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Eugene

(61,595 posts)
Mon Jan 11, 2016, 04:19 PM Jan 2016

As Anglicans meet, Archbishop Welby says schism would be failure

Source: Reuters

As Anglicans meet, Archbishop Welby says schism would be failure

By Reuters Staff January 11, 2016

A schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion over homosexual rights and women clerics would be a failure but not a disaster, the spiritual head of Anglicans said on Monday at the start of a high-stakes meeting between conservative and liberal primates.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will host the heads of the communion’s 37 other provinces around the globe for a week of talks to try and work out if and how they can stick together after more than a decade of bitter disagreements.

“Certainly I want reconciliation, but reconciliation doesn’t always mean agreement. In fact, it very seldom does. It means finding ways to disagree well and that’s what we’ve got to do this week,” Welby told BBC Radio 4.

The communion, which has around 85 million members in 165 countries, has been deeply divided over issues of gender and sexuality between liberal churches in North America and Britain and their conservative counterparts, especially in Africa.

Such is the strength of feeling that before the Canterbury talks had started some conservative primates were already dangling the threat of a walk-out.

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Read more: http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2016/01/11/as-anglicans-meet-archbishop-welby-says-schism-would-be-failure/
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As Anglicans meet, Archbishop Welby says schism would be failure (Original Post) Eugene Jan 2016 OP
"...conservative primates..." cleanhippie Jan 2016 #1
Anglicanism is the state religion in the UK. Bad Dog Jan 2016 #2
His idea that each church can set its own doctrine isn't workable. mn9driver Jan 2016 #3
I once cared about the communion .... kwassa Jan 2016 #6
Anglican 'doctrine' is very broad. Bad Dog Jan 2016 #4
Church of England attendance plunges to record low muriel_volestrangler Jan 2016 #5

Bad Dog

(2,025 posts)
2. Anglicanism is the state religion in the UK.
Mon Jan 11, 2016, 04:31 PM
Jan 2016

Anglican bishops sit in the house of Lords, the only other place where clerics are part of government is Iran. And as such the church has to reflect the current attitudes and try to give some kind of moral vision. Gay marriage is legal in the UK, it's unthinkable that any changes will be made to that.

I think they're doing OK, and if the homophobes want to leave let them. Currently he most recognisable vicar is Reverend Richard Coles, a gay man who used to be in the Communards, and a brilliant bloke all round.



mn9driver

(4,412 posts)
3. His idea that each church can set its own doctrine isn't workable.
Mon Jan 11, 2016, 04:40 PM
Jan 2016

It smacks as a way to keep the communion intact in name only. Canterbury would save face, but there would be no actual Anglican doctrine.

I don't see the African churches agreeing in any way to accept the English and American positions on women and gay acceptance. It simply is not going to happen. If there's going to be a schism, make it a real schism. That way people know where they stand.

Bad Dog

(2,025 posts)
4. Anglican 'doctrine' is very broad.
Mon Jan 11, 2016, 05:14 PM
Jan 2016

So much it's almost impossible to say what it is. The archbish confines himself to stuff like treatment of immigrant social disparity housing and poverty. That's about it. I think he'll be able to cobble something together. It's what we're good at.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,154 posts)
5. Church of England attendance plunges to record low
Tue Jan 12, 2016, 01:22 PM
Jan 2016
Attendance at Church of England services has plunged to its lowest level ever as the Archbishop of Canterbury warned it was battling to maintain its place in an increasingly “anti-Christian” culture.

Official figures – based on an annual pew count – show that only 1.4 per cent of the population of England now attend Anglican services on a typical Sunday morning.

Even the Church’s preferred “weekly” attendance figures, which include those at mid-week or extra services, has slipped below one million for the first time ever.

Overall average attendances at Sunday services across England fell by 22,000 to 764,700 in 2014 - a fall of seven per cent in just five years.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/12095251/Church-of-England-attendance-plunges-to-record-low.html

The Church of England these days is more of a school board that is tasked with trying to hold together a disparate collection of world churches, than an established church. Though it does still carry out 31% of England's funerals.
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