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http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7164
2007/11/29
LONDON: Rowan Williams celebrates 'secret' gay communion service
By Ruth Gledhill at her blog
http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2007/11/rowan-celebrate.html#more
November 29, 2007
Dr Rowan Williams, today presided at a 'secret' eucharist for the Clergy
Consultation, as we reported that he would back in September. As we report,
he gave a talk on 'present realities and future possibilities for lesbians
and gay men in the church.' The venue, originally at St Peter's Eaton
Square, was switched to another location in London to avoid media attention
after new of the meeting emerged first on the Church Society website. In a
speech on ecumenism in Rome last Friday, translated from German for me by
Chris Gillibrand, Cardinal Walter Kasper spoke of the irrevocable divisions
emerging from Anglicanism's present crisis.
The Cardinal said: 'While we in old matters of controversy we try to
overcome old divisions, presently in ethical questions new divisions open
up. This applies in particular to the protection of life, to marriage and
the family, and issues of human sexuality. The joint public testimony is
thereby weakened or impossible. The internal crisis for the churches is most
evident in the Anglican community, but not only there.'
Nothing illustrates this better than this secret Eucharist. There can surely
be no hope of joint public testimony between Anglicans and Catholics when
the leader of the Anglicans cannot testify publicly himself.
Kasper also said: 'In Protestant theology, there is after the Luther
Renaissance and the word of God theology Karl Barth from the early years of
the theological dialogue, a return to the concerns of liberal theology. The
result is often a softening of the Trinitarian and Christological
foundation, previously held in common. What we describe as a common
heritage, should be understood as the glaciers in the Alps which are here
and there melting.'
The Clergy Consultation, which has between 250 and 450 members at any one
time, was set up in 1976 by three Anglican priests, Malcolm Johnson, Peter
Ellers and Douglas Rhymes. Changing Attitude has an interesting paper
setting out a theology of sexual ethics around which members of the
consultation work today. Many consultation members are married, one with six
children, and are faithful to their partners. The organisation helps them
cope with staying faithful to what they regard as a Christian lifestyle
while dealing with a sexuality that sometimes does not emerge until later in
life. Some members but by no means all are 'out' as openly gay but it is not
difficult to understand why, in today's Church, most prefer to remain 'in'.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, views his taking part in
the meeting and celebrating the eucharist as part of the 'listening process'
outlined in Lambeth 1.10. A spokeswoman said: 'The Archbishop of Canterbury
is committed to the listening process which was agreed at the Lambeth
Conference as part of the discussions on human sexuality. That means
listening to and engaging with gay and lesbian clergy in a pastorally
sensitive setting. That is what he is doing.'
David Phillips, General Secretary of the Church Society, disagreed. He said:
'This is not something that should be happening. There is obviously serious
doubt in our mind about some of the people present and their standing
because of being in homosexual relationships. But we do not really have much
regard for Rowan Williams anyway. We came to the conclusion a long time ago
that he was not really fit to be Archbishop so today does not change
anything.'
He wrote to Lambeth Palace after news of the meeting emerged. Chief of Staff
Chris Smith replied: 'The Archbishop has asked me to say that unless he has
clear evidence to the contrary, he would assume that members of the
consultation, whether clergy, ordinands or religious, are in good standing
with their diocesan bishops.' Mr Smith continued: 'The group, as described
by its co-convenors in response to the Church Society website article and
The Times newspaper, is in no sense a campaigning organisation, hence the
confidentiality of its meetings. The purpose of the meeting was to listen to
the concerns of individuals and to give the Archbishop the opportunity to
engage with them from the position of the received mind of the Church.'
The letter went on: 'This engagement with different groups and individuals
is constant and helps inform his deliberations on the course of action that
he and his fellow primates will need to formulate for the resolution of the
Anglican Communion's current divisions.'
