News for Week Ending 4/14/2008

Violence against gays decried

Changing Attitude, the British-based organization working for GBLT “affirmation” within the Anglican Communion, wrote a letter April 8 to “conservative Anglican church leaders” asking them to tone down anti-gay rhetoric. Gay leaders of Changing Attitude Nigeria have been assaulted, and the life of the director of the parent organization has been threatened. The next day, the Archbishop of Canterbury issued a statement calling the threats against gay leaders “disgraceful.”

Brazilian bishops protest Venables visit to Recife

In a statement made public April 9, bishops of the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil expressed “strong repudiation” of a recent visit by Southern Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables to Recife. They said Bishop Venables “took part in and celebrated at official occasions outside his Province without the knowledge and consent of the Archbishop of the Province of Brazil and this House of Bishops.” Details are available here.

First woman Anglican bishop named in Australia

Archdeacon Kay Goldsworthy, will become Australia’s first woman bishop. On May 22, she will be consecrated an assistant bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Perth. The Anglican Church of Australia will become the fourth province in the Anglican Communion to appoint or elect a woman to serve in the episcopate, although 14 of 38 provinces have approved the consecration of women bishops. Stories from The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion can be found here and here.

More developments reported regarding disciplinary proceedings against bishops

The Living Church reported April 9 that Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has sent e-mail to all bishops entitled to vote on the deposition of Bishop Robert Duncan. The story suggests that, although a House of Bishops meeting has been scheduled for September 17–19, a special meeting might be held to vote on deposition before the Lambeth Conference this summer.

The Presiding Bishop inhibited retired Bishop of Quincy Edward H. MacBurney on April 2. The bishop’s adopted son died two days later, and Bishop Jefferts Schori has now temporarily lifted the inhibition “to offer the bishop the opportunity to function liturgically in any services for his son if he desires to do so.” The Living Church reports the story here.

Amicable parting of parish in Rio Grande diocese

The Diocese of the Rio Grande announced this week that clergy and congregants of the mission Church of Ascension, Cloudcroft, New Mexico, have been received into the Anglican Province of Uganda. The mission vicar and president of the standing committee concelebrated a service of Holy Eucharist on Sunday, April 6. According to the diocese, the departing group will move to an “alternative location” during the coming week. The diocese also announced that Episcopal worship will continue at the mission location beginning April 13. “Conversations were respectful, cordial and acknowledged respective positions,” the diocesan announcement said. A newspaper report can be read here.

Duncan to preach at Iker celebration

Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan will preach Sunday, April 27, at a service of Evensong marking the 15th anniversary of the consecration of Bishop of Fort Worth Jack L. Iker. (Fort Worth, like Pittsburgh, has voted once on constitutional changes intended to facilitate the diocese’s leaving The Episcopal Church.) The event will be held at St. Vincent’s Cathedral in Bedford, Texas, in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Details can be found on the cathedral’s Web site.