PRIMATES MEETING, LAMBETH 2016

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Final Communique

Primates Gathering in Canterbury 2016

“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these matters we formally acknowledge this distance by requiring that for a period of three years The Episcopal Church no longer represent us on ecumenical and interfaith bodies, should not be appointed or elected to an internal standing committee and that while participating in the internal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. READ FULL COMMUNIQUE

FOR COMMENTS ON THE COMMUNIQUE BY GAFCON AND OTHER PROVINCES CLICK HERE

PRIMATES GATHER IN CANTERBURY: FUTURE OF ANGLICAN COMMUNION AT STAKE

GAFCON RESPONDS TO SUSPENSION OF EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF USA

The Anglican Communion is our spiritual home and the GAFCON Primates travelled to England in the hope that godly faith and order could be restored through renewed obedience to the Bible…However, this action must not be seen as an end, but as a beginning. There is much that causes us concern, especially the failure to recognise the fact that the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) has also rejected the collegial mind of the Communion by unilaterally permitting the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of those in active homosexual relationships. We fear that other provinces will do the same. READ MORE

OFFICIAL STAMENT FROM CANTERBURY

Episcopal Church Suspended from full participation in the Anglican Communion.

Most Rev. Justin Welby- Primate Anglican Communion

George Conger (Anglican.Ink)

The primates of the Anglican Communion have suspended the Episcopal Church from full participation in the life and work of the Anglican Communion. On 14 January 2016 a motion was presented to the gathering of archbishops and moderators gathered in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral that called for the Episcopal Church to be suspended for a period of three years…The motion further asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to “appoint a task group to maintain conversations among ourselves with the intention of restoration of relationship, rebuilding of mutual trust, healing the legacy of hurt, recognising the extent of commonality, and exploring our deep differences, ensuring they are held in the love and grace of Christ.” READ FULL REPORT

Justin Welby, earlier at the beginning of the meeting, amidst apprehension of an impending split and walk away by primates of the GAFCON segment of the communion said, in a BBC interview, ‘Well, there is nothing I can do if people decide that they want to leave the room. It won’t split the Communion. There is a whole process that I won’t bore you with, with how a Province leaves the Communion. But we want to stay together, to listen to each other, in service to Jesus Christ; and to focus on, not only the issue of sexuality, but also the huge issues that are affecting people around the world: conflict, persecution, religious violence – those are also really important on the agenda. READ FULL TRANSCRIPT

READ JUSTIN WELBY’S OPENING ADDRESS TO THE MEETING

MEANWHILE PRIMATE OF UGANDA HAS LEFT THE MEETING

‘I was concerned that the process set up for this meeting would not permit us to address the unfinished business from the 2007 Primates Meeting in Dar es Salaam.

In accordance with the resolution of our Provincial Assembly, it was, therefore, necessary for me to withdraw from the meeting, which I did at the end of the second day. It seemed that I was being manipulated into participating in a long meeting with the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada without the necessary discipline being upheld. My conscience is at peace.’ READ FULL LETTER

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Why the GAFCON Primates Chose to Thrash it Out

How not to make matters worse for African homosexual people

Jan 5, 2016

Reflections from northern Nigeria: First Published in Anglican Mainstream

The African context.

In the African context, homosexuality is not an unusual phenomenon. In many African cultures, people with same sex attraction and those who have homosexual sex have lived within communities and not been challenged or harassed. In many Nigerian cultures they gain sympathy, as in the Berom and Anaguta tribes.READ