Word: williamses
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Nevertheless, Williams looked at the American church's unwillingness to fully repent its election of a gay bishop in 2003, and effectively threw up his hands, declaring "whatever the presenting issue, no member Church can make significant decisions unilaterally and still expect this to make no difference to how it...
There is little doubt as to which church would be the likely first member of the second tier. Williams' proposal will probably come to be considered a key moment in the American church's transition into a different relationship with its English parent and the other 36 global Communion provinces...
But the timetable that he has set in motion may make many congregants even more anxious before they can achieve closure. By suggesting the drafting of as yet non-existent covenant of members in full communion - one whose language on gays would presumably be too conservative for the Episcopal Church...
Given Williams' institutionally weak position within the communion (he's no Pope), it's perfectly reasonable for him to favor such a consensual process. But there is a real question as to whether some conservatives in the U.S. and elsewhere will be willing to wait that long for their divorce...
A key phrase in Williams's text suggests that the current crisis "could mean the need for local churches to work at an ordered and mutually respectful separation between constituent and associate elements." This seems to be saying Williams can imagine conservatives separating from the Episcopalian Church and setting up...