Anglican Primate of Ireland Brings Message of Hope to Virginia Episcopalians
Episcopal News Service. March 21, 1991 [91082]
William Sachs
An Anglican bishop who lives and ministers amid the violence and polarization of Northern Ireland brought a vision of hope to friends in the Diocese of Virginia during its annual council meeting.
The Most Rev. Robin Eames, archbishop of Armagh and primate of all Ireland, said the church is called to witness to Christ even in the most desperate situations by calling for reconciliation and emphasizing the sanctity of the individual. And Anglicans have a special mission to serve as models for the resolution of conflict, he said.
Eames is no stranger to conflict -- and not only the intractable political conflict that dominates his homeland. He also served as head of the archbishop of Canterbury's Commission on Communion and Women in the Episcopate, whose task was to find a way to reconcile differences of opinion among provinces of the Anglican Communion on the role of women in the ordained ministry of the church.
Eames said there was a great fear, prior to the 1988 Lambeth Conference of the world's Anglican bishops, that the issue would fracture the communion. Despite the gloomy predictions, Lambeth found a middle way, and in "a situation of potential disaster we came out with a call to evangelism," Eames said.
"Perhaps we are not meant to be the church with neat solutions," Eames observed in an interview. "Perhaps we are the church that exists to go out of existence, the church whose nature is provisional, until all Christians are reunited." When asked about suggestions that the decision to ordain women has led to "impaired communion," Eames quickly responded that "communion has always been impaired; that's nothing new." The struggle is to live together despite that fractured communion.
"I think this is a time when we are learning to live with differences," Eames contended. His approach to problems in the church is informed by his experiences in Northern Ireland. And he draws on his training as a lawyer and a negotiator. From these sources he has concluded that the resolution of conflict is "a process, not a fact. You never really know when it happens," he said.
Yet Eames admitted that it is difficult "to show the advantages of such a process. It's easier to be an extremist. Much of the world is looking for certainty, but my world is gray, all shades of gray."
After 25 years of suffering and violence in Northern Ireland, Eames said that he sees some glimmer of hope. "There is movement within the paramilitary groups. More people want to disown violence. Now they must realize that their enemies may have to be talked to -- and this would be the crucial step."
Eames said that he also finds reasons for hope regarding the future of the Anglican Communion. After the Lambeth Conference established a new level of friendship and understanding among the bishops, the "bonds of affection" grew stronger. Anglicans seem better prepared to face differences over the ordination of women while honoring the concern of those who call upon the church to honor its commitments to the poor and oppressed in all parts of the church.
Authority remains a serious issue for Anglicans, Eames observed. "We have been obsessed with authority," he said with a sigh. Because it is not clear who speaks for Anglicans, or how Anglicans can achieve clarity on issues, there will continue to be a "rigorous examination of authority," according to Eames. "We don't want a curia or a centralized authority. But how can we mediate our differences and hope to be more than an amorphous family?" he asked. Eames said that he believes the divisions among Anglicans reflects a tension between a respect for local autonomy and a hunger for uniformity on matters of faith and order.
An object of some criticism and misunderstanding for his role on the commission and his peace efforts in Northern Ireland, Eames said that he is sustained by his faith "that the crucifixion led to Easter morning." He said that he has a "constant assurance that God will show us the way forward. If it weren't for this, I would give up."
"Christians often fail in the real world because they have too many preconceived notions about how God is going to work out the salvation of the world," Eames continued. He said that he is prepared for surprises -- and those surprises often sustain and invigorate his own spiritual life. "The God that I love and serve lives within the realm of mystery -- and the mystery is that he has enough time to put up with me."
Eames contended that it is too easy in today's world to dehumanize the individual. He said that the church "must recapture the value of the individual," and yet that must somehow be balanced with the role of the church, especially where the conscience of the individual and the mind of the church conflict. He asked, What do you say to a priest who feels alienated by the church's decision to ordain women? "Do you say that he must sublimate his conscience to the conscience of the church? We must come to terms with the relation between the church and individuals," Eames concluded, adding that Anglicans may find that remaining in communion with one another is more important than honoring individual consciences.