Well, it's over. And the world continues to turn and life moves on. How to interpret what has happened at Lambeth is mind-boggling, to say the least. I think reading tea leaves would have been much easier to see the future of Anglicanism and the future of the Church.
There are those who are sharing their after-thoughts on the conference and I would like to point you to some of the more lucid and candid writers:
Katie Sherrod of Desert's Child really puts it into perspective as a lay person of the Church, especially from beleaguered Fort Worth.
On the other hand you have Theo Hobson of The Guardian newspaper in London who sings a woeful tune regarding his portent of the demise of liberal Anglicanism. Sorry, I'm still here, as is the American Church. And we aren't dead by any means, Theo.
Of course, a more balanced view can be found at Thinking Anglicans, so definitely visit there, as well as Anglicans Online, the haven for all things Anglican.
Mary Frances Schjonberg of The Episcopal News Service has been covering Canterbury these many days and brings together a consensus of all that has happened in a great article covering the spectrum of fundamentalism to liberalism in the Church.
Bishop Marc Andrus of California has set his reflections down and is also sharing them on Facebook. I find his views and fortitude refreshing in light of what has occurred at Lambeth.
Feathers and Faith, a blog by Barbi Click of Dallas-Fort Worth writes of her thoughts on Lambeth and about being gay in the Church. There is a lot of personal stuff that Barbi puts forth...she is so brave. Have a read that will open your eyes to the life a of gay person in the Church.
You can also go directly to the Lambeth home page of Episcopal Life Online to read the entire texts of the presidential addresses as well as other important speeches and press releases from various parties and attendees, both lay and clergy.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has stepped up to the plate in unity with the American Church as well as Canada in welcoming +Gene Robinson as a son of the Church. You can read it at What's in Kelvin's Head?, the Provost of St Mary's Cathedral of Scotland's own blog. Thankfully the Scottish Church doesn't give a fig about what the Church of England is up to [and why should it?], or Rowan for that matter. Let's hear it for The Scottish Episcopal Church!
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori made a closing statement at the end of Lambeth and Integrity Portland has it here.
Integrity USA, the LGBT arm of the Episcopal Church USA, posted newletters almost daily about the developments of the day, and they also covered the appearances and speeches of +Gene Robinson, the uninvited Bishop of New Hampshire, who most likely made more news not attending Lambeth than if he had been allowed in with the other bishops. You can also read the final Integrity USA statement about Lambeth, written by Susan Russell+, here.
Without a doubt there will be more fallout from Lambeth in the coming months and into next year, especially when GenCon '09 comes around in Anaheim, California...bet on it.
It is my hope that these links and the ones I provided in the post before last help bring to you, dear reader, what Lambeth was about and what it wasn't. Feel free to comment on any of the links or stories that you read or, on the conference as a whole.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord...
Catherine
6 comments:
A brave endeavor, Catherine. I didn't have the heart to attempt to do a wrap-up on Lambeth. I'm not going to quibble with your selections, except to not that I think the ENS reports are the least relevant of all. They have given up journalism.
Thanks for the good wishes.
Let's hear it for the Church of Scotland indeed, but I'm an Anglican and so are the members of my congregation, so we are part of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
The Church of Scotland is a presbyterian church and has nothing to do with Lambeth.
Thanks again for the link to the video of +Gene. He was just great.
I thank Kelvin for seeing the "error of my ways" in reference to the Scottish Episcopal Church. And you are welcome for the link to the video of +Gene!
I guess I half-repent of my comment about ENS. I do think you were right to include them; I just don't know why anybody would bother to read them.
Dear Lisa, I love you, my sister. Thank you for your second comment as well as the first. I read them and then I read other bloggers and news sources, and then I can balance it all intellectually and glean what is worth keeping and what is to be discarded as chaff.
I hope you can see the reason behind my wanting to include ENS, even if some of their stuff is watered down; I just beef it up with the "meat" I find in other sources. Then I come away with a picture of what is happening, have an idea of where we might go from this point or that point.
Thank you for being you. Don't ever change your way of telling it like it is, and doing so in gentle strength. It's one of those qualities I admire in you.
Catherine+
Thank you for your generous response.
Yes, I'm having "issues" with ENS "reporting" recently. For a while, early in KJS's tenure, I thought they were being journalists. Now, I sense they are simply being puppets and spokespersons. I don't understand why that has changed.
And I don't think I'm alone in this perception. Please click over to this question from a member of the Standing Committee on Episcopal Church Communications. The world of communications is changing. What should we do to respond to that change?
Since you've given me permission to rant, Catherine, I'll give this rant: It really ticked me off that the "worthy opponents" did a much better job of covering the events than did our own ENS. I want to see that change.
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