Richard Vara offers this feature in the "Belief" section of today's Houston Chronicle:Carey says Anglican Communion is in crisis
Former archbishop of Canterbury
wants U.S. church to give in to demands
From the article: Ten years ago, Carey presided over the 1998 Lambeth Conference which declared homosexual behavior as not scriptural.
"So what the American church has done by the election and then ordination of Gene Robinson is really actually turn its back on the voice, the moral voice of the Lambeth Conference. That's the problem basically. There is no way out of the problem now."
Still, Carey feels that if the Americans were to come out wholeheartedly for the Windsor Covenant, dialogue and reconciliation would be possible.
"If the Episcopal Church says, 'No, dammit, we are not going to go that way', then there is no dialogue," he said. "They are actually saying they are walking away from the family, they are closing the door. But if they are prepared to say, 'We will fall in behind the convenant,' then we can find a resolution.
"But there is no sign that the American House of Bishops realizes how serious it is," he said.
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From my comment on titusonenine earlier today:
No, actually, what there IS is no sign that the American House of Bishops is going to abandon its commitment to decades of discernment of the Holy Spirit that has led us to the place where, like Peter when faced with Cornelius (anybody else preaching that text on Sunday?) recognized that God shows no partiality and our job is to bring people to Jesus, not push them away.
Why do I think that a first century version of Lord Carey’s arguments were used at the Council of Jerusalem when Peter and Paul went head-to-head about the inclusion of the Gentiles? The Holy Spirit won that one and She’ll win this one, too ... in the long haul.
In the short haul, how sad that Carey is part of the problem by insisting that reconciliation short of capitulation is not possible. I’m double checking the Scripture text but ... yes, there it is ... with God ALL things are possible.
And now, back the aforementioned sermon ...
8 comments:
You brave soul for venturing forth as you have.
As I commented elsewhere (Jake's and HOBD), I find it interesting that Carey has elevated (oh a favourite word) the Windsor Report to the Windsor Covenant. The deification of said document continues.
It's what I like to call "Declaring as fait accompli that which they wish would be."
Love the site, love you as well!
I am freaking out about this bit:
"...Most Rev. George Carey, who was in Houston this week to install the Rev. Russell J. Levenson Jr. as rector of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, one of the largest Episcopal churches in the United States."
Whaaa? I am a relatively new Episcopalian, but since when do retired Anglican primates get to install our rectors? St. Martin's IS pretty conservative, but really!
Steve G. - St. Johns Episcopal Church, La Porte Texas
cap'n steve ... thanks.
and ... i suspect that's a bit of journalist errata ... odds are Carey was here to preach at the installation. the press, God love 'em, doesn't always get the fine points. Anybody from Houston know anything different?
From the Houston Chronicle:
"...Installation: The Rev. Russell Jones Levenson Jr. will be inducted as the fourth rector of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage, at 6 p.m. Sunday. Bishop Don A. Wimberly will preside. The Rev. George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, will preach. A reception will follow..."
Regards...
As I thought. Well done. Now let's find out whether Carey actually referred to the "Windsor Covenant" or if that was a journalist morphing the Anglican Covenant and Windsor Report? (Lord knows WE have trouble keeping all this stuff straight sometimes!)
"reconciliation short of capitulation is not possible"
From your context, I guess you are talking about a putative capitulation by he progressive side.
It seems to me that both sides may feel they are faced with a demand for capitulation.
On one side we have those who want "full inclusion" to occur within the Anglican communion, whether within one province or many or all, and on the other we have those who believe that "full inclusion" should not occur within the anglican communion.
How do we achieve reconciliation without one side or the other capitulating?
Lord Carey and Russell Levenson go way back. Levenson, who is almost as good a preacher as Susan, was rector of Christ Church, Pensacola, for several years. During his tenure, Carey visited a number of times to preach, speak and sign books.
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