SERMON PREACHED BY
THE RIGHT REVEREND ROBERT THOMPSON
BISHOP OF KINGSTON, JAMAICA
ST. MICHAEL & ALL SAINTS
EVENSONG, 28 SEPTEMBER 2008
AT CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

 

 

Making a case for staying together as a Communion

Six days after the Lambeth Conference ended, the Economist Magazine, in an article, posed the following question: "Does it matter if Anglicans fall out?" The answer to that question is a resounding yes!

My task in this reflection is not to chronicle the actions that have brought us to this point of great tension and division within the Anglican Communion. My task is to remind us of the ingredients we already possess that can hold us together as a Worldwide Communion. As one bishop remarked in my Indaba [discussion and listening] group at Lambeth; "As we talk with each other we discover, as every family does, that in spite of our quarrels we are still in love with each other". It is out of that experience of shared conversation and affection among Anglicans throughout the Communion that I address you this evening. I speak from the perspective of one who served for sometime on the ACC and Primates Joint Standing Committee and therefore a witness to the patient struggle and the negotiating techniques that have been adopted during the last decade, to keep the conversation going, despite the attempt by some to end it prematurely. It is to this process that I wish to speak as we make a case for staying together. I argue for staying together, despite our differences, not as an end in itself, but for the sake of a broken and divided world. Why is it necessary to be reminded of this? Because, "If our efforts at finding greater coherence for our Communion don't result in a more transforming love for the needy, in greater awareness and compassion for those whose humanity is abused or denied, and for the transformation of the world in conformity with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then this coherence is hollow and self-serving".

However, so long as tensions over same-sex relationships and Episcopal incursions in foreign jurisdictions remain unresolved our mission, as a Communion with one voice to a suffering world, remains compromised. The challenge for us as a Communion is that we neither have a centralized structure, nor a body of undisputed theological doctrine, to which we can appeal and around which to unite in times of conflict. For decades Anglicanism worked through relationships, a sense that we belong to a family with a shared inheritance. But in a context of competing views and mistrust we need something more.

The nature of the Anglican Communion

The Anglican Communion is a family of some 38 Provinces spread across 164 nations and comprising some 80 million faithful. These churches have never seen themselves as forming one universal "Anglican Church" but as a family of churches bound by a common inheritance and a common allegiance to Christ, expressed through their communion with the See of Canterbury. The Lambeth Conference of 1930 summed up what it means to be in communion in the following words:
"There are two prevailing types of ecclesiastical organization: that of centralized government, and that of regional autonomy within one fellowship. Of the former, the Church of Rome is the great historical example. The latter type, which we share with the Orthodox Churches of the East and others, was that upon which the Church of the first centuries was developing until the claims of the Roman Church and other tendencies confused the issue. During the first four centuries, the provinces were not bound together by an administrative bond: the real nexus was a common life resting upon a common faith, common Sacraments, and a common allegiance to an Unseen Head. The Anglican Communion is constituted upon this principle. It is a fellowship of churches historically associated with the British Isles. While these churches preserve the apostolic doctrine and order they are independent in their self-government and are growing up freely on their own soil and in their own environment as integral parts of the Church Universal."

Anglicans then, strive to be faithful to the Gospel in their particular cultural contexts, and to face moral, doctrinal, and social issues which demand discernment and urgent response. For example, issues of justice and human rights including human sexuality, the family, interfaith relationships and the use and distribution of resources demand attention. Our response to these issues is conditioned by our particular cultural context, our way of interpreting the Bible and the fact that we belong to a wider human community.

Problems arise when churches witness to their identity as Christians in ways that they believe to be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ but which are interpreted by others to be a threat to the unity of the Communion. When Christians find themselves in the midst of complex and explosive situations - as we are now - how do we avoid alienation from those who by baptism are our brothers and sisters in Christ, but who disagree? How do we remain in communion with God and with each other; and, how do we behave towards each other in the face of disagreement and conflict? What limits are there, what are we prepared to sacrifice in order to maintain the Gospel imperative of unity? These were the underlying questions faced by the bishops at Lambeth. "If the communion of churches one with another is founded upon a shared faith in Jesus Christ as proclaimed in the Scriptures, what are the limits of diversity that can be held tolerably within one family?"

Given the nature of the Anglican Communion and the lack of any viable structure to deal with divisions at several levels of Anglican life - between Provinces, between parishes and dioceses, and between so called conservatives and liberals - the Archbishop of Canterbury established the Lambeth Commission on Communion, to address among other things 'the legal and theological implications' of the decisions of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of New Westminster (Canada), and to make practical recommendations for maintaining the highest degree of communion that may be possible in the circumstances resulting from these decisions" (Lambeth Commission Mandate).

