The Sydney Anglican Archbishop, Dr. Peter Jensen, and five assistant bishops in the Sydney Diocese have delayed their response to the Archbishop of Canterbury Lambeth invitation request for 2008; citing that they will wait to see whether the American bishops comply with the Windsor report before making a decision.
Archbishop Jensen in a letter delivered to Dr. Rowan William, expressed the 'great deal of joy' in receiving the invitation but said 'the timing of the invitation has proved difficult.'
From an article in the Church of England Newspaper, it reported that the Sydney diocese would wait to see the response of the American bishops and if they proceeded to consecrate Gene Robinson than they would follow the African churches in declining to attend.
"Unfortunately the timing of the invitation has proved difficult," they explained as they were first 'looking for the response' of the American House of Bishops to the Primates' February communiqué before they could give him their final answer," reported the Church of England Newspaper.
"Sydney indicated it would follow the lead of the African churches and decline to attend the conference should the bishops who consecrated Gene Robinson or who have authorised local rites for the blessing of same-sex unions be invited to attend."
The Communiqué requests the US Church recommit to the Windsor Report, and calls for their "heartfelt repentance and genuine change" in order to restore true communion. A final response from the American bishops is not expected until late September, reported the Sydneyangliancs.net
The Windsor Report recommended that to strengthen the link between churches within the Anglican Communion; each church has to ratify an Anglican Covenant, which in part means that major decisions being made must be consulted with the wider Communion as well as expressing regret for causing disunity.