Anglican effort to avert schism

The Archbishop of Canterbury's plea to both sides to refrain from provocative steps has not been effective. Bishops in several US dioceses have blessed same-sex unions, and three parishes in southern California recently split off from the diocese of Los Angeles and sought the oversight of an African bishop. Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria this month came to the US to talk of setting up a special arrangement for Nigerians (and perhaps others) alienated from US bishops.

Episcopalians on both sides of the issue express cautious optimism about the report. "It issues a very strong challenge and gives the North American leadership difficult choices, putting the ball in their court," says Dr. Kendall Harmon, canon of the Diocese of South Carolina and a conservative leader.

"It's like talking to a husband in an adulterous relationship, saying, 'You are in a marriage. You have a choice - continue in the relationship or in the marriage. Over to you," he says.

The Rev. Ian Douglas of the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., who advises the US church on Anglican Communion relations, says "It calls us to wrestle deeply with what it means to be a family of churches seeking to live together amid profound differences."

Part of the challenge has come from the rapid growth of Anglicanism in the developing world, particularly Africa, as churches in the West have been shrinking. While the US church has slightly more than 2 million members, Nigeria has more than 17 million Anglicans. Many Africans see the US church as foisting steps upon them which are neither Christian nor acceptable in their culture.

The majority in the Episcopal Church, on the other hand, sees its actions as responding in a Christian manner to the deep needs of parishioners.

"It is important to note that ... we are seeking to live the Gospel in a society where homosexuality is openly discussed and increasingly acknowledged in all areas of our public life," said the Most Rev. Frank Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. The report has "in mind the containment of differences in the service of reconciliation," he added, but "unless we go beyond containment and move to some deeper place of ... making room for the differences that will doubtless continue to be present in our communion, we will do disservice to our mission."

The report is clearly a blow to the Episcopal leadership. It says there are limits to diversity, defined by truth and charity. And it urges the US church not to participate in international meetings until it has expressed its regret for actions that failed to take into consideration the views of others in the Communion.

US bishops committed themselves prior to the report's release to receive it in "a spirit of humility and ... a willingness to learn how we might best be faithful and responsible partners in the Anglican Communion."

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