Episcopal News Service March 5, 2007
Listening: Pastoral Letter from Lambeth Palace
Archbishop - Communion challenges require 'generosity and patience'
[Lambeth Palace] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has said that generosity and patience will be required for the Anglican Communion in the days ahead. In a Pastoral Letter sent to the Primates of the Anglican Communion, Dr Williams say[s] that the recent meeting in Tanzania had been difficult, but that the issues had been properly aired.
"It was far from being an easy few days, but there was a great deal of honesty in our conversation, and a direct facing of the tensions that we still find in the life of the Communion."
The Primates' decision to address some questions to the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church shouldn't be understood as bypassing the church's structures:
"To address these requests to the American House of Bishops is not to ignore the polity of The Episcopal Church, but to acknowledge that the bishops have a key role, acknowledged in the Constitution of that church, in authorising liturgies within their dioceses and in giving consent to the election of candidates for Episcopal order."
Dr Williams expressed the hope that the proposed Pastoral Council could be developed quickly, as it would help in the development of pastoral provision for those in The Episcopal Church seeking alternative pastoral oversight:
"It is my hope that if such a Pastoral Council . will be an appropriate body through which the work of healing and reconciliation for which we all look may be robustly carried forward, and an account given to the rest of the Communion on the working out of the Windsor Process"
Dr Williams commended the work done in Tanzania in relation to the Millennium Development Goals and proposals on Theological Education. He reminded Primates of their commitment to take soundings within their provinces on proposals for a Covenant for the Anglican Communion.
Full story and photo: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_83122_ENG_HTM.htm
- - - - - - - - -
To SUBSCRIBE to Episcopal News Service, send a blank email message, from the address which you wish subscribed, to join-enslist@epicom.org and include "subscribe" in the subject line.
Send QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS to news@episcopalchurch.org
ENS provides information and resources which we consider to be of interest to our readers. However, statements and opinions expressed in the articles and communications herein, are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of ENS or the Episcopal Church.