Clarity out of Confusion: Lambeth 2022

“Later in the afternoon, we sat for the final Lambeth press conference … It was an opportunity for Archbishop Welby and other leaders to share the accomplishments and unfinished business of this conference, along with answering any unanswered questions and tying up loose ends.

One of the topics that came up was the Communique of Orthodox Bishops of the Global South (5 August 2022), which states unequivocally that these bishops are not walking together with those who will not abide by Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998): ‘Our willingness as orthodox bishops to attend this conference does not mean that we have agreed to “walk together” with the revisionist primates and bishops in the Anglican Communion.’ (para. 5.5)

And yet, the closing words of Archbishop Welby’s letter to the bishops on Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) and the message from Lambeth that ‘the bishops are walking together despite deeply held differences’ were repeated every day, at every opportunity, including this final press conference.

I took the opportunity to challenge that narrative by posing the following question to Archbishop Welby. …”

– On Saturday the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey wrote these reflections.

See also:

Lambeth 2022: Clarity out of Confusion – an Interview with Abp James Wong.

Orthodox Bishops at The Lambeth Conference Reaffirm Lambeth I.10 as Anglican Teaching on Marriage and Sexuality

“Orthodox bishops attending the Lambeth Conference have reaffirmed Lambeth 1.10 as the ‘official teaching of the Anglican Communion on marriage and sexuality’, and now a process will be initiated by the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) to allow Primates and bishops who did not attend this Lambeth Conference to do so. …”

– Press Release from the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches.

And a ‘thank you’ video from Archbishop Justin Badi.

Authentic and Orthodox Discipleship

“In the Lambeth Conference 2022 Plenary Session and Press Briefing on Discipleship, there was not much talk about actual discipleship.

The three speakers were Bp. Eleanor Sanderson, Abp. Michael Curry, and retired Bishop Moon Hing. There was much talk around the term ‘intentional discipleship’, but the only point made was that people will rarely turn into disciples unless you’re intentional about making them. Other than that, there was no further practical information given despite questions about the content, vision, and means for making disciples.

Orthodox Anglicans may be left wondering what, exactly, is meant by ‘discipleship’ when it’s spoken by leaders who promote pluriform truth and accept sexual immorality as a new norm that can be affirmed. …”

– As Lambeth 2022 draws to a close, the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey shares his thoughts about what discipleship means when there is fundamental disagreement on the basics.

Communique by Orthodox Bishops Presented by GSFA Primates Steering Committee present at Lambeth Conference 2022

Communique by Orthodox Bishops – Presented by: GSFA Primates Steering Committee present at Lambeth Conference 2022

“We grieve at the continued tear in the life of the Communion occasioned by those Primates and Provinces who declined to follow the guidance offered by Resolution I.10, and the consequent absence of significant numbers of orthodox Bishops from our assembly both in 2008 and now. The unchecked spread of revisionism has necessitated the new structure of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) since 2019 for enhanced ecclesial responsibility across orthodox Provinces, and the movement impetus of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) since 2008 for reform, renewal and proclamation of the Gospel. …”

– Read the full Communique (PDF file) at the Lambeth ’22 Resource Group website.

See also:

Orthodox Bishops Map Out a Robust Future & Hopeful of a Re-Setting of The Anglican Communion – Issued by the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (PDF file).

Global South Primates reset the Anglican Communion

“So, together with those who painfully and in good conscience decided not to come, we want to register our collective ownership and stewardship of a Communion that in God’s grace has become worldwide.” – Communique of Orthodox Bishops (par 5.10)

“The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) steering committee presented their Communique of Orthodox Bishops Present at Lambeth Conference 2022.

Considering the Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement that he will not under any circumstances discipline or sanction a church that refuses to abide by Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998), it seems he has allowed these orthodox bishops to provide a blueprint for resetting the Anglican Communion.

This reset would be based on a shared confession of faith in genuine communion with interdependence and covenants of mutual accountability. Anglican identity is doctrinal, grounded in the Holy Scriptures, the ancient Fathers, the Book of Common Prayer 1662, and its ordinal which is reiterated in the document.

