of the crucial issues of blessing the unions of lesbians and gays and the ordination of openly gay priests to the episcopacy, the ECUSA was ordered to refrain from “authorizing” such blessings and from ordaining gay bishops. It was noted by some that the communiqué did not require the practice of blessing unions of gays and lesbians to cease; bishops could allow the practice to occur without their authorization. A deadline for accepting such restrictions was established as of September 30.

There was also a recommendation that new positions of authority, including a “primatial vicar” be established to oversee those conservative churches that were concerned with the official leadership of ECUSA. The new Presiding Bishop, Katherine Jefferts Schori, supports the more liberal practices. Never has such a role designed to temper the official leadership been established.

The House of Bishops will meet in March to discuss the recommendations of the communiqué, but it is unclear whether a decision can be made without including laity and clergy. The next General Convention is not scheduled until 2009.

Even if the recommendations do seem to be skewed in favor of the more conservative views, the ECUSA could consider accepting the recommendations for the immediate future without having any conclusions become fixed in concrete. Eventually, time will permit others to see the validity of the practices adopted by the ECUSA. It will take a degree of patience that some may find most difficult to accept, especially those directly impacted by these recommendations.

It is heartening at least to see that, in the midst of such a serious struggle that touches the integrity of all participants, there was an effort to not push anyone beyond what appears to be temporarily tolerable.

Sometimes, such tolerance is to be celebrated!