October 2015 A.D. Canterbury calls for “crisis” talks with Primates: 11-16 January 2016
October 2015 A.D. Canterbury calls for “crisis” talks with Primates: 11-16 January 2016
Duffy, Nick. “Archbishop of Canterbury calls `crisis’
talks to prevent global Anglican split over gay rights.” Pink News. 16 Sept 2015. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/09/16/archbishop-of-canterbury-calls-crisis-talks-to-prevent-global-anglican-split-over-gay-rights/.
Accessed 3 Oct 2015.
Archbishop
of Canterbury calls ‘crisis’ talks to prevent global Anglican split over
gay rights
The
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has called together Anglican leaders from
across the world, to attempt to prevent a split over gay issues.
The
Anglican Communion is an international alliance of churches including the
Church of England and a number of other Protestans around the world – with an
estimated combined 80 million members.
However, while
the Church of England is relatively moderate when it comes to gay rights,
a number of other churches within the global Anglican Communion
remain militantly opposed.
There have long
been fears that divides the more liberal churches and others within the
Communion--particularly African churches who reject the
teachings on gay rights – could provoke a schism.
The Communion’s
last global meeting – the 2008 Lambeth Conference – faced boycotts from
African bishops over openly gay members attending – and the head of the Episcopal Church in the US previously
admitted that the next Conference was postponed
indefinitely over similar fears.
Today the
Archbishop, who acts as head of the Communion as well as the Church of England,
called for a special meeting of Communion Primates, in a bid to save the global
Christian alliance from disintegration.
The Archbishop
told the BBC: “I have suggested to all primates that we need to consider
recent developments but also look afresh at our ways of working as a communion
and especially as primates, paying proper attention to developments in the
past.
“The difference
between our societies and cultures, as well as the speed of cultural change in
much of the global north, tempts us to divide as Christians: when the command
of scripture, the prayer of Jesus, the tradition of the church and our
theological understanding urges unity.”
His language is
less frank than his words last year, when he admitted:
“I think, realistically, we’ve got to say that despite all efforts there is a
possibility that we will not hold together, or not hold together for a while.”
Leaders from
across the Communion have been invited to the gathering, from 11-16 January
2016 in Canterbury. The Archbishop says it will be a chance for the leaders ‘to
reflect and pray together concerning the future of the Communion’.
However,
analysts say he is unlikely to press for a unified pro-gay stance, and will
likely instead concede a loosening of ties.
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