wfn.org | Carey, Griswold deplore proposed AMiA consecrations

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June 19, 2001

2001-153

Carey, Griswold deplore proposed AMiA consecrations

by Jan Nunley

(ENS) Both Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey and 
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold of the Episcopal Church have
responded in strongly worded letters to the announcement that four 
American priests are scheduled to be consecrated as "missionary bishops" 
for the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA).

Archbishops Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda and Datuk Yong Ping Chung 
of South East Asia have announced their intention to consecrate the men 
in Denver on June 24. The four will serve within the territorial boundaries 
of the Episcopal Church, although they will be bishops in the Church of 
Rwanda and South East Asia. Kolini and Yong's predecessor, Moses Tay,
consecrated the first two AMiA bishops, Charles Murphy and John Rodgers, 
in January 2000.

"I have the greatest concern to see that all we who are called to Primacy
in this historic Communion do everything in our power to strengthen our 
communion with one another," said Carey in a  letter to the two archbishops, 
dated June 18. "What is proposed cannot strengthen, but can only undermine, 
that communion."

Consequences perilous, says Carey

Carey reaffirmed the position he took on the consecrations of Rodgers and 
Murphy, describing them as "at best irregular and at worst schismatic." At the time, 
Carey said he will only recognize them as bishops in communion with him if they are 
"fully reconciled" to the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. His position was 
later endorsed by the Primates' Meeting, held in Oporto in 2000.

Carey called on Kolini and Yong to reconsider the planned consecrations, but said 
that, should the consecrations go ahead, they should be in no doubt about the 
consequences. "Are you and your Province aware that action of this kind takes you 
perilously close to creating a new group of churches at odds with the See of Canterbury 
and the rest of the Communion?" the letter asked. "I personally would regret this so very 
much as I have had the closest of dealings with Rwanda through all the troubles and the 
church there is still very much close to my heart! South East Asia, also, is a Province that 
I greatly love."

Counter to distortion

In a  letter to the primates of the Anglican Communion dated June 19, Griswold 
repeated his statement from their March Kanuga gathering that "the Episcopal Church 
is flourishing with a renewed sense of mission" and is "grounded" in baptism, the Eucharist, 
Scripture and the tradition of the Church, "as a counter to the distortions about our church
 that from time to time are put forth in some quarters." 

He reassured the primates about his commitment to "sustained pastoral care" for 
discontented Episcopalians. "I can report that very few congregations have asked 
for episcopal ministry other than that of their own bishop," he said, citing successful 
examples of "extended episcopal ministry." But he also addressed the recent disputes 
in the  Diocese of Washington between Bishop Jane Dixon and the Rev. Sam Edwards. 
Edwards was called as rector of Christ Church in Accokeek, Maryland, but Dixon 
has refused to accept the call.

"I have been in contact with the several parties and am seeking a resolution 
which honors the concerns of all. This may or may not be in the offing," Griswold 
reported. "As many of you are aware, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church 
has no metropolitical authority. I can strongly urge, encourage dialogue, and recommend, 
but I cannot compel."

Violation of communion

Addressing the proposed consecrations, Griswold said that "[n]ot only are the 
proposed ordinations a further invitation to schism, but they also involve two fellow 
primates who, without informing me and certainly without my permission, are planning 
to enter this province with the express purpose of acting contrary to a basic principle of 
the Communion that no bishop is to perform episcopal acts in the diocese of another 
bishop without obtaining the bishop's permission." 

He concluded, "Predicated upon what I consider to be a deeply flawed and highly
biased judgement of ECUSA, the proposed action by our two brothers is a profound 
violation of what it means to live in communion and could have drastic and negative 
effects within our Anglican fellowship." 

 In a separate communication notifying fellow American bishops of his letter to the 
primates, Griswold added, "Let me note here my sense of how important it is always 
to keep ourselves rooted and grounded in Christ…It is so easy for us in the midst of 
complex and difficult situations to allow a disproportionate amount of our energies to 
be caught up in the problem at hand when in fact there are other, larger and counter-balancing 
dimensions of reality that need to be kept in mind."

'Bold reversal' of missionary direction

In a statement released June 15, Harry Griffith, executive officer of the AMiA, said: 
"In a bold reversal of the missionary actions of the last 500 years, the churches in Africa
 and Asia are undertaking a labor of love and courage-consecrating bishops to American 
soil to answer the church's deep hunger for unity in faith and to renew the Anglican faith 
coast-to-coast." 

Griffith added that the mission of the new bishops is to "serve established parishes 
and new churches which celebrate the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the centrality 
of Scripture and Tradition as essential to their faith and mission." He denied that sexuality 
was a "primary concern" for the AMiA congregations, although many of their leaders-lay 
and ordained-have publicly linked their departure from the Episcopal Church to concerns 
over the ordination and blessing of non-celibate gays and lesbians.

Griffith said the additional bishops are necessary for "increased leadership to handle 
growth pastorally and effectively." Now claiming some 5,000 members in 37 
congregations-less than one-half of 1% of the Episcopal Church-with the addition 
of four new bishops, the Anglican Mission in America would have one bishop for 
every 6 parishes and 833 parishioners. The Episcopal Church has one bishop for 
every 50 congregations and 15,625 Episcopalians. 

-The Rev. Jan Nunley is deputy director of Episcopal News Service.