The Future of Anglican Communion Looking Brighter?

I finally have had some time to reflect today on recent events in the Anglican Communion, and I must say that I am becoming more encouraged. Why? I think that the following recent developments are all positive: the favorable response of the ACC to the House of Bishops response to the Primates Communique, the fairly rapid consent to Mark Lawrence as Bishop of South Carolina, the decision of Quincey not to leave the Episcopal Church--at least for now, and the acceptance of 500 Bishops of their invitation to Lambeth.

My sense, from reading the conservative blogs is that the efforts toward schism may be losing steam--and it appears more and more likely that is schism occurs, the Episcopal Church will remain in communion with Canterbury, and those who leave us will not.

I am hopeful that the consent of Mark Lawrence will send a message that there is a home in the Episcopal Church for those who opposed the actions of General Convention 2003.

Am I a bit too optimistic? Perhaps. But I think it undeniable that the future of the Anglican Communion looks brighter now than it did this summer.

What do you think?

Comments

pmc said…
Chuck,

I, too, am feeling somewhat optimistic. Or, really, I am hopeful - (William Sloan Coffin, Jr. talked about not being an optimist, but being a person of hope and I concur on the topic of the Anglican Communion.)

I think there is some real pain felt by various people in our church right now. The ones I have heard from in person lately are both 'conservatives' as well as soem of my friends who are gay - feelings of betrayal and some anger at the recent actions and letters from the House of Bishops. However, I think that people are beginning to take the long view, which is hard but gets us out of a narrow view of things.

I agree that some of the recent discussion on conservative blogs seems a bit different. Also, I am hopeful about the consents of Mark Lawrence.

We'll have to see how things happen "domestically" with property issues in Virginia, and probably Pittsburgh, but I agree that "big S" Schism seems less and less likely (I hope).

Sorry for the ramble, I do enjoy your good comments on our church -

Peace to you!

Peter Carey
http://santospopsicles.blogspot.com
October 30, 2007 at 8:40 PM
Chuck Blanchard said…
Thanks for your comment, Peter. I am glad that I am not alone in my feelings of hope.

Congratulations, by the way, on your upcoming ordination!
October 31, 2007 at 9:21 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Giles Fraser on Gay Marriage

Image
The Rev. Gileas Fraser offers thoughtful piece on gay marriage on BBC Radio this morning: Back in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as the Book of Common Prayer was being put together, marriage was said to be for three purposes: First, It was ordained for the procreation of children … Secondly, It was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication .. Thirdly, It was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. How do these three concerns relate to the prospect of gay marriage? The third priority insists that marriage is designed to bring human beings into loving and supportive relationships. Surely no one can deny that homosexual men and women are in as much need of loving and supportive relationships as anybody else. And equally deserving of them too. This one seems pretty clear. The second priority relates to the encouragement of monogamy. The Archbishop of Canterbury himself has rig
Read more

Religious Map of United States

Image
This map shows which of eight major Christian denominations has a plurality in the United States, county by county. the map obviously does not capture the full story given the rich diversity of Christian denominations in the United States, but it does show much of the regionalization of the major denominations. The map and analysis can be found here . Hat Tip to my friend Jim .
Read more

New Climate Change Study

What a coincidence. Yesterday, I blogged about the James Dobson et al "We Get It" effort to deny climate change. Yesterday, NASA scientists issued a new report showing a strong causal link between human activity and climate change. Here is the Science Daily report: A vast array of physical and biological systems across the earth are being affected by warming temperatures caused by humans, says a new analysis of information not previously assembled all in one spot. The effects on living things include earlier leafing of trees and plants over many regions; movements of species to higher latitudes and altitudes in the northern hemisphere; changes in bird migrations in Europe, North America and Australia; and shifting of the oceans' plankton and fish from cold- to warm-adapted communities. "Humans are influencing climate through increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and the warming world is causing impacts on physical and biological systems attributable at the global scal
Read more