August 1, 2008 – 6 a.m.
My morning started the way it always does. Precisely at 5 a.m., a waste management truck
pulled up to the bins about 25 meters from bedroom window and with a few beep,
beep, beeps removes the waste leaving me wide awake. Acting like their own alarm clock, the truck
wakes the birds, some of which I do not recognize, who begin chirping; doves
with a decidedly British accent start cooing and I start stirring. Last night reminded me of the summers of my
childhood in Toronto - hot, humid, sticky, no air circulating and certainly no
air conditioning, the kind of night when the bed sheets stick to you body. About 3am the humidity broke and a welcome
breeze made its way into the residence in which we are staying.
Last night the indefatigable Williams had two busloads of people down to
their home in Old Palace for drinks, finger food and a look at the Canterbury
Home of the Archbishop. Most nights
Rowan and Jane host an event, sometimes at Old Palace and sometimes in one of
the reception rooms at Kent University. All receive an invitation. It was
a meeting in the Old Palace in the mid 1990’s that launched the Compass Rose
Society.
We move into the final couple of days of the Lambeth and Spouses
Conferences with a very mixed mood among the Bishops. Almost everyone here wants the Anglican
Communion to remain as intact as possible but the way forward is not yet
clear. Bishops are listening hard to one
another, really engaging one another in serious conversation, gaining a deep
appreciation of the contexts and cultures each live in and seeking to
understand the other. We share so much
of our beliefs in common, use similar liturgies, recite the same creeds,
express belief in the Anglican formula of scripture, tradition and reason yet
come to very different understandings on some issues.
On the one hand, even a cursory reading of Anglican Church history
reveals different understandings leading to enormous arguments. Somehow these have been woven together in an
alliance that has promoted the unity of the church ever since the Elizabethan
Settlement. On the other hand, the
points of division on the issues we are grappling with divide along very sharp
fault lines. Some say homosexuality is a
sin and that those in the church who desire to bless faithful, monogamous
same-sex partnerships are blessing something that negatively affects those
individuals’ eternal life. In many
countries homosexuality is illegal. Churches
in some parts of the world are accused by other religious groups of belonging
to the “gay” church and finding their ministries undermined in the
community. Clearly what people do in one
part of the world affects people in another part of the world.
Some say homosexuality is a created condition and that homophobia is
rampant. They see recognizing the
dignity of every human person as an issue of justice. Some say homosexuality does not exist in
their cultures and if it does remains well hidden. “Exactly”, others respond, “and that leads to
violence against gay and lesbian persons”. Some say the bible is very clear that homosexuality is a sin while
others say, “not so fast, there is another way of understanding
scripture”. Still others, from both perspectives
say they are issues facing people that are far more important than issues of
human sexuality-HIV/AIDS, poverty, the MDG’s among others. It is hard for the ear to hear when the
stomach is empty.
As we move into these last three days, while many feel very unsettled
all recognize the gravity of the work in front of us for the future of this
Communion. I remain hopeful that God
will show us the way forward but it will require enormous pastoral generosity,
intentional sacrifice and deeper understanding of the others point of view. Please pray for the Bishops as they continue
to meet. Pray also for those who chose
not to enter the discussion at the Lambeth Conference, that God’s
reconciliation through Jesus Christ may touch the hearts and minds of all of
us.
I personally remain hopeful that a direction will be found, but have
very little clarity exists at this point as to what that direction might be.
+Philip Poole
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