It is striking to note that it does not make Anglican identity a product of relationship to the See of Canterbury or any other sociological or historical anchor. Moreover, in contrast to the Abp. of Canterbury’s statement during the session on the Human Dignity Call, the orthodox bishops of the GFSA state unequivocally that if Anglican identity and unity are rooted in common doctrine, then we cannot be a communion with a plurality of beliefs. …”

– This Special report by the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey gets to the heart of the matter.

In his closing remarks, he writes,

“Since many, if not most, of the Global South bishops here are also members of GAFCON, how can these two bodies collaborate more intensively in healing the wounds to the Anglican Communion? As I wrote in my reflections on what the face of this emerging communion may look like, is it possible that GAFCON and the Global South could collaborate as a mission society and a Mother Church in the same way Paul and Peter collaborated in the Book of Acts?”

See also:

Lambeth 2022 Diary: Hope and a Future – Thursday 4th August.

“Yesterday the Lambeth Conference of Bishops travelled by bus to Lambeth Palace for a day of planting one tree and discussing the proposal to create a worldwide “Anglican Communion forest.” I find it remarkable that the issue of the authority of the Scriptures, over which our Anglican Communion is divided, was given only two hours on Tuesday in contrast to an entire day to plant a tree and address climate change. That fact alone speaks volumes about the dysfunction in the Lambeth-driven Anglican Communion, but there have also been hopeful moments that help pivot us from all that is wrong with the Anglican Communion towards what a post-Lambeth Communion could look like in the days ahead. …”

GSFA Press Conference photo: J Trickey / GSFA.

At Lambeth Palace, bishops and spouses celebrate launch of Anglican Communion forest initiative

“With the launch of the Anglican Communion Forest, Anglican and Episcopal bishops from across the world are seeking to make tangible their shared commitment of the Fifth Mark of Mission, to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the Earth.

Climate change ‘is an absolutely enormous emergency for literally billions of the world’s population,’ Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said during an Aug. 3 press conference held in the Lambeth Palace Library. …”

– Story from The Episcopal News Service. Photo: Lambeth Conference.

By contrast:

“At this conference, we are being asked to look at the needs of our broken the world, and to offer hope. But we cannot mend a broken world when the Anglican Church is so broken and fractured.”

– Archbishop James Wong, Archbishop of the Province of Indian Ocean, from the Lambeth ’22 Resource Group on Facebook.

Lambeth 2022 Diary: Bad News and Good News

“In the Lambeth Conference of Bishops 2022, Tuesday August 2 was to have been a critical moment of reflection and decision on the divisions that have rent the fabric of the Communion asunder.

Tuesday was to have been the day when the Bishops discussed whether to reaffirm Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) and its teaching on the authority of scripture, creation, human sexuality, marriage and leadership in the Church. …”

– The American Anglican Council’s President, Canon Phil Ashey, shares his observations for Tuesday – quite an eye-opening day at Lambeth.

See also:

What Then has happened to Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) at LC2022? – American Anglican Council.

Archbishop James Wong explains how bishops at Lambeth can support the GSFA Resolution

In this video from Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches and EFAC, Archbishop James Wong, Primate of the Indian Ocean, explains how bishops of Lambeth can express their support for the Resolution affirming Lambeth 1.10.

The Global South move apparently has been necessitated by the reluctance of the Lambeth organisers and the Archbishop of Canterbury to allow this issue to be discussed on the floor of the conference.

Anglican Unscripted 747 and 748 – Revolts at Lambeth

On today’s “Anglican Unscripted 747 – The Lambeth Revolt”, Kevin Kallsen and George Conger discuss the latest developments at Lambeth.

George Conger has several interesting observations about the transparency of the Lambeth organisers and the Lambeth media office, as well as the identity of some of the bishops attending.

See also “Anglican Unscripted 748 – Who will kiss Pope Justin’s Ring?” with Susie Leafe, discussing quite a day at Lambeth.

GSFA Bishops and Canterbury both release Statements on Lambeth 1.10

“At almost the same time, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) released statements on Lambeth Resolution 1.10. Both could not have been more different in tone.

Canterbury released a letter to those at Lambeth stating that the Anglican Communion did, in fact, affirm Resolution 1.10. He even writes that the fact that Lambeth Calls: Human Dignity quotes the resolution three times should be enough to show that this is true.

