Friday, June 29, 2007

Rowan Invites (Or Not), And Others Respond

June 29, 2007

A posting by Ruth Gledhill on the Times Online site reports that the Archbishop of Canterbury's office is "exploring inviting Bishop Robinson to the conference in another status." Although this is not a new development, the story has caused some new grumblings around the Anglican Communion. Also, responses to the invitations to Lambeth continue to trickle in from around the Communion, and I have been updating the list below accordingly.

May 22, 2007

The invitations to the 2008 Lambeth Conference of Bishops went out recently. Here is the official release from the Anglican Communion News Service. It quickly became common knowledge that Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire, has not been invited. Neither has Martyn Minns, the CANA Missionary Bishop in the United States. Bishop Robinson's response is here. Bishop Minns' response is here.

Responses started racing around email lists and the blogosphere almost immediately. I came home last evening to find 110 emails in my in box that had accumulated since I left for work in the morning. That is as many in one day as I received over the course of the first three days of my sojourn in Ecuador.

Archbishop Akinola of Nigeria viewed the lack of an invitation to Bishop Minns as a lack of invitation to the entire Nigerian House of Bishops. His response can be found on several blogs, so here is a link to the American Anglican Council copy.

The Inclusive Church Blog has been drawing a lot of criticism for it's first statement on the invitations. Their clarification was not much of an improvement, in my opinion.

And for a lighthearted look at the whole rigamarole, check out Dave Walker's cartoon on his Cartoon Blog.

I am still mulling this over, but here are some of the responses that have been accumulating.

Last Updated June 29, 2007

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Episcopal News Service
May 22nd #1
May 22nd #2
The Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, and the President of the House of Deputies, Bonnie Anderson, are quoted in this release.

Province I
The Rt. Rev. Thomas Clark Ely, Diocese of Vermont (quoted in The New York Times)

Province II
The Rt. Rev. Mark Sisk, Diocese of New York
The Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith, Diocese of Newark

Province III

The Rt. Rev. Paul Marshall, Diocese of Bethlehem (from the diocese's newSpin blog)
No reactive communications, please
[From Bishop Paul] The presiding bishop has had her secretary, Sheryl, communicate to the
bishops of this church a desire for no reactive communications in the wake of recent announcements from the Primate of All England regarding who will not be attending the Lambeth Conference planned for 2008. I want you to be aware that I have noted this development and will pray for guidance in this matter. Given the great work we are called to be doing in Southern Sudan, we must continue to budget our energy in a way that serves our mission. [+Paul]

The Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, Diocese of Washington

Province IV

Province V
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr., Diocese of Ohio

Province VI

Province VII

Province VIII
The Rt. Rev. Kirk Stevan Smith, Diocese of Arizona
The Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus, Diocese of California
A Statement from the Diocese of Utah (in the Salt Lake Tribune)

Province IX

Organizations
Integrity USA

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA

Diocese of Sydney

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA

The Rt. Rev. Michael Ingham, Diocese of New Westminster (quoted in the Anglican Journal)

Organizations
Integrity Canada

CHURCH OF ENGLAND

Organizations
Changing Attitude

CHURCH OF RWANDA

The House of Bishops (Communique posted on StandFirm)

CHURCH OF UGANDA

The Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop (Posted on Titusonenine)

MISCELLANEOUS

Here is a good overview from an outside perspective at Clerical Whispers.
A May 24th posting on the Anglican Mainstream site has a more comprehensive list of who has not been invited.
Anglican Mission in the Americas (posted on the Anglican Mainstream site)

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