Lambeth invitations and the Communion’s future

Mar 7, 2019 by Jill

from Psephizo:

Andrew Goddard writes: In January I raised a number of concerns about the invitation policy for the 2020 Lambeth Conference. The issue hit the headlines again in February following further developments – the election of a same-sex married priest to be Bishop of Maine and the February 15^th message from the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion which contains much encouraging and positive news about Lambeth 2020 but also confirmation that all serving bishops are being invited and the revelation that same-sex spouses are not being invited to the Conference:

I need to clarify a misunderstanding that has arisen. Invitations have been sent to every active bishop. That is how it should be – we are recognising that all those consecrated into the office of bishop should be able to attend. But the invitation process has also needed to take account of the Anglican Communion’s position on marriage which is that it is the lifelong union of a man and a woman. That is the position as set out in Resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference. Given this, it would be inappropriate for same-sex spouses to be invited to the conference. The Archbishop of Canterbury has had a series of private conversations by phone or by exchanges of letter with the few individuals to whom this applies.

The non-invitation has led to much outrage and controversy not just online (for example, Peter Leonard’s application of the Pastoral Advisory Group’s recently released Pastoral Principles) but at the Executive Council of TEC (remarks by the House of Deputies President Gay Jennings and a resolution).

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