What he doesn’t say is that the part of the resolution that affirms the traditional view of marriage and human sexuality was unceremoniously removed from the Call after causing liberal backlash. It is evident he is trying to appease Global South leaders and progressive leaders at the same time. …”

– Report from The American Anglican Council.

Image: Lambeth website.

Interview with Archbishop Badi: ‘We cannot break bread with bishops who betray the Bible’

“The struggle in the Anglican Communion is not about sexuality. It is a symptom of something deeper: it is about biblical authority, the Archbishop of South Sudan, the Most Revd Justin Badi, told me on Friday. …”

– At The Church Times, Pat Ashworth interviews GSFA Chairman Archbishop Justin Badi about what’s happening at Lambeth.

(While the Church Times is paywalled, a single article may be accessible.)

Image: Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches.

Welby meets with GSFA primates — affirms Lambeth 1.10 is the ‘official’ stance of the Anglican Communion

“The Archbishop of Canterbury has agreed to execute a letter stating the official position of the Anglican Communion on human sexuality is given in the 1998 Lambeth Conference resolution 1.10.

The letter is the fruit of on-going negotiations between the Most Rev. Justin Welby and the primates representing the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, who comprise approximately 257 of the 650 bishops present at the 2022 Lambeth Conference meeting at the University of Kent in Canterbury. …”

– This report from George Conger at Anglican.Ink.

Orthodox bishops to offer their own ‘Lambeth Resolution’ — won’t receive Holy Communion with gay-partnered bishops

Here’s a Press release issued by the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches:

Press Release

For Immediate Release 29 July 2022

ORTHODOX BISHOPS TO OFFER THEIR OWN ‘LAMBETH RESOLUTION’ RE- AFFIRMING LAMBETH 1.10 & WILL NOT RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION ALONGSIDE GAY-PARTNERED BISHOPS

ORTHODOX bishops at the Lambeth Conference – representing 75% of the Anglican Communion – announced today (29JUL) that they will be tabling their own ‘Lambeth Resolution (Call)’. They will invite fellow bishops, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, to re-affirm Lambeth Resolution 1.10 as the Anglican Communion’s ‘official teaching’ on marriage and sexuality.

The bishops also want the Communion to impose sanctions on Provinces which ordain bishops in same-sex relations, and conduct same sex weddings – something which has led to schism in the Church. They have also revealed that at the two Conference’ Eucharists at Canterbury Cathedral, orthodox bishops will not receive Holy Communion alongside gay-partnered bishops, and those who endorse same-sex unions in the Church’s faith and order. They shall remain seated.

Speaking at their opening Press Conference of the Lambeth Conference, leaders of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) said they had taken the move after extensive requests to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a stand-alone resolution and, following the inserted reference to Lambeth 1.10 was withdrawn, on Tuesday, from the ‘Human Dignity ‘Call’. GSFA leaders claim that the Conference organisers have failed to recognise the foundations of ‘Lambeth 1.10’ which, they say, “is not just about sex and marriage, but fundamentally about the authority of the Bible which Anglicans believe to be central to faith and order”.

The GSFA will now table their Resolution and invite primates and their bishops to ‘sign up’. On Monday, senior GSFA representatives will seek to address the issue in the Plenary session on the Anglican Communion, making available the text of their resolution to all bishops, and providing secure means by which bishops can affirm their support. The GSFA is confident that leaders representing the majority of Anglicans across the globe will sign up. They will then present a signed copy by GSFA Primates, and others, to the Archbishop of Canterbury, inviting him to add his signature.

Lambeth 1.10 [1] was formally passed at the Lambeth Conference in1998, at which the majority of bishops agreed that marriage is between one man and a woman for life, and that sexual abstinence outside marriage is the Bible’s clear teaching. The Resolution also committed bishops “to listen to the experience of homosexual persons, and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ.” It also called on all churches to “minister pastorally and sensitively to all, irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals.”

Since then, provinces such as the Episcopal Church in America (TEC), the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, The Scottish Episcopal Church and The Church in Wales, have either ordained gay, married bishops, or opted to conduct gay weddings. This, despite the Resolution stating that the 1998 conference bishops “cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions, nor ordaining those involved in same gendered unions”.

