So What Happened at Lambeth 2008?

...my friend, Kristin, asks...

Well as nearly as I can tell, it happened exactly the way the ABC planned it. The Willing-to-Try-Gang met for a few days in highly-structured activities designed to promote a thorough deep conversation in which all sides actually HEARD each other. The indaba group process produced a document that digested their communications. It set forth the discussions of MANY problems in the Anglican world, not just sexuality issues.

So it gave the Willing-To-Try-Gang a rich perspective of the Anglican Communion and its difficulties in each province, some of which desperately need help with protecting women and children in the most basic ways, for instance. Put into perspective, my particular little gripe aint nothin'. The inclusive church folks got their voice into the indaba process and the get-outa-Dodge extremists got their voice in the indaba process. The voices that the bishops often haven't heard for all the clammor of sexuality extremists, are the ones who are saying, "Our children are dying, our women are being raped, our battle with AIDS and other diseases is not working, we have arable land but no way to develop agriculture, and on and on and on....

Where does this leave the Anglican Church in Canada, the Episcopal Church, and others who may be ready to become inclusive churches? Once again the whole and healthy part of the Anglican Communion is placing the moral burden of that decision on the individual provinces. Right where it ought to be. That Abp. Rowan Williams is a smart cookie.

Bishop Smith's Lambeth Daily blog was an insightful look at the process. He gave a sketch of what was happening every day and expressed his feelings about the progress. Some days, good and hopeful, some days apprehensive. It was a good perspective to observe.

The Integrity blog was pretty comprehensive for the inclusive church organizations.

The one grinding regret about Lambeth 2008, one which Abp. Rowan may regret also, was the deliberate and very enforced 'disinvitation' to Bp. Gene Robinson. But I think it made the Willing-to-Try-Gang bigger than it would have been otherwise. It was not only a heart-rending insult to a good and Godly man, but it was an insult to the good and Godly people of his diocese and to the Episcopal Church. Bp. Gene had two blogs, The Gene Pool, and Canterbury Tales from the Fringe.

A respected blog from the traditionalists' point of view is Canon Kendall Harmon's Titus 1:9. I am directing you to Canon Harmon's blog that quotes Bp. Smith followed by KH's comments which are mild compared to the 10 (or more) comments from readers.

So, in as far as you'd like to...read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest. General Convention 2009 is right around the corner. And the moral burden of where do we go from here rests on TEC's shoulders.