Word: communion
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...decision is inadequate - clearly, the Episcopal Church has torn apart the Anglican Communion and wants to walk away from the rest of the church," Guernsey says. "The Episcopal Church embarked on its course before there were African bishops and will continue to do so." He adds that American churches have become too dry and lost their vigor. In contrast, Guernsey says that Western visitors are often overwhelmed by the heightened religiosity found in Ugandan churches...
...Americans certainly seemed to want to come up with a formulation that would enable them to continue on their own track while still remaining part of the Communion. The global Anglican body disapproves of the American stance on homosexuality but, nevertheless, takes about a third of its funds from its U.S. affiliate. In the first few days of their parley they met with Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Communion's embattled titular head, who has become somewhat adept at the art of forestalling a schismatic confrontation. Consistent with this goal, Williams, who didn't stay...
...represent the thinking of the majority of Anglicans or, certainly, conservative firebrands like Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria. And in New Orleans, the Episcopal Bishops, in a near-unanimous voice vote, essentially confirmed what they had said less formally on other occasions: They rejected the notion of Communion involvement in the bishops they choose, promised to "exercise restraint by not consenting" to non-celibate gay bishops and pledged not to approve prayers to bless gay couples...
...American bishops threw verbal sweeteners into the resolution, stressing their "passionate desire" to remain in the Communion. Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori called the results "sacrificial," which might even be accurate, given the pro-gay-rights attitude of what is probably a significant majority of her flock...
...Communion is scheduled to review the Episcopal vote over the next few weeks. It is always possible that Williams will be able to forestall drastic action against the American church at least until all the Anglican Bishops gather at their once-a-decade Lambeth conference next July. However, both the liberal Episcopalians and the Communion conservatives seem so fixed in their positions that it is hard to imagine that the current delicate balance can be sustained too much longer...