News for Week Ending 4/26/2010

Global South leaders complete meeting with “Trumpet”

The Fourth Anglican Global South to South Encounter—see Pittsburgh Update story here—was held in Singapore April 19–23, 2010. The group of invited conservative Anglican leaders not confined to the “Global South,” issued a communiqué—called a “Trumpet”—at the end of their meeting that can be read here. The program was covered on-line in great detail by Global South Online here.

As expected, the final communiqué was critical of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. The dissatisfaction with the state of the Anglican Communion expressed by the group went much deeper. Indeed, the communiqué ended with the following statement:

We believe that there is a need to review the entire Anglican Communion structure; especially the Instruments of Communion and the Anglican Communion office; in order to achieve an authentic expression of the current reality of our Anglican Communion.

Surprisingly, although the communiqué urged various actions on Anglican churches (establishing communion with the Anglican Church in North America, for example), the group took no collective action other than issuing its Trumpet. The proposed Anglican covenant was neither endorsed nor rejected, for example.

Episcopal News Service ran stories on the beginning and end of the Encounter. The Encounter was also covered by Church Times, and The Christian Post. Thinking Anglicans has posts linking both news and comment about the meeting here, here, here, here, and here.

New Yorker covers CoE women bishops struggle

The New Yorker recently published an article on the struggle within the Church of England to allow for women bishops. The article can be read on-line here. It provides insight into the politics of the Church of England, which are not always apparent to the casual American observer. The Archbishop of Canterbury is trying to hold his own church together at the same time he is trying to preserve the unity of the Anglican Communion.

Maori diocese moves to ordain gays

The Lead reported April 25, 2010, that a diocese of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia has, in principle, decided to accept the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy. The Lead article tries to put this move in context, as the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia has an unusual organization.

Lutherans move forward with gay clergy

Concerned Lutherans/North America reported April 11, 2010, that the ELCA Church Council has approved wording implementing the decision made earlier by the church to allow for pastors in committed, same-sex relationships.

Lesbian couple exchanges vows in Southern Ohio

Episcopal News Service reported April 13, 2010, on an April 11 service in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio in which a lesbian couple exchanged vows in a Cincinnati church. Bishop Thomas E. Breidenthal had announced earlier that, in response to resolutions passed at the 2009 General Convention, he would lift his diocese’s ban on blessing same-sex unions after Easter.

Bishop explains Glasspool vote

The Rt. Rev. Scott A. Benhase, Bishop of Georgia, wrote to his flock April 21, 2010, explaining why he gave his consent for the consecration of the Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool to become a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Such explanations are seldom forthcoming either from bishops or standing committees. Notably, the Rt. Rev. Herman Hollerith IV, Bishop of Southern Virginia, sent a similar letter in February explaining his vote against the Glasspool consecration.

Duncan briefs diocese on legal issues

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Archbishop Robert Duncan and other leaders of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh briefed parish leaders April 25, 2010, at St. Martin’s, Monroeville, about ongoing litigation with Calvary Church, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, and The Episcopal Church. According to the newspaper’s account, Duncan assured his listeners that “the appeal of the case is ongoing.” The Anglican diocese posted a story about the meeting here, which includes links to a statement from Duncan and other materials.

Local Presbyterians lose property case

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported April 10, 2010, that a Washington County Common Pleas judge has blocked an effort by members of the Peters Creek United Presbyterian Church who wish to remain in the Presbyterian Church (USA) to regain control of the church. The congregation voted 207–26 to leave their church for a more conservative denomination. Based on the neutral principles of law standard, Judge Paul Pozonsky ruled that the minority petitioners had not proved their case. The plaintiffs plan to appeal. It is unclear whether the decision has any relevance to local Episcopal Church disputes.

American TAC group appeals to Pope

The Anglo-Catholic has posted a letter from the Anglican Church in America (a part of the Traditional Anglican Communion) and parishes of the Anglican Use to the Vatican. The letter is a request to begin the process of incorporating these non-Anglican-Communion churches into the Roman Catholic Church, thus taking advantage of an offer made by the Vatican last October. (See Pittsburgh Update stories here and here.)