ANGL|ICAN SPLIT

Anonymous (Patrick) has made an unrelated comment on this post.

Jay,
Completely off topic, again(!):
Could you weigh in on the impending Anglican schism (the BBC used that term last night!) arising from the boycott of the upcoming Lambeth by some bishops angry over Bishop Robinson of NH...Do you know the Bishop, since he is quite close by? How is he taking it? Do you have a thought as to how to preserve the Communion, or do you believe it should fracture at this point? Also, any word from the bishop of my hometown, J.S. Spong, on this?....

Check out the news stories for 28 June at ANGLICANS ONLINE for coverage of the just completed GAFCON meeting in Jerusalem.

But I like what Giles Goddard of Inclusive Church emailed me today:

So it's a split. The final communique from the "GAFCON" conference of in Jerusalem has set up alternative structures within the church. It's a complicated document and clearly needs more unpacking that that! But over the long term, the aim must be to seek to impose a rigid and exclusive understanding of scripture on the rest of the Communion. In the short term it provides a safe space for those who embrace that particular view of scripture. The theology of GAFCON owes more to Calvin than to Anglicanism. However it does mean that those of us who celebrate the historic breadth, inclusivity and welcome of Anglicanism can now continue to communicate our message of Christ's unconditional love. We look forward to a healthy and creative Lambeth conference. [I]f you want to keep up to date on developments in the Communion, Thinking Anglicans is always good to visit.

I was present at Gene Robinson's ordination as Bishop of New Hampshire and have heard him preach, but I don't know him personally.

I did an internet search for Bp Spong and GAFCON and found a reference to him in a recent speech by Archbishop Akinola, who called Jack Spong [retired Bishop of Newark] 'a self-conceited typical American bishop...' I've heard Jack Spong preach and talk many times. But 'typical American bishop'? I don't think so! Spong would either be insulted or amused by this label, don't you think? If anything, John Shelby Spong challenges me to think. And spripture, reason and traditon are the foundations of Anglican theology.