Paul Anderson Presented With Lambeth Cross
Episcopal News Service. August 11, 1977 [77267]
LONDON, England -- Dr. Paul Anderson, a lay member of the Episcopal Church and a longtime consultant to the Church Center ecumenical office on Anglican/Orthodox relations, has been presented with the Lambeth Cross in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the promotion of good relations between the two communions.
The presentation was made in early August by Archbishop Donald Coggan of Canterbury following a tea reception at Lambeth Palace, the archbishop's official London residence. In attendance were delegates of the Commission for Anglican/Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Discussions who were meeting at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
The Lambeth Cross was inaugurated by Archbishop Lord Lang of Lambeth in 1944 and this is the first time it has been presented to an Anglican.
Dr. Anderson spent half a century ministering in China, Russia and other places, mostly under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association. He was in Moscow at the time of the revolution in 1917 and was present when Lenin issued his manifesto in Moscow that year.
When the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the Moscow Patriarchate was celebrated in 1967, he was one of the few there who had been present 50 years before.
More than 300 members of several Christian churches gathered in New York City on Jan. 21, 1975, for a dinner honoring Dr. Anderson on his 80th birthday. He now resides in Black Mountain, N.C. He recently accompanied the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and other Episcopalians on an official visit to Orthodox Church leaders in Russia.
According to the Church Times -- leading independent organ of the Church of England -- the current Anglican/Orthodox discussions at Cambridge are facing "a severe test. " Delegates on both sides called the meeting a "crisis" conference in view of the Anglican Communion's 1978 Lambeth Conference during which there will be discussion on the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopacy.
The current discussions have concentrated on the work of three sub-commissions which have been considering aspects of spirituality, "the church and the churches, " and the ministry of God. Of these, the discussion on the ministry of God -- which includes the ordination question -- is the most hotly contested.
Archbishop Athanagoras, Orthodox co-chairman of the conference, told the Church Times: "If the Lambeth Conference agrees to the ordination of women, then 95 percent of Orthodox delegates will say to their Churches: 'What is the point of continuing the discussions.? '
"We know that we have experienced schisms on account of innovations before -- it is already happening in America, " he continued. "If women are allowed to be ordained, then something parallel is going to be created. "
Bishop Robert Runcie of St. Albans, Anglican co-chairman of the discussions, replied that the Anglicans do take note of the views expressed by the Orthodox delegates.