The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who is the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion has given a worrying warning that the recent split of the Communion over the ordination of gay bishops in North America may be a permanent move.
The comments come within days of the announcement from the 38 Primates of Anglicanism that asked the Anglican Church of the USA and the Canadian Churches to leave a key Church council for at least the next three years.
Williams revealed just how deeply entrenched the division is between the liberals and conservatives, when he seemingly said that a compromise was so far away that "Any lasting solution will require people somewhere along the line to say, ‘Yes, we were wrong’."
To evidence the separation even more clearly, the head of the Episcopal Church of the USA, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold once again refused to admit there was anything wrong with the actions from the ECUSA and the Canadian Church. Griswold was reported as saying that the ordination of gay bishop Gene Robinson in New Hampshire in 2003 had been "right and proper".
He continued, "I continue to feel that way about the decision and action – recognising that it is extremely problematic and difficult in many parts of the world." The Church in America even embraced the split as a "chance to move forward."
The Churches in North America have been asked to leave the denomination’s Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), currently for three years until 2008.
The USA’s Episcopal Church caused great outcries from conservative and traditional Anglicans when they held the ordination of openly homosexual bishop Gene Robinson. Whilst the Church of Canada also controversially blessed same-sex unions – all the time going against guidelines from the Anglican leadership not to carry out extreme actions until directed further on the matter.
Rev Rowan Williams said, "We still face the possibility of division, of course we do." However, he was also reported as being impressed by the willingness within the Anglican Communion to find a way to advance together without the need of a permanent split.
The temporary split has taken place to "make some space" for all parties to consider deeply their positions, Archbishop Williams said.
Whereas Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, who is the Primate of the Church in Canada commented that the final statement released by the Primates was "not a perfect document" but sought to provide a "way forward in spite of the differences that exist concerning the subject of homosexuality."
Even though the new split seems to indicate a breaking apart of the Anglican Communion, which is the third largest denomination in the world, the Primates have shown unity in the motives of the temporary break.
Australia’s Archbishop of Perth, Peter Carnley said that the Primates had "no intention" of watering down the worldwide communion, and rebutted suggestions that the Communion may become "a kind of loose-knit federation."
Carnley went on, "We are theologically grounded in the communion of God the Trinity and that’s what we want to maintain."
Many analysts have commented that the way forwards for Anglicanism will be extremely difficult. The conservative Anglicans, mainly found in the African and Asian arms of the Church, have been strong willed in their stern opposition to homosexual bishop ordinations, and gay union blessings. The more liberal wings of the Church, however, have consistently refused to back down and apologise for their actions, which have caused so much furore across the worldwide Church.
For the moment it seems as if the split will be used to give breathing space to the two sides, but a special hearing has been rumoured for June 2005, which will have the purpose of allowing the ECUSA and the Church of Canada to explain their views on homosexuality, and clarify how they have reached their interpretations of the scripture to justify their actions.