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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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