By the time the Commission had its first meeting a number of provinces declared that the Anglican Communion was now in a state of impairment and external interventions in the affairs of provinces intensified. The Windsor Report which the Commission published in 2004 made it clear that if we are to survive as an international family of Churches, then a shift of emphasis from "autonomy-in-communion" to "communion with autonomy and accountability" will have to take place. There are some who believe that "Communion with autonomy and accountability" is an anomaly. The Commission believes, however, that if any anomaly exists it can be accommodated with the adoption by churches of "a common Anglican Covenant", one which would make explicit and forceful the loyalty and bonds of affection which govern the relationships between the churches of the Communion" (Windsor p.62).

Let me say something about the proposed Anglican Covenant as a way of "affirming the bonds of affection." There was large support at Lambeth for the idea of a Covenant and this awaits further fine tuning from the design group. A covenant is not a contract and therefore any suggestion of a covenant becoming some kind of legal instrument, enforceable by the threat of exclusion from the Communion, if one does not conform, must be resisted. This was the general feeling at Lambeth. Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks suggested a way in which we could think of Covenant in non-legalistic terms. In a greatly appreciated address at one of our plenary sessions he said in part:

"In a contract, two or more individuals, each pursuing their own interest, come together to make an exchange for mutual benefit A covenant is something different. In a covenant, two or more individuals, each respecting the dignity and integrity of the other, come together in a bond of love and trust, to share their interests, sometimes even to share their lives, by pledging their faithfulness to one another, to do together what neither can achieve alone. A contract is a transaction. A covenant is a relationship. Or to put it slightly differently: a contract is about interests. A covenant is about identity. It is about you and me coming together to form an 'us'. That is why contracts benefit, but covenants transform" (Sacks).

Given the absence of any centralized structure to regulate relationships within the Communion, the acceptance by every province of an Anglican Covenant must of necessity involve collaboration and consultation at all levels possible. Presently we are mid-way through that process. In 2006, the Archbishop of Canterbury appointed a Covenant Drafting Group of ten persons, reflecting the cultural, theological and geographical diversity of the Communion, under the chair of Archbishop Drexel Gomez, to submit a draft for study and reflection by member churches. More than half of the provinces have already submitted their responses. These responses were accounted for in a second draft, which was presented at Lambeth as the "St Andrew Draft". The final text will now be presented to the next ACC meeting in May 2009 which, if adopted as definitive, will be offered to provinces for ratification through their synodical processes.

So - can a covenant help to guide the Communion on a path of trust in and discernment of God's will? Well, yes! If we base our approach on the biblical idea of covenant. As we read scripture, we can see that a covenant expresses the faithful promise of God to journey with his people, whether or not they are faithful to him. Of course people from time to time will go their own way, but like a shepherd God doesn't abandon them but stays with them and leads them on. So for us our covenant must be rooted in renewing our commitment to journeying together. If trust has been eroded then it can be restored through a covenant which promotes patience, listening, and mutual forbearance. Coercion, the casting off of perceived wrong doers and threat of sanction will only erode trust further. A covenant will inevitably bring with it structures and processes but these must be firmly based in a recommitment to each other and a determination to remain in dialogue and fellowship while respecting difference.

Windsor's Three Moratoria

As a way of demonstrating our commitment to each other the bishops at Lambeth asked for the adoption of the three moratoria set out in the Windsor Report, in relation to:
-- the public Rites of Blessing of same-sex unions,
-- the consecration to the episcopate of those living in partnered gay relationships and
-- the cessation of cross border interventions.

In giving their support to these moratoria the bishops added a cautious reminder that since each province is governed by its own canon law one should not rush into believing that there can be any easy fix. Those who claim that the Anglican Communion is moving far too slowly in resolving its differences ought to be reminded of this fact. Notwithstanding this very important reminder however, the general feeling among the bishops at Lambeth is that if the three moratoria are not observed, the Communion is likely to fracture. "The patterns of action currently embraced with the continued blessings of same-sex unions and of Episcopal interventions could lead to irreparable damage".

 

But all of this can change if we see the need to grow towards each other. As the Archbishop of Canterbury states: "Whatever the popular perception, the options before us are not irreparable schism or forced assimilation. We need to think through what all of this involves in the conviction that all our existing bonds of friendship and fellowship are valuable and channels of grace, even if some want to give such bonds a more formal and demanding shape". And because that need was strongly demonstrated by the bishops at Lambeth we left with a greater commitment to ensure that the Instruments of Communion play a more co-coordinated role in situations of conflict which may arise within and among Provinces. In this regard, the call was made for the swift formation of a "Pastoral Forum" to provide consultation and support with respect to the pastoral needs of those seeking "alternative oversight".

 

There are two things we must bear in mind as we move forward as a Communion. The first is an acknowledgement that the process of engagement and reception of an Anglican Covenant, with a commitment to impose limits on our actions, will take time as well as patience with each other. Secondly, we must bear in mind that as Anglicans we have always sought to maintain a synthesis - or fusion - between the need for clear boundaries and the making of space for the Spirit to express itself in fresh ways within each context. The proposed Covenant illustrates what is negotiable and what is non-negotiable, as well as what sacrifice we each will have to make in creating such a synthesis. In order to know what these are, it is vital that Anglicans at all levels (1) commit ourselves to continuing the process of listening to each other, and especially to gays and lesbians; and (2) to engage theologically our self-understanding as Anglicans and the way we read and interpret scripture.