The conservatives are also upset that the meeting went ahead. A statement
signed jointly by Dr Richard Turnbull, chair of the Church of England
Evangelical Council, Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor of Anglican Mainstream and
Chris Sugden, Executive Secretary of Anglican Mainstream, reads: 'Every
occasion for listening pastorally to people is to be welcomed. However, the
Holy Communion is a fundamental symbol of fellowship and an expression of
our unity in Christ. To offer this to those in gay partnered relationships,
contrary to biblical teaching and contrary to the Bishops' teaching in
Issues in Human Sexuality offers false hope rather than enabling
transformation. The Bishop as upholder of the Apostolic Faith is held by all
Anglicans to provide a focus of unity. Since the Archbishop has apparently
proceeded with this service , this makes it more likely that he will become
a focus of division. We endorse the importance of a proper listening
process. We trust that the Archbishop will also listen to those who have
moved through this stage to frame and fashion their own selves and their
families according to the doctrine of Christ.'
As soon as I can get a comment from someone from the consultation, I'll post
it here. I did manage to speak to Martin Reynolds, an openly gay clergyman
who has successfully adopted a boy with his partner and was a former
neighbour of Dr Williams when the Archbishop was in his previous job in
Wales. Dr Reynolds was not at the meeting but said: 'The Clergy Consultation
has been of great assistance to many many people over the years. Most gay
clergy are married and have children. Most do not have partners. The
consultation has given them great support and love in lives devoted to their
families. It has performed a wide range of functions for a lot of people. It
is hugely beneficial. The only clergyman I know who is in it is extremely
grateful for the friendships he has built up through it, and so is his
wife.'
I believe this all indicates that Rowan might at last be starting to reclaim
his liberal roots. A source tells me that Gene Robinson is definitely coming
to Lambeth, accompanied by his partner Mark. Gene will be doing a seminar.
He and Mark will have been 'married' in a civil ceremony a few days earlier,
on the symbolic 4 July. Lambeth will thus be their 'honeymoon'. Rowan wants
to keep sexuality as much off the agenda as he can at Lambeth, to avoid a
repetition of 1998. He is trying to make it as prayerful as possible. But I
don't rate his chances much, given the joyful presence of the honeymooners.
Lambeth is looking as if it will be wonderful for the media. Even in the
unlikely event that we'll be invited to any seminars, we won't actually have
to attend them. We will be free to make mischief on the highways and byways
of Kent University, like we did last time. And the time before that.
2007/11/29
LONDON: Rowan Williams celebrates 'secret' gay communion service
By Ruth Gledhill at her blog
http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2007/11/rowan-celebrate.html#more
November 29, 2007
Dr Rowan Williams, today presided at a 'secret' eucharist for the Clergy
Consultation, as we reported that he would back in September. As we report,
he gave a talk on 'present realities and future possibilities for lesbians
and gay men in the church.' The venue, originally at St Peter's Eaton
Square, was switched to another location in London to avoid media attention
after new of the meeting emerged first on the Church Society website. In a
speech on ecumenism in Rome last Friday, translated from German for me by
Chris Gillibrand, Cardinal Walter Kasper spoke of the irrevocable divisions
emerging from Anglicanism's present crisis.
The Cardinal said: 'While we in old matters of controversy we try to
overcome old divisions, presently in ethical questions new divisions open
up. This applies in particular to the protection of life, to marriage and
the family, and issues of human sexuality. The joint public testimony is
thereby weakened or impossible. The internal crisis for the churches is most
evident in the Anglican community, but not only there.'
Nothing illustrates this better than this secret Eucharist. There can surely
be no hope of joint public testimony between Anglicans and Catholics when
the leader of the Anglicans cannot testify publicly himself.
Kasper also said: 'In Protestant theology, there is after the Luther
Renaissance and the word of God theology Karl Barth from the early years of
the theological dialogue, a return to the concerns of liberal theology. The
result is often a softening of the Trinitarian and Christological
foundation, previously held in common. What we describe as a common
heritage, should be understood as the glaciers in the Alps which are here
and there melting.'
