Rowan Williams' Pentecost Letter

The Archbishop of Canterbury has written to the bishops of the Anglican Communion in a letter just posted to his web site. The letter describes in more detail what his hopes are for this summer's Lambeth Conference and it lays out his desire that all the bishops who attend are willing in good conscience to participate in the Windsor Process.

From the specific section on the process, William's writes:

"As I noted when I wrote to you in Advent, this makes it all the more essential that those who come to Lambeth will arrive genuinely willing to engage fully in that growth towards closer unity that the Windsor Report and the Covenant Process envisage. We hope that people will not come so wedded to  their own agenda  and their local  priorities that they cannot listen to those from other cultural backgrounds.  As you may have gathered, in circumstances where there has been divisive or controversial action, I have been discussing privately with some bishops the need to be wholeheartedly part of a shared vision and process in our time together.

Of course, as baptised Christians and pastors of Christ's flock, we are not just seeking some low-level consensus, or a simple agreement to disagree politely.  We are asking for the fire of the Spirit to come upon us and deepen our sense that we are answerable to and for each other and answerable to God for the faithful proclamation of his grace uniquely offered in Jesus.  That deepening may be painful in all kinds of ways.  The Spirit does not show us a way to by-pass the Cross.  But only in this way shall we truly appear in the world as Christ's Body as a sign of God's Kingdom which challenges a world scarred by poverty, violence and injustice."

Read the full article here.

The Times Online, UK, reports here.

The Pluralist comments here.

Susan Russell, President of Integrity, comments here.

Posted by Nicholas Knisely on May 12, 2008 1:52 PM | |
Comments (3)

A while back Bishop NT Wright reminded us that in his Advent Letter, Williams promised to get in touch with recalcitrant bishops and Wright said letters to them were in the mail. As if to put the question of "is the letter to those bishops in the mail yet?" this Pentecost letter - in the first of the two paragraph quoted above - expressly brings up what he said in the Advent letter and says he has done what he said he would do by "discussing privately with some bishops the need to be wholeheartedly part of a shared vision and process in our time together."

Ever careful in his language, Williams does not use the word "disinvite" nor does he reveal whether he held discussions with supporters or opponents of gay bishops, boundary crossings or both. I suspect all of the above.

Posted by John B. Chilton [TypeKey Profile Page] | May 12, 2008 2:49 PM

Well, gosh, so much for the "ultimatum" of NT Wright's imagination and the bullydox's hopes.
I can think of no Bishop in TEC who is not prepared to conscientiously participate in process and discussion on these topics.

Posted by Michael Russell [TypeKey Profile Page] | May 12, 2008 3:59 PM

Perhaps Tom Wright will now stop pretending to knowledge he doesn't have.

Posted by Jim Naughton [TypeKey Profile Page] | May 12, 2008 8:53 PM

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