Anglican Archbishop in reunification talks with Vatican*

Staff and agencies
Thursday November 23, 2006
Guardian Unlimited

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, with Pope Benedict XVI at
the Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams,
today acknowledged there were "serious obstacles" to closer ties between
Catholics and Anglicans, when they met in Rome.

The leaders of the two churches signed a joint statement after 25
minutes of private talks, saying they were committing themselves to
continuing dialogue. The two men then prayed together in a chapel in the
Apostolic palace and later had lunch.

Their meeting marked the 40th anniversary of landmark efforts to improve
relations between the two churches, which went their separate ways
during the reign of King Henry VIII.

"Our long journey together makes it necessary to acknowledge publicly
the challenge represented by new developments which, beside being
divisive for Anglicans, present serious obstacles to our ecumenical
progress," the two leaders said in their declaration.

Dr Williams told the pope in a speech that "disputes about how we apply
the gospel to the challenges thrown up by modern society can often
obscure or even threaten the achievements of dialogue" but that he came,
"ready to hear and to understand the concerns which you will wish to
share with me".

The Pope, while not spelling out the disputes in his speech, appeared to
refer to them when he spoke of "the strains and difficulties besetting
the Anglican communion and consequently about the uncertainty of the
communion itself".

"Recent developments, especially concerning the ordained ministry and
certain moral teachings, have affected not only internal relations with
the Anglican communion but also relations between the Anglican communion
and the Catholic church," the pontiff told Dr Williams.

Tensions between the two churches are most evident with the Anglicans'
blessings of same-sex unions and the ordination of women. The same
issues have threatened to split the world's 77 million Anglicans since
the elevation in 2003, in the United States, of the first openly gay
Anglican bishop.

Pope Benedict appeared to be referring to the disputes when he told Dr
Williams in his speech: "We believe that these matters, which are
presently under discussion in the Anglican communion, are of vital
importance to the preaching of the gospel in its integrity, and that
your current discussions will shape the future of our relations."

"We fervently hope that the Anglican communion will remain grounded in
the gospels and the Apostolic tradition," the pope said.

The Catholic church teaches that while homosexuals should be treated
with dignity, homosexual acts are sinful, and it is campaigning against
same-sex unions. It also opposes ordination of women.

While praying with the archbishop, Benedict asked God to grant the "gift
of visible unity".

The discussions between the two leaders - who are both former professors
of theology - coincide with the 40th anniversary of the historic meeting
between Pope Paul VI and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Michael
Ramsey, in 1966.

The two men looked relaxed throughout the public part of today's
encounter. Dr Williams' 10-year-old son, Philip, gave the pontiff a
handmade card signed "with love from the children of Canterbury cathedral".

The archbishop, in his speech, displayed the ring that Pope Paul VI gave
Archbishop Ramsey in their 1966 meeting, and a cross from Pope John Paul
II that he was wearing. Dr Williams prayed at the tombs of the popes and
of St Peter in St Peter's Basilica.

The ring and cross, Dr Williams said, were "symbolic of our shared
commitment to work together for the full visible unity of the Christian
family".