The
Primates (chief bishops) of the Anglican Communion met at Canterbury,
England this past week. They discussed religiously
motivated violence, the refugee crisis, the real-life impact of climate change,
and evangelism. But the topic that has
gotten the most public attention is the disagreement regarding the Episcopal
Church’s decision last summer to formally change its teaching regarding
marriage and the creation of rites for same-sex blessings and marriage.
The Primates issued a communique reiterating the fact that this is contrary to the
understanding of the majority of the churches in the Anglican Communion. It acknowledges
that this has caused pain in other parts of the Communion. As the consequence
of that the communique states,
“It is our unanimous desire to walk together.
However given the seriousness of these matters we formally acknowledge this
distance by requiring that for a period of three years The Episcopal Church no
longer represent us on ecumenical and interfaith bodies, should not be
appointed or elected to an internal standing committee and that while
participating in the internal bodies of the Anglican Communion, they will not
take part in decision making on any issues pertaining to doctrine or polity.”
It
is important to note that this is not about whether or not the Episcopal Church
is a member of the Anglican Communion. We are. That has not changed. Rather, this is a recognition of
the deep disagreement with the decisions we have made. I have argued more or less in support of the position taken
by the Episcopal Church. I still believe we are on a faithful path. But, I take seriously the strains this has put on our Communion. It is possible to believe that
one is right while accepting that acting on that conviction might come with
consequences. And then to accept the consequences.
I
love the Episcopal Church. I love the Anglican Communion. They are inseparable.
Whether the majority of the Episcopal Church and those throughout the Communion
who agree with it are right or if the majority of the Anglican Communion and those
within the Episcopal Church who agree with them are right, we need each other. We
need to be encouraged and challenged by one another in order to grow into the truth and love of Jesus Christ.
We
belong to one another. But, we have been reminded again this week that such
belonging can be difficult. Perhaps the most significant and encouraging line in the communique
is this one,
“Over the past week the unanimous decision of
the Primates was to walk together, however painful this is, and despite our
differences, as a deep expression of our unity in the body of Christ.”
To
be a member of the Church is to be bound to all other members by the enduring
bond of baptism. Because we are bound to one another, we walk together. Because
we sometime disagree with one another or act in ways that hurt one another, that
can be a painful thing. It is the pain of love. To be in real communion is difficult. It requires
dying and rising. It requires patience, perseverance, and endurance. It
requires the power of the Holy Spirit. And, as Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of the
Province of Southern Africa said at the press conference at the close of the
meeting, “The Holy Spirit is not done with us.”