 

Mutual Listening

The Lambeth 1998 resolution on human sexuality upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and describes homosexual practice as 'incompatible with Scripture'. However, there are other parts to this resolution, i.e., to establish "a means of monitoring the work done on the subject of human sexuality in the Communion and to honour the process of mutual listening, including listening to the experience of homosexual persons". At my first ACC meeting in Dundee Scotland, an attempt was made to carry out a part of that mandate. However it wasn't until ACC 13, in 2005 that full mandate of Lambeth 1.10 was implemented. I believe that today we are at quite a different place in regards to our mutual listening than where we were in 2000. Notwithstanding this, I plead with those who live and witness in a context that can speak freely about homosexuality without the risk of being isolated, to be patient with those who are exposed to such risks.

 

At Lambeth, we listened as bishops admitted that since homosexuality was illegal in their country, encouraging gays and lesbians to share their stories could mean death to those persons. In our own province of CPWI we have attempted with little success to engage a listening process. But since mutual listening can take many forms, and because homosexuality is still illegal in many of our territories our House of Bishops invited the Bishop of New York to one of our meetings to share his experience of being a pastor to gay and lesbian clergy. That face-to-face engagement with each other's context, may not have changed the minds of anyone, but it provided an opportunity for greater understanding.

 

The kind of listening we are talking about is between Christian members of the same church community. Our communion is with Christ and through him we have communion with all those who do have, did have and will have communion with him. It does not mean we will have to agree, but it does mean we will have to see where others (our brothers and sisters) are coming from and where they are going in union with Christ. And since our union in Christ must at all times be our focus, our listening can take place only within the context of prayer, the reading of scripture and worship.

Rigorous Theological Study

Notwithstanding the efforts at bridge building, generous listening and understanding of each others context, which the Lambeth Conference facilitated, the Communion can never be sustained unless there is a commitment to rigorous theological work.

The 1988 Lambeth Conference, for example, recognized that there was a need to advance the Communion's understanding of our common life and resolved;
"As a matter of urgency to advance the exploration of the meaning and nature of communion, with particular reference to the doctrine of the Trinity, the unity and order of the church, and the unity and community of humanity." (Lambeth Conference 1988, Resolution 18)

Resulting from that resolution the Eames Commission was established and produced in 1994 what we now know as the Virginia Report. The report which was presented to the 1998 Lambeth Conference for study and reception by each diocese in the Anglican Communion regrettably, was never taken seriously by member churches of the Communion. I say regrettably, because had we studied that document, had member churches demonstrated openness to the tensions and joys that are implied by being in Communion with those who are different, there would have been a greater willingness to trust each other, and where there is trust the possibility for change and transformation remains endless.

The bishops at Lambeth affirmed that the church's ministry has been immeasurably enriched by biblical scholarship and, in our proclamation and witness to the Word Incarnate, value the tradition of scholarly engagement with Scripture. "Biblical scholars have a variety of exegetical tools for their use and employ many different methods of biblical exposition and interpretation. When used discerningly and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, these tools and methods can assist us in breaking open the Holy Scriptures and enrich our understanding of God's Word. As bishops of the Church, we commend the use of faithful biblical scholarship by our clergy and people in the full confidence that there is still more light and truth to break forth from God's Word".

CONCLUSION
I know that many are pessimistic about the future of the Anglican Communion, but I find myself strangely optimistic that if we can maintain the space to listen to each other and perhaps to hear "the still small voice" there might emerge a new understanding and paradigm that none of us can yet imagine. The majority of bishops left Lambeth with a willingness to recommit themselves personally to journeying together and to reaffirm the importance of our Anglican heritage, acknowledging that no part of the body can say to another I have no need for you.

So, if we can find a way to genuinely engage each other across the boundaries we so often erect.. If we can find ways to listen to each other about the ways in which each responds to the diverse challenges of witnessing to the gospel in a changing and complex world.. If we can find ways of thinking together with open and understanding minds, without compromising our belief that the Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.. Then perhaps we may begin to discover again an Anglicanism in which prayerful consultation and partnerships in mission become an accepted way of sustaining a relationship that transcends the local church.

As the Archbishop of Canterbury reminded us, "The entire Church is present in every local church assembled around the Lord's Table. Yet the local church alone is never the entire Church. We are called to see this not as a circle to be squared but as an invitation to be more and more lovingly engaged with each other." "By God's Grace we have it in us to be a Church that can manage to respond generously and flexibly to diverse cultural situations while holding fast to the knowledge that we also free ourselves from what can be the suffocating pressure of local demands and priorities because we are attentive and obedient to the liberating gift of God in Jesus and in the Scripture and tradition which bear witness to him."

I hope that the presentation which I have outlined this evening will help us to embody something of this vision and challenge each one of us to play our part in making it happen.

 

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