 | Anglican views of homosexuality: Encyclopedia II - Anglican views of homosexuality - Gay bishop controversy
Anglican views of homosexuality - Gay bishop controversy
On August 2003 the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire elected an openly gay priest, Gene Robinson as bishop. This came shortly after a similar controversy in the UK, when the gay Canon Jeffrey John was almost consecrated Bishop of Reading. However, at that time John agreed to withdraw in order to avoid division. Although later in 2004 in the aftermath of the Gene Robinson, Jeffrey John was then installed as Dean of St Albans Cathedral, the site of England's first Christian martyr.
A number of Anglican provinces, including the second-largest in membership (but largest in church attendance), the Church of Nigeria, threatened to leave the communion if a non-celibate gay man were allowed to be consecrated a bishop. In addition, a minority of priests and congregations within the Episcopal Church were also considering leaving the communion as result.
Anglican views of homosexuality - The 2003 Lambeth Palace meeting
As a result of the controversy over the ordination of gay bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions, on October 15, 2003, Anglican leaders from around the world met in Lambeth Palace in an attempt to avoid a schism on the issue. The day after, they released a lengthy statement: [1]
We must make clear that recent actions in New Westminster and in the Episcopal Church (USA) do not express the mind of our Communion as a whole, and these decisions jeopardise our sacramental fellowship with each other.
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If his [Gene Robinson's] consecration proceeds, we recognise that we have reached a crucial and critical point in the life of the Anglican Communion and we have had to conclude that the future of the Communion itself will be put in jeopardy.
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In this case, the ministry of this one bishop will not be recognised by most of the Anglican world, and many provinces are likely to consider themselves to be out of Communion with the Episcopal Church (USA). This will tear the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level, and may lead to further division on this and further issues as provinces have to decide in consequence whether they can remain in communion with provinces that choose not to break communion with the Episcopal Church (USA).
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Similar considerations apply to the situation pertaining in the Diocese of New Westminster.
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We commend the report of that Conference in its entirety to all members of the Anglican Communion, valuing especially its emphasis on the need "to listen to the experience of homosexual persons, and... 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"; and its acknowledgement of the need for ongoing study on questions of human sexuality.
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As Primates, it is not for us to pass judgement on the constitutional processes of another province. We recognise the sensitive balance between provincial autonomy and the expression of critical opinion by others on the internal actions of a province.
Anglican views of homosexuality - 2004 Church Letter
In 2004 the Archbishop of Canterbury condemned comments by Bishops outside the Western world for inciting violence against gay men and women.
- "Any words that could make it easier for someone to attack or abuse a homosexual person are words of which we must repent. Do not think repentance is always something others are called to, but acknowledge the failings we all share, sinful and struggling disciples as we are."
Anglican views of homosexuality - Subsequent Division
Bishops from two Anglican provinces, Rwanda and the Province of Southeast Asia, consecrated missionary bishops for the United States in January, 2000 and formally established the Anglican Mission in America later that year (see Continuing Anglican Movement). Bishops in Uganda cut relations with the Diocese of New Hampshire following Robinson's consecration on November 2, 2003. The Church of Nigeria declared itself in "impaired communion" with the Episcopal Church on November 21, 2003, and nine days later announced it was planning to establish a United States branch of its province to support Nigerian Anglicans living in the U.S. The Province of Southeast Asia broke communion with the Episcopal Church on December 2, 2003, citing Robinson's consecration as the reason for its action.
Anglican views of homosexuality - Windsor Report and 2005 Primates Meeting
In 2004, the Lambeth Commission on Communion issued a report on the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Communion, which became known as the Windsor Report. This report took a strong stand against homosexual practice, recommended a moratorium on further consecrations of actively homosexual bishops and blessings of same-sex unions, and called for all involved in Robinson's consecration to withdraw from representative positions in the Anglican Communion. However, it stopped short of recommending discipline against the Episcopal Church or Anglican Church of Canada.
In February 2005, the Primates of the Anglican Communion held a regular meeting at Dromantine in Northern Ireland at which the issue of homosexuality was heavily discussed. Of the 38 Primates, 35 attended. Underscoring the divisions within Anglicanism, 14 of the 35 Primates present refused to take Communion with the group because of their provinces' decisions to partially or completely break communion with the US and Canadian churches. The Primates issued a communiqué that reiterated most of the Winsdor Report's statements, but added a new twist. The Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada were asked to voluntarily withdraw from the Anglican Consultative Council, the main formal international entity within the Anglican Communion until the next Lambeth Conference in 2008.
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