The Archbishop of Canterbury has rebuked extreme conservative Anglicans who were hostile towards homosexuals during the recent debate over homosexual bishops. On Friday night, a 4-page letter warned Anglicans of the serious consequences that will come about if the split between the two sectors of the Communion did not heal.
In an Advent Letter to the other 37 Anglican primates around the world, Rev Rowan Williams emphasised the depth of anger that has been produced by the gay issue, and he called for those who were responsible for it to repent immediately.
Immediately after the release of the Windsor Report, which was created to hold together the increasingly divided Communion, Williams warned people not to “rush to judgement”. Furthermore, in his latest letter he stated that recklessly used words could lead to suicide or even murder. As an example he commented on the homophobic killing of David Morley in London last month.
Williams wrote, “Any words that could make it easier for someone to attack or abuse a homosexual person are words of which we must repent. It is without a doubt that we stand at a point where the future shape and character of the Communion depends on our choices.”
The Windsor Report however, was rejected and condemned by a number of conservative bishops. The Church Society called for the report to be discarded, and said that it would “allow immorality to fester” and “destroy the churches of the Anglican Communion.”
In addition, African Anglicans, which represent a huge number of the total worldwide Anglican population, called the report “offensive”. They stated clearly their belief that the regret made by the Episcopal Church in America, and the Anglican Church in Canada did not go any where near far enough.
In the Advent Letter, Williams clearly asked for both wings of the Communion not to focus on whether the other side apologises, and he wrote, “Do not think that repentance is always something others are called to, but acknowledge the failings we all share, sinful and struggling disciples as we are.”
David Banting, the National Director of Reform, a hard-line traditionalist group within the Church of England reported, “If someone who holds Orthodox views is by definition thought to be homophobic, that is a very unfair argument. I am simply trying to uphold the faith as we have received it. It (the letter) is presumably a gesture to the gay community who love this peddle line that they all feel under enormous pressure and that they are all being persecuted, which is not true.”
Currently, in total, twenty-two provinces have now broken ties with the American church over the appointment of openly gay bishop Gene Robinson, a majority of which are in Africa and Asia.
Rev Williams expressed his concern, however for some of the language that had been used by some Anglicans towards homosexuals. He wrote, “In the heat of this controversy things have been said about homosexual people that have made many of them, including those who lead celibate lives, feel that there is no good news for them in the church. Young people are driven to suicide by the conviction that on one will listen to then patiently; many feel condemned not for their behaviour but for their nature.”
Williams, who has been criticised many times since his ordination as Archbishop of Canterbury, at first supported gay priest Dr Jeffrey John being pt forward as the Bishop of Reading. However, after a huge backlash, the Archbishop persuaded John to withdraw.