Of Geese and Ganders

• Guess what's sauce for the Governmental Goose isn't sauce for the Ecclesial Gander in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s book. Pity.

Rowan Williams in today’s “New Statesman:”

Incidentally, this casts some light on the bafflement and indignation that the present government is facing over its proposals for reform in health and education. With remarkable speed, we are being committed to radical, long-term policies for which no one voted. At the very least, there is an understandable anxiety about what democracy means in such a context. Not many people want government by plebiscite, certainly. But, for example, the comprehensive reworking of the Education Act 1944 that is now going forward might well be regarded as a proper matter for open probing in the context of election debates. The anxiety and anger have to do with the feeling that not enough has been exposed to proper public argument.

Me in my comment on the above:

Incidentally, this casts some light on the bafflement and indignation that the present ACO leadership is facing over its proposed Anglican Covenant. With remarkable speed, we are being committed to radical, long-term policies for which no one voted. At the very least, there is an understandable anxiety about what communion means in such a context. Not many people want polity by plebiscite, certainly. But, for example, the comprehensive reworking of the Anglican Communion that is now going forward might well be regarded as a proper matter for open probing in the context of wider debates. The anxiety and anger have to do with the feeling that not enough has been exposed to proper public argument.

The Reverend Canon Susan Russell
All Saints Church, Pasadena CA

Do consider visiting the link above and adding your own thoughts to the conversation over at the New Statesman.