Anglican Communion split inevitable
In an outspoken interview with The Daily Telegraph, the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, said that divisions between liberals and conservatives were so profound that a compromise was no longer possible.
He increased the pressure on the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to take firm action against the liberal American leadership.
"Anglicans are used to fudging things sometimes, but I think this is a matter of such seriousness that fudge won't do," said Bishop Nazir-Ali.
"Sometimes you have to recognise that there are two irreconcilable positions and you have to choose between them.
"The right choice is in line with the Bible and the Church's teaching down the ages, not some new-fangled religion we have invented to respond to the 21st century.
"My fear is that the Church of England has made a number of moves in the liberal, Protestant direction. That gives me concerns that the Bible will become less important and that the Church is moving away from its traditional Catholic order.
"If you move in that direction you become a kind of options Church, where you live by preferences."
The Pakistan-born evangelical bishop has the ear of powerful conservative leaders in Africa and Asia and his comments at the convention, in Columbus, Ohio, will be a blow to Dr Williams, who has expended much energy holding the warring factions together. But they will be welcomed by those who fear that Dr Williams will do everything he can to avoid expelling the liberal Americans from the worldwide Communion. Bishop Nazir-Ali suggested that the US Church was already beyond the pale, irrespective of how it voted on resolutions designed to test whether it was prepared to dilute its liberal agenda.
He said an unconnected decision by its House of Bishops on Friday to back civil if not religious marriages for gay couples was so significant it made issues such as gay bishops "an interesting footnote".
The Church has been given until the end of the convention on Wednesday to toe the conservative line on homosexuality or face expulsion.
It has been asked to express regret for defying the official policy of the 75-million strong Communion by consecrating Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in 2003. It has also been asked to impose a moratorium on public blessings of same-sex "marriages".
But Bishop Nazir-Ali said that, whatever the outcome, the Americans had already become detached from the roots of Anglicanism.
"Nobody wants a split, but if you think you have virtually two religions in a single Church something has got to give sometime," he said.
He suggested the point of no return had been passed, and effectively challenged Dr Williams to recognise the fact.
Source: VirtueOnline
Former Catholic elected first Anglican female primate
Katharine Jefferts Schori, a liberal bishop from Nevada who was raised a Catholic, was elected on Sunday as the first woman leader of the 2.3 million-member US Episcopal Church.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Bishop Schori, who has liberal views on homosexuality, is the first woman primate in Anglican history. Her role as Presiding Bishop is the equivalent to that of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The historic but divisive development could see a potential break-up of the worldwide Anglican denomination.
Conservatives predicted Bishop Schori, 52, would lead the Anglican church further along its liberal path on issues such as homosexuality, and her election will dismay traditionalists opposed to women priests.
The only other countries to have women bishops are New Zealand and Canada.
A leading traditionalist, the Right Reverend Jack Iker, said: "She will be the only woman among 38 primates and the majority of them do not even recognise women bishops. This is going to be very difficult for the Archbishop of Canterbury."
"It will be a great adventure," Ms Jefferts Schori said.
Asked whether she was chosen to "send a message" to the wider Anglican community upset with the US church, Bishop Schori told reporters, "God welcomes all. Those who agree and disagree."
She promised to reconcile with those in the US church who are upset with its direction after she is installed at a ceremony in Washington's National Cathedral in November.
Bishop Schori was raised a Roman Catholic, is a qualified pilot and graduated in marine biology with a doctorate specialisation in squids and oysters.
SOURCE (The Sydney Morning Herald 20/6/06) Church Resources
