From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org
Archbishop of Canterbury responds to recent consecrations
From
ENS.parti@ecunet.org (ENS)
Date
18 Feb 2000 12:10:15
For more information contact:
Episcopal News Service
Kathryn McCormick
kmccormick@dfms.org
212/922-5383
http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens
2000-030S
Archbishop of Canterbury won't recognize bishops consecrated in
Singapore
In a February 17 letter to all bishops of the Anglican
Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury George L. Carey has concluded
that he cannot recognize the two American priests consecrated to
the episcopate in a January 29 service in Singapore--Charles
Murphy of South Carolina and John Rodgers of Pennsylvania.
Pointing out that "territorial integrity is a most important
element of due episcopal order and collegiality," a principle
"emphasized and endorsed" over the years by Lambeth Conferences
of Anglican bishops, Carey said that the consecrations ignore
this principle. "In the case of this particular consecration,
neither the constitution of the Province of South East Asia nor
that of that of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, to whose primates
John Rodgers and Charles Murphy have sworn an oath of canonical
obedience, have been followed." He added that Anglican polity
"requires that ordained ministers should be properly authorised
to pursue their ministry in the province within which they wish
to work, and according to canon law of that province. It appears
that this is not the intention in this case, and it is doubtful
in the present circumstances whether such authorisation would be
forthcoming."
Even though he is prepared to recognize Rodgers and Murphy
as "faithful and committed ministers of the Gospel, I have to
conclude that I cannot recognise their episcopal ministry until
such time as a full rapprochement and reconciliation has taken
place between them and the appropriate authorities within the
Episcopal Church of the United States."
Addressing the bishops who participated in the consecration,
Carey said that "the understanding of episcopal ministry, which
appears to have allowed them to act unilaterally, without
consultation and in secret, is quite foreign to the Anglican
tradition." The consecration contradicts the "corporate and
representative nature of episcopal ministry," Carey said.
Expectations that the serious issues the Anglican Communion
is facing will be resolved at the March meeting of the primates
is "unrealistic," Carey said. He reminded the bishops that the
meeting is "consultative" and, while there was some exploration
of an expanded role for the primates, "there has been no
opportunity for us to explore these proposals in any detail."
In the meantime, "We have no authority to impose our will on
any province. To talk of the primates disciplining the Episcopal
Church of the USA or any other province for that matter, goes far
beyond the brief of the Primates' Meeting."
Carey expressed sympathy with those who are "deeply
concerned at the direction in which some parts of the Communion
are moving. I understand your fears, your worries and your
frustrations." Those bishops who have rejected the strong stand
at Lambeth 1998 on sexuality issues are raising "substantial
difficulties" for colleagues around the world. Yet the church
must continue its dialogue on sexuality issues. He concluded that
"this situation is a test of our belief in the Anglican way of
dialogue, study and prayer." The consecrations have made it
"difficult" for the American church to "respond constructively to
the criticisms which are being laid on them." He urged the
bishops to keep the situation in perspective and "guard against
the risk of allowing one issue to divert all our attention from
the primary task of mission to which we are called."
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