Never had a meeting of the primates of the Anglican Communion been so eagerly anticipated. When the 38 primates gathered in Portugal March 23-29, a sizable portion of the Anglican world was watching to see how their leaders would handle some of the difficult issues facing the Communion. The Singapore consecrations, the role of scripture, the disregard for the Lambeth Conference resolution on sexuality, indeed, the unity of the Anglican Communion, all confronted the primates at their gathering.

Amazingly, the primates addressed all these topics and more. Like typical Anglicans, they managed to speak out on a plethora of topics without making great pronouncements or controversial statements about any of them. In a well-written, 2,000-word "communiqué" issued near the end of their meeting, the primates tell members of the Communion how they spent their week in Portugal.

In mentioning the Singapore consecrations [TLC, Feb. 13, 20], the primates "noted with deep concern" what took place and said "such action taken without appropriate consultation poses serious questions for the life of the Communion." They commend the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. George Carey, who stated in a letter dated Feb. 17 that he would not recognize the consecration of the Rev. John Rodgers and the Rev. Chuck Murphy III as bishops. Such a stance will not please those at the far left or the far right of the Anglican theological spectrum, who probably were looking either for some sort of punishment for the two Americans or for full recognition as missionary bishops to North America.

The primates seemed more serious about addressing matters of sexuality. They wrote that the disagreement over sexual ethics and the differences in the reception of the Lambeth sexuality resolution by various parts of the Communion "does not necessarily amount to a complete and definitive rupture of communion." In a welcome recognizance of reality, they note that such disregard "has caused very great concern in many parts of the Communion ..." It is encouraging to note that the primates take seriously the possibility that the actions of some dioceses in ignoring the Lambeth resolution "have come to threaten the unity of the Communion in a profound way." While not addressing what might happen if such flagrant disregard for the Lambeth resolution continues, the primates urge those dioceses to "weigh the effects of their actions," and to consider the opinions of persons in other parts of the Communion.

Some of the communiqué's most effective prose shines forth when the primates address the unity of the Anglican Communion. In a vivid Lenten analogy, they state, "We are conscious that we all stand together at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, so we know that to turn away from each other would be to turn away from the cross." They added that they believe the unity of the Communion still rests on the (Chicago-)Lambeth Quadrilateral, "the holy scriptures as the rule and standard of faith, the creeds of the undivided church, the two sacraments ordained by Christ himself, and the historic episcopate." They added that only a formal and public repudiation of this would place a diocese or province outside the Anglican Communion.

There are other elements of the document which are encouraging. The primates recognized the importance of collegiality and agreed they should meet more often, they continued to emphasize the importance of evangelism, and they stressed the "decisive authority" of scripture.

The primates may not have been decisive enough to suit some Anglicans, but they have left us a document that has addressed clearly some of the essentials of being Anglican. In these days of challenges and changes, that is most welcome.