wfn.org | Delegation of bishops look at Episcopal Church

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99-156

International delegation of bishops takes closer look at 
Episcopal Church

by James Solheim

     (ENS) A small international delegation of bishops, critical 
of some developments in the Episcopal Church following the 1998 
Lambeth Conference, recently spent 10 days visiting with a wide 
variety of church leaders in the United States.

     It all began with an exchange of letters. In February a 
group of church leaders charged that some dioceses in the 
Episcopal Church were ignoring Lambeth resolutions calling 
homosexual activity a sin, and advising against ordaining 
homosexuals or blessing same-sex relationships. The letter asked 
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold to "examine the directions 
apparently proposed by some in your province and take whatever 
steps may be necessary to uphold the moral teaching and Christian 
faith the Anglican Communion has received."

     Griswold, joined by the nine bishops who form his Council of 
Advice, responded in March, pointing out the "divergent opinions 
on the question of homosexuality" in the provinces of the 
Anglican Communion--including the Episcopal Church which is also 
"testing the spirits." He invited the church leaders "to visit 
those parts of our church which cause you concern so that you may 
inquire and learn directly what has animated certain responses" 
to the Lambeth resolutions. 

     The visit, he said, would provide "the opportunity not only 
to query some of our bishops and representatives of their 
dioceses but also to listen to the experience of homosexual 
persons, which is mandated by the Lambeth resolution on human 
sexuality." Griswold expressed his hope that the visit would 
"strengthen the bonds of communion that exist among us as 
Anglicans, as well as deepen our appreciation of how other parts 
of the Communion seek to be faithful to the Gospel in very 
different and historical contexts."

Many voices

     Led by Archbishop Maurice Sinclair of the Southern Cone of 
America, the delegation also included Archbishop Harry Goodhew of 
Australia; Bishop Peter Njenga, representing the primate of 
Kenya; Bishop John Rucyahana representing the primate of Rwanda; 
Bishop Simon Makundi representing the primate of Tanzania, and 
the Rev. Bill Atwood of Dallas, director of Ekklesia Society.

     The visit began September 28 with Trinity Institute in New 
York, which discussed the Zacchaeus Report on issues facing the 
Episcopal Church and a dinner that evening with a group of gay 
and lesbian Episcopalians. The group then went to the Diocese of 
Pennsylvania amd Virginia Theological Seminary where they met 
with representatives of ministries with former homosexuals. They 
also met with bishops and church leaders in the Diocese of 
Virginia and the Diocese of Central Florida. While in Florida 
they also met with members of the American Anglican Council, an 
umbrella organization of conservatives in the church. They 
returned to the Northeast for meetings in the Diocese of 
Massachusetts, before returning to New York to meet with 
Griswold.

     In an interview Griswold said that he was "grateful that 
they accepted the invitation" and that they could be "broadly 
exposed to the diversity and richness of our church." They showed 
particular interest, he added, in how the Episcopal Church 
handled minority opinions on the diocesan level. He said that the 
group reported to him that "they were greeted with great 
hospitality everywhere they went and that they had heard many 
voices, representing the variety of opinions that exist in our 
church."

     Griswold said that the group would "share the fruits of 
their visit" in a written report to Archbishop of Canterbury 
George Carey and to him. "It was a joy to meet with them, not 
around issues but in the context of sharing a meal together." 
Although the dinner was largely a social occasion, the presence 
of members of the Office for Anglican and Global Relations sent a 
clear signal that the Episcopal Church fully intends to "maintain 
its support of churches in the developing world," according to 
the Rev. Patrick Mauney, director of the office. He has found it 
necessary to refute rumors that the church's support is being 
tied to positions taken at Lambeth by some of the bishops. 

Difficult listening

     The bishops avoided the press during the visit and made no 
public comments following their meetings with widely diverse 
groups. Privately, some participants were delighted with their 
encounters and others were bitterly disappointed.

     In Virginia Bill Atwood set up a meeting of the bishops with 
organizations for homosexuals seeking to change their lifestyle. 
Earl Fox, director of Transformation in Washington, D.C., posted 
a story on-line, reporting that "the testimonies were powerful 
and well received by the bishops."

     Others reported "difficult conversations," marred by what 
participants perceived as stereotypes and adamant opinions, based 
on Scripture and cultural attitudes. Yet that "should not 
determine our willingness to share," wrote Louie Crew, founder of 
Integrity, in an open letter. "Be careful not to demonize those 
who find us loathsome," he warned.

     On a few occasions, attempts by the bishops to meet with 
dissidents within dioceses created difficult situations for their 
hosts.

--James Solheim is director of News and Information for the 
Episcopal Church.