Following the election of a partnered gay bishop, Gene Robinson in the United States in 2003, and subsequent breaches of moratoriums requested in the Windsor Report of 2004, orthodox provinces in the Global South have been contending for the upholding of Lambeth 1.10 across the Communion. These orthodox provinces have adopted a Covenantal Structure [2] among themselves that enhances ecclesial responsibility across member provinces.

Archbishop Justin Badi, Chairman of the GSFA and Archbishop of South Sudan said: “We have taken this action as if we are to ’walk together’ as a Communion, it must be on the based on a shared commitment to Holy Scripture.

“To us in our provinces, this is not primarily about gay sexual practices and unions, but rather that Anglicans look first and foremost to be guided in their faith and order by Scripture, and not by the passing cultural waves of Western society. Sadly, some provinces are adapting the teaching of the Church to try to appear relevant, and to make discipleship easier as a way of reversing fast-declining church attendance. But as disciples, we are not told in Scripture to mould Jesus into ‘our’ image, but to be continually transformed by the Spirit into ‘His’ image.

“For too long the Anglican Communion has been driven by the views of the West. We often feel that our voice is not listened to, or respected. We invite each primate and bishop to sign up to our resolution, and then with the majority of the Communion in favour, for the Instruments of the Anglican Communion to find ways to put faith and order back at the heart of what the Archbishop of Canterbury describes as ‘walking together’.

“Today in Canterbury, we may be ‘gathered together’, but we most certainly cannot ‘walk together’ until provinces which have gone against Scripture – and the will of the consensus of the bishops – repent and return to orthodoxy. The Communion is not in a healthy condition at present, and only major surgery will put that right.”

Archbishop James Wong, Archbishop of the Province of Indian Ocean added: “At this conference, we are being asked to look at the needs of our broken … world, and to offer hope. But we cannot mend a broken world when the Anglican Church is so broken and fractured. All provinces must remember that they are part of one body, and one Communion. Unfortunately, some provinces put emphasis on being autonomous, and forget the necessity of being interdependent.”

Commenting on the two joint services at the cathedral – which will now include the spouses of gay bishops – Archbishop Badi concluded: “GSFA primates will be discussing the services with their bishops, but all orthodox bishops will be encouraged to remain in their seats when others go to receive the bread and wine. This will be the start of a number of ‘visual differentials’ as we move forward from this conference.”

GSFA leaders are keen to stress that they have no intention of being a ‘breakaway group’ from the Anglican Communion. The Fellowship sees itself, and seeks to be part of, the ‘holy remnant’ that God has preserved in the Anglican Communion. The four-fold objectives of GSFA bishops attending Lambeth are: the unity of the orthodox, biblical faithfulness, non-separatist – but a holy remnant, and a commitment to world mission.

ENDS

Source: Global South Anglican Press Release (PDF file).

Global South Bishops to seek reaffirmation of Lambeth 1.10

In a video posted on the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches website, Chairman Archbishop Justin Badi calls the orthodox bishops at Lambeth to seek the reaffirmation of Lambeth 1.10 as the official teaching of the Anglican Communion on marriage.

This might not go well with the Scottish Episcopal Church.

A Review of the “Lambeth Calls” guidance and study document

Anglican theologian Dr. Martin Davie has taken a look at the Lambeth Calls Guidance and Study Document, which has now been made public.

The document shows how well the Conference has been organised. Davie writes:

“What is said in this section of the document appears to mean that there will be no opportunity for the Calls to be amended by the bishops during the Conference. Their only choice would appear to be to indicate what ‘level of support’ they are willing to give each Call as it stands.  However, for the outcome of the Lambeth Conference to properly reflect the views of the bishops who are taking part they need to have the opportunity to amend the text of the Calls and the  bishops should therefore insist on having the opportunity to do this.

In addition, there is nothing said in the document about the possibility of the bishops being able to issue additional or alternative Calls. However, as before,  for the outcome of the Lambeth Conference to properly reflect the views of the bishops who are taking part they need to have the opportunity to do this, and they should therefore insist that this is the case.”

Read it all here.

See also:

Lambeth Conference Study Guide sends conflicting message over Resolution 1:10 – David Virtue.

Image: Lambeth website.

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