Anglican Communion Split as Conservative Anglican leaders urge change
Pastor Dale Morgan
Anglican Communion Split as Conservative Anglican leaders urge change*
The Associated Press
Sunday, October 25, 2009; 5:18 PM
LONDON -- A conservative group of Anglican bishops are pushing for
change in their own churches rather than suggesting the faithful turn to
Rome.
The Global South alliance, made up of theologically conservative
primates from developing countries, said Sunday in a statement on their
Web site that a proposed Anglican Covenant - a shared set of guidelines
for membership in the Anglican church - should be adopted.
The statement comes in the wake of an announcement earlier this week by
the Vatican, saying that Pope Benedict XVI had authorized an Apostolic
Constitution. The constitution would allow Anglicans to move to the
Catholic church, but keep their own liturgy and married priests.
In a statement posted to their Web site, the group said they appreciated
the pope's stance on the "common biblical teaching on human sexuality"
but "at the same time we believe that the proposed Anglican Covenant
sets the necessary parameters.
"It gives Anglican churches worldwide a clear and principled way forward
in pursuing God's divine purposes," the statement reads.
The Global South group is headed by Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola.
There are about 77 million Anglicans around the world. The church has
been in turmoil since 2003, when the U.S. Episcopal Church consecrated
New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop.
It is uncertain how many Anglicans will seek to switch churches because
of the pope's new policy. The Right Rev. John Broadhurst, the Bishop of
Fulham, has said about 1,000 Church of England clergy will seek to join
the Roman Catholic Church. Broadhurst chairs Forward in Faith, a group
of traditionalists opposed to the ordination of women.