Anglicans Seek Unity, Contend on Sexual Issues
LONDON — The world's highest-ranking Anglican archbishops struggled here Wednesday to maintain unity at an emergency church summit prompted by the U.S. Episcopal Church's controversial decisions to ordain an openly gay bishop and tacitly allow the blessing of same-sex couples.
The archbishops' deliberations were conducted privately behind the walls of Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the archbishop of Canterbury. But their spokesman broadly hinted that they probably will reject conservative pleas to expel the U.S. Episcopal Church, at least for the immediate future.
Archbishop Robert Eames of the Church of Ireland, the official spokesman, called speculation that the 77-million-member worldwide Anglican Communion would split over the homosexuality debate "unfounded."
He said that all 37 archbishops present had voiced "concern" about maintaining unity, including those from Africa, South America and Southeast Asia who have severely criticized the U.S. Episcopal Church.
"There is an underlying anxiety right across the board to maintain the Anglican Communion," Eames told reporters.
"If I were to hazard a guess, I would say it's moving toward a consensus situation," Eames said of the decision expected to be announced today.
The U.S. Episcopal Church is one of 38 self-governing national churches in the communion. The spiritual head of the worldwide communion is Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who called the meeting. He does not have the power to override the U.S. Episcopal Church's policies but can declare them out of communion with the worldwide church.
Some conservative archbishops have pushed for not only a repudiation of the U.S. Episcopal Church's decisions, but an ultimatum that the American church could be evicted from the communion unless it recants and returns to what they call biblical orthodoxy condemning homosexuality.
One knowledgeable conservative source, who has been close to those in the meeting, said it appeared that U.S. conservatives would be disappointed if they counted on support from archbishops from the Southern Hemisphere for booting out the U.S. Episcopal Church.
"It looks like the alliance that was heralded basically broke apart," the source said on condition that he not be identified.
A liberal, the Rev. Michael Hopkins, past president of Integrity, a U.S. Episcopal gay advocacy organization, added, "Obviously we're not getting kicked out."