The Clergy Consultation, which has between 250 and 450 members at any one
time, was set up in 1976 by three Anglican priests, Malcolm Johnson, Peter
Ellers and Douglas Rhymes. Changing Attitude has an interesting paper
setting out a theology of sexual ethics around which members of the
consultation work today. Many consultation members are married, one with six
children, and are faithful to their partners. The organisation helps them
cope with staying faithful to what they regard as a Christian lifestyle
while dealing with a sexuality that sometimes does not emerge until later in
life. Some members but by no means all are 'out' as openly gay but it is not
difficult to understand why, in today's Church, most prefer to remain 'in'.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, views his taking part in
the meeting and celebrating the eucharist as part of the 'listening process'
outlined in Lambeth 1.10. A spokeswoman said: 'The Archbishop of Canterbury
is committed to the listening process which was agreed at the Lambeth
Conference as part of the discussions on human sexuality. That means
listening to and engaging with gay and lesbian clergy in a pastorally
sensitive setting. That is what he is doing.'
David Phillips, General Secretary of the Church Society, disagreed. He said:
'This is not something that should be happening. There is obviously serious
doubt in our mind about some of the people present and their standing
because of being in homosexual relationships. But we do not really have much
regard for Rowan Williams anyway. We came to the conclusion a long time ago
that he was not really fit to be Archbishop so today does not change
anything.'
He wrote to Lambeth Palace after news of the meeting emerged. Chief of Staff
Chris Smith replied: 'The Archbishop has asked me to say that unless he has
clear evidence to the contrary, he would assume that members of the
consultation, whether clergy, ordinands or religious, are in good standing
with their diocesan bishops.' Mr Smith continued: 'The group, as described
by its co-convenors in response to the Church Society website article and
The Times newspaper, is in no sense a campaigning organisation, hence the
confidentiality of its meetings. The purpose of the meeting was to listen to
the concerns of individuals and to give the Archbishop the opportunity to
engage with them from the position of the received mind of the Church.'
The letter went on: 'This engagement with different groups and individuals
is constant and helps inform his deliberations on the course of action that
he and his fellow primates will need to formulate for the resolution of the
Anglican Communion's current divisions.'
The conservatives are also upset that the meeting went ahead. A statement
signed jointly by Dr Richard Turnbull, chair of the Church of England
Evangelical Council, Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor of Anglican Mainstream and
Chris Sugden, Executive Secretary of Anglican Mainstream, reads: 'Every
occasion for listening pastorally to people is to be welcomed. However, the
Holy Communion is a fundamental symbol of fellowship and an expression of
our unity in Christ. To offer this to those in gay partnered relationships,
contrary to biblical teaching and contrary to the Bishops' teaching in
Issues in Human Sexuality offers false hope rather than enabling
transformation. The Bishop as upholder of the Apostolic Faith is held by all
Anglicans to provide a focus of unity. Since the Archbishop has apparently
proceeded with this service , this makes it more likely that he will become
a focus of division. We endorse the importance of a proper listening
process. We trust that the Archbishop will also listen to those who have
moved through this stage to frame and fashion their own selves and their
families according to the doctrine of Christ.'
As soon as I can get a comment from someone from the consultation, I'll post
it here. I did manage to speak to Martin Reynolds, an openly gay clergyman
who has successfully adopted a boy with his partner and was a former
neighbour of Dr Williams when the Archbishop was in his previous job in
Wales. Dr Reynolds was not at the meeting but said: 'The Clergy Consultation
has been of great assistance to many many people over the years. Most gay
clergy are married and have children. Most do not have partners. The
consultation has given them great support and love in lives devoted to their
families. It has performed a wide range of functions for a lot of people. It
is hugely beneficial. The only clergyman I know who is in it is extremely
grateful for the friendships he has built up through it, and so is his
wife.'
I believe this all indicates that Rowan might at last be starting to reclaim
his liberal roots. A source tells me that Gene Robinson is definitely coming
to Lambeth, accompanied by his partner Mark. Gene will be doing a seminar.
He and Mark will have been 'married' in a civil ceremony a few days earlier,
on the symbolic 4 July. Lambeth will thus be their 'honeymoon'. Rowan wants
to keep sexuality as much off the agenda as he can at Lambeth, to avoid a
repetition of 1998. He is trying to make it as prayerful as possible. But I
don't rate his chances much, given the joyful presence of the honeymooners.
Lambeth is looking as if it will be wonderful for the media. Even in the
unlikely event that we'll be invited to any seminars, we won't actually have
to attend them. We will be free to make mischief on the highways and byways
of Kent University, like we did last time. And the time before that.
