wfn.org | Archbishop Carey discusses post-Lambeth climate

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99-047
Archbishop of Canterbury explores unity issues in post-Lambeth climate
by James Solheim
(ENS) Speaking at a theological conference in South Carolina, Archbishop
of Canterbury George L. Carey explored the threats to unity of the
Anglican Communion in the climate created by last summer's Lambeth
Conference of about 750 Anglican/Episcopal bishops from all over the
world.

Pointing out that "division continues," Carey said that "there seems to
be a growing tendency to retreat every time we face disagreement into
smaller and smaller groups, each more certain that they hold the truth,
and more determinedly aggressive in their stance against those with whom
they disagree."

Taking the Lambeth Conference as a clue to the health of the Anglican
Communion, Carey said in his April 8 keynote address at the Scholarly
Engagement with Anglican Doctrine (SEAD) that it "showed us that in many
different ways the Communion is in excellent heart," growing in many
parts of the world despite "facing the most awful conditions." While
individual provinces of the Communion have developed different ways "to
meet the particular needs of people in different areas," Carey wondered
if "we failed to see the inherent dangers of such diversity of growth."
The question that confronts the Communion now is "what are the
fundamental characteristics of Anglicanism which continue to demand our
loyalty, regardless of the particular elements of our church identity
which have grown from the local context?"

Carey said that it was clear to him that "we are faced with a number of
challenges which threaten our unity as a Communion." He cited the
tension between diversity and unity in matters of doctrine and the
Anglican theological methodology, especially around the interpretation
of Scripture for our time. And he said that the Communion must address
"the question of corporate responsibility," maintaining the "bonds of
peace whilst the serious issues are considered carefully and prayerfully
by us all."
Boundaries of diversity
Anglicans have always wrestled with attempts to "map some boundaries
within which legitimate diversity could be held in a time of fierce
theological and political debate." As heirs of the Reformation as well
as Catholic tradition, "we have prided ourselves on being able to hold
together evangelicals, catholics and liberals in one household even at
times when the tensions between traditions have been very high." Even
though that tension seems "unruly" at times, "It is an admission and
recognition that no one of the disparate traditions in the family
conveys the whole truth of God. We need each tradition to enrich the
whole."

"If the only thing we can say about our Communion is that it is diverse,
we are in serious trouble," Carey argued. It is one thing to recognize
the validity of everyone's search for truth but that "does not mean that
all views or propositions are acceptable, that anything is tolerated,
that there are no cardinal doctrines, beliefs and limits to orthodoxy."

Carey also questioned the argument of Dean William Franklin of Berkeley
at Yale Divinity School that Lambeth 1998 represented a "shift from
former concerns of structure to life and growth," with an emphasis on
freer styles of worship and a biblically based moral code as a guide to
public and private life.

In stressing the need for "the propagation of reasonable dialogue"
following the divisiveness of Lambeth, Carey asked, "How may our
Communion see these current difficulties as an opportunity, not for
deepening divisions, but for their healing?" He answered his own
question by suggesting that "the church needs love to be as generous and
as inclusive as the Gospel; the church needs truth to keep in step with
Scripture and God's will; the church needs holiness for the sake of its
integrity."

Using the ordination of women in some provinces as an example, Carey
said that those who accept and those who are opposed must be treated
with respect. "I welcome and encourage efforts to maintain full
communion between those of different views and urge that we resist the
temptation to sideline them," Carey said. He also defended the use of
so-called "flying bishops" to provide oversight for parishes in the
Church of England who are opposed to women in the priesthood. In
opposing attempts to rescind the provision, Carey said that the British
bishops "saw the importance of holding the church together and believed
that some 'untidiness' of theology was preferable to the bitterness of
division."
No unilateral action
In comments that seem aimed at the American church, Carey said that the
Anglican Communion "is hurt and weakened" when some of its members "act
without proper consultation," and that provinces themselves are damaged
when "a few dioceses act unilaterally." He said that "it is easy to
fragment" and that, once that process begins, it is "immensely
difficult" to rebuild unity. "No one has the right to take decisions
which affect the whole... No diocese should take unilateral action,
which impairs the life of the whole province. No province should take
unilateral actions which affect and impair the whole Communion," he
said.

"In matters which are demonstrably controversial and divisive, we must
deepen the dialogue across the cultures and provinces," he contended.
"We must not intimidate one another, misrepresent one another or despise
one another." In an obvious reference to an exchange of letters between
Bishop Ron Haines of Washington and Bishop Eliphaz Maasri of Uganda,
Carey said that linking aid to the vote on the Lambeth resolution
against the ordination of non-celibate homosexuals or blessing of
homosexual relationships is "immoral and deeply un-Christian and
certainly has no place in the Anglican way."

Carey applauded efforts by Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold to build
more unity in the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops. "Church history
tells us that when bishops disagree, disunity and heresy are usually the
fruit."

In his closing comments, Carey said that he had seen the best and the
worst of the Communion in his travels but has concluded that "we are
still seeking the full richness of being a Communion of churches... we
are still on the way to being a Communion and we shall in reality be a
Communion-great, growing and strong-when we truly learn to share, when
we truly start to build bridges across the cultures and when we truly
start to take mission seriously."
--James Solheim is director of the Episcopal Church's Office of News and
Information.