wfn.org | ACNS3665 International reaction to Gene Robinson's consecration

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3665     |     USA     |	  6 NOVEMBER 2003 

International reaction to Gene Robinson's consecration in New Hampshire
mixed

by James Solheim

[ACNS source: Episcopal News Service] The November 2 consecration of the
Revd V Gene Robinson as bishop coadjutor in the Diocese of New Hampshire
brought swift and varied reactions from Anglican leaders around the
world - and dire warnings that the future of the Anglican Communion is
in jeopardy. At the same time, it was evident that not everyone was
prepared to rush into schism.

A statement, issued by Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria "for and
behalf of the working committee for the Primates of the Global South,"
said that they were "appalled" that the Episcopal Church USA "ignored
the heartfelt plea of the Communion not to proceed with the scheduled
consecration" and the "clear and strong warning of its detrimental
consequences for the unity of the Communion."

The statement, issued on the day of the consecration, said that the
consecration "clearly demonstrates that authorities within ECUSA
consider that their cultural-based agenda is of far greater importance
than obedience to the Word of God, the integrity of the one mission of
God in which we all share, the spiritual welfare and unity of the
worldwide Anglican Communion, our ecumenical and inter-faith
relationships."

As a result, "A state of impaired communion now exists both within a
significant part of ECUSA and between ECUSA and most of the provinces
within the Communion." The statement urged the Archbishop of Canterbury
to "bring forward urgently a mechanism to guarantee adequate provision
of episcopal oversight" for parishes and clergy within ECUSA and the
Diocese of New Westminster in the Anglican Church of Canada.

In a radio interview, Archbishop Akinola said, "We can no longer claim
to be in the same Communion. We cannot go to them and they cannot come
to us. We will not share communion. We have come to the end of the
road." [The full text of this statement can be found at:
www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/special/humansexuality/hs30.html]

Devil has entered the church

Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of the Anglican Church of Kenya was equally
blunt, announcing that his church will have nothing to do with Bishop
Robinson or any of the 53 bishops who participated in his consecration,
refusing to look upon them as fellow Anglicans. "We cannot be in the
same communion with Robinson, his diocese and the bishops who were in
the consecration." 

When pressed about what cutting ties meant, he said that the Kenyans
would not accept any support from the Episcopal Church, including
missionaries. "The devil has clearly entered the church. God cannot be
mocked," he said.

As a columnist in the Times of London pointed out recently, "The
Anglican Communion has been out of communion with itself since at least
1989 when the American Church appointed Barbara Harris as its first
woman bishop. What's one more schism among such friends." 

Archbishop Gregory Venables of the Province of the Southern Cone in
South America added his voice. "The United States have declared
independence. I think the chances of consensus are very slim. We are
having a time of separation and thinking. We are not saying it is a
divorce yet." The consecration, however, "is robbing us of the dialogue
we could have had to find a way forward."

Archbishop Peter Jensen, who branded Bishop Robinson as a "bishop of
disunity", said that he expects two distinct strands of Anglicanism to
develop as a result of the sexuality controversies. He said, "This
creates a split for the first time in a particular area and that's a
tragedy but it's necessary if the truth is to be preserved."

In New Zealand, Bishop Thomas Brown said that, while he was opposed to
the consecration, the church should not dwell on its divisions. "The
church is not so much a place to stand and divide as it is a place to
love and unite."

No litmus test on funding

According to Archbishop Drexel Gomez of the Province of the West Indies,
a majority of Anglicans would be willing to sacrifice their financial
support rather than accept the consecration of Gene Robinson. "America
does make the largest contribution to the worldwide Anglican Communion.
That's a matter of fact," he said in an interview with the Nassau
Guardian. "As much as we need the money, the gospel must come first. We
are prepared to suffer."

