wfn.org | [ACC] Canadian New Westminster Diocese regrets consequences,

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Anglican Journal News: Ingham says New Westminster regrets consequences,
not actions
Conservatives call report 'toothless'

SOLANGE DE SANTIS, ANGLICAN JOURNAL

Oct. 18, 2004 - Archbishop Robin Eames said his Lambeth Commission's
report would "have teeth," but conservative Anglicans blasted it for not
being tough enough on churches with liberal attitudes toward
homosexuality and liberal Anglicans thought major areas were unfair to
them. Many individuals and groups, while expressing gratitude to the
commission for its hard work and the resulting unanimous statement, took
it to task.
       The report called for bishops who have authorized blessing rites
for gay couples to "express regret" for the distress their actions
caused some Anglican churches and that those bishops consider
withdrawing from "representative functions in the Anglican Communion."
       The bishop of the Canadian diocese of New Westminster, Michael
Ingham, told Anglican Journal that the diocese "does regret the
consequences of our actions but not the actions themselves." In 2002,
the diocese authorized blessing rites for same-sex couples. "It was not
our intention to cause dismay, but affirm the relationships of gay and
lesbian people," said Bishop Ingham, who added that his three-year term
on the Anglican Consultative Council ended in 2002 and that he is not on
any international committees currently.
       He said the report was incorrect in saying that the diocese had
not consulted with the wider Communion. "I consulted with the house of
bishops, the General Synod and received many submissions (on the
issue)," he said.
       The report also calls for bishops who participated in the
consecration of openly-gay Bishop Gene Robinson in New Hampshire to
express regret and stand down from international groups. The other
Canadian bishop who helped consecrate Bishop Robinson last November
(besides Bishop Ingham), Bruce Stavert of Quebec, told the Journal that
he attended because of a long-standing companion relationship between
his diocese and New Hampshire. He said he does not believe he has
anything for which to apologize. A spokesman for Bishop Robinson said he
did not plan to respond to the report immediately.
       In the U.S., the conservative American Anglican Council said in a
statement that while it believes in the Anglican Communion, it cannot
support unity "at the expense of truth." While the report called for a
moratorium on the consecration to the episcopate of a candidate who is
living in a gay relationship, the council called for a moratorium on any
ordination of "practising" homosexuals.
       "We call upon (Presiding) Bishop Frank Griswold to express godly
sorrow," and refuse to allow any blessing ceremonies for gay couples,
the council said. Bishop Griswold, who was in London for a meeting of
the standing committee of Anglican primates, released a statement saying
that the Anglican Communion must acknowledge and make room for
differences with in it and that in the U.S., "we are seeking to live the
gospel in a society where homosexuality is openly discussed and
increasingly acknowledged in all areas of our public life."
       The leader of a conservative group in Great Britain, Church
Society, said the report is "toothless" and "very ambiguous." Rev. David
Phillips told Britain's Press Association that the report did not
recommend "what you do when people undermine (communion)." Another
conservative group, Forward in Faith North America, said "there is
nothing offered for a world-wide solution to address the schismatic
(split) state of the Anglican Communion."
       In Canada, a leader of the Anglican gay-support group Integrity
said the Windsor Report will affect a special synod that the diocese of
Toronto has scheduled for Nov. 27 to consider the matter of same-sex
blessings. Referring to the desire for delay on same-sex issues until
there is greater consensus worldwide, Chris Ambidge said, "The report is
proposing a structure where theological progress isn't going to be made
until it's acceptable to the most conservative views."
       "It's a relief to see a frank admission that there is, in fact, a
crisis," said Rev. George Sinclair, a director with the Canadian
conservative Essentials coalition. "We hope the official structures of
the Anglican church receive this report so the crisis will be averted."

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