NEWS BULLETIN: Primates Issue Communique in Wake of Meeting in Portugal
Episcopal News Service. March 29, 2000 [2000-067]
At the end of a crucial, closed meeting of the 38 primates of the Anglican Communion in Portugal, a communique addressed disagreements that many are worried threaten the unity of the church, including "the deep problems arising from conflicting teaching and practice in relation to sexual ethics in difference Provinces of the Communion."
Noting that the meeting heard reports on situations in many parts of the world, from Canada to Bangladesh, the primates said that two issues emerged as "points of particular convergence."
Primates from around the world underlined the importance of evangelism for their provinces, the communique said, together with "a deep sense of their responsibility to and for the whole social environment in which they find themselves," and placed a priority on "holistic evangelism," which looks to transform the whole person.
Second, "there was an equally unanimous witness to the unique role of Holy Scripture in realising such a transformation, and a shared acknowledgement of the Scripture's decisive authority in the life of our Communion."
The primates recognized their differing views -- the need for a clear stand on homosexuality to promote effective evangelism, and the position that homosexuality should not be identified as the question on which the Church's integrity depends, to the expense of other crucial issues -- but said that these disagreements "do not amount to a complete and definitive rupture of communion."
The communique said, however, that the repudiation of the 1998 Lambeth resolution on homosexuality by dioceses that have conducted blessings of same-sex unions and ordained non-celibate homosexuals "have threatened the unity of the communion in a profound way."
These dioceses were strongly urged to weigh the effects of their actions and to listen to "the expressions of pain, anger and perplexity from other parts of the Communion."
At the same time, the primates reminded the church that the Lambeth resolution "calls on us all to listen to the experience of homosexuals in the church."
The primates reflected on the spiritual importance of thoughtful, respectful discussion. "...A careful, patient and pastoral process must be encouraged' it is not created by the demonising of opponents or by overheated, politicised and polarised language in our conflicts."
The communique also "noted with deep concern" the January consecrations of two American priests in Singapore to serve as missionary bishops to congregations in the U.S. that disagree deeply with the Episcopal Church. The statement supported the Archbishop of Canterbury's refusal to recognize the new bishops.