Funding agencies have made it very clear, however, that support is not
conditioned by theological agreement. Archbishop Akinola has warned of a
financial backlash "against the financially weak church in Africa" if
its opposition was too loud. He said that African churches must become
self-reliant so that "our boldness in condemning the spiritual
bankruptcy" of the rich churches could be matched by a refusal to accept
their money.

The issue was addressed at a recent meeting of the Council of Anglican
Provinces in Africa (CAPA) in Nairobi. Presiding Bishop Frank T.
Griswold sent a letter challenging rumors that the Episcopal Church "has
threatened African primates with withholding our support. The Episcopal
Church has no ideological litmus test for overseas partners and has
'punished' no one for holding different opinions of church order."

The Revd James Calloway, director of grants for Trinity Church Wall
Street, said in a presentation at the CAPA meeting, "We do not believe
we have to see eye to eye with you on every issue to work with you
around common mission concerns. You don't have to agree with us to be
eligible for a Trinity grant." He said that Trinity would continue to
partner with provinces and dioceses regardless of their views in the
on-going sexuality debate in the Anglican Communion. He reported that,
in the last five years, Trinity had given 84 grants throughout every
province in Africa.

Another Eames commission

The swirling controversy places more pressure on a special commission
appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury to find a way for Anglicans to
maintain some kind of unity in the face of serious disagreements.

Archbishop Robin Eames of Ireland, appointed to head the commission -
similar to the task he accepted in 1988 when the issue was the
ordination of women - was cautiously hopeful. Noting that "we are moving
into unknown territory" when asked whether a split was inevitable, he
said, "I don't think you can prevent a realignment. I sincerely hope we
can prevent what you call a split."

"We're still here, because we looked at ways in which the pastoral
guidelines could be accepted across the world to maintain the highest
possible degree of unity - and I believe we can do it again," he said.

He also said that the Robinson consecration and the approval of blessing
same-gender relationships in the Diocese of Westminster in Canada "do
not represent the mind of the Anglican Communion as a whole".

As he has in the past, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of the Province
of the Church in Southern Africa, struck a much more conciliatory note,
offering his congratulations to Bishop Robinson and offering prayers for
him. 

Some express joy with consecration

Other voices were delighted with the consecration. Dean Colin Slee of
Southwark Cathedral in London said that Anglicans should rejoice that
"at last there is an open and honest consecration of a homosexual bishop
within the church. There have been many before but they have not been
honest or open."

"His ministry will inspire lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual
Christians with new confidence that we have a full place at the
communion table of our Lord," said the Revd Colin Coward, director of
Changing Attitude, a British organization of Anglican bishops, priests
and lay people that promotes a more open attitude in the church.

"This consecration is God's way of making the church come to terms with
homosexuality," said Christopher Ssenyonjo, a retired Ugandan bishop.
"Bishop Robinson did not elect himself, he was elected by others. To me
it seems God inspired them to vote that way."

Acknowledging the deep divisions among Anglicans, Archbishop of
Canterbury Rowan Williams issued his own statement immediately following
the consecration. "The divisions that are arising are a matter of deep
regret; they will be all too visible in the fact that it will not be
possible for Gene Robinson's ministry as a bishop to be accepted in
every province in the Communion."

Yet Archbishop Rowan said that those who participated in the
consecration "have acted in good faith on their understanding of what
the constitution of the American Church permits. But the effects of this
upon the ministry and witness of the overwhelming majority of Anglicans,
particularly in the non-Western world, have to be confronted. Precisely
because we rely on relations more than rules, consultation and
interdependence are essential for our health."

In the meantime, the man at the center of the controversy expressed an
eagerness to begin his ministry. "I have plenty to do in New Hampshire,"
said the Rt Revd Gene Robinson, the church's newest bishop. "I have
plenty to do in those dioceses that will welcome me - and in time, just
as has been true with women (bishops), I will be welcomed in other
places as well. It really won't hinder my ministry at all," he told Kim
Lawton of the PBS television program, Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly.

[James Solheim is director of Episcopal News Service]

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