St. Thomas’ Parish at Dupont Circle
Gene Robinson
Authentic Anglicanism?
Jun 22nd
[Episcopal News Service] Conservative Anglicans and former Episcopalians started to arrive in Jerusalem June 19 in anticipation of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), a controversial summit regarded by some critics as a rival to the 2008 Lambeth Conference.The GAFCON event, set for June 22-29, is expected to draw 1,000 participants, including former Episcopal priests, some of whom are currently engaged in litigation concerning Episcopal Church property.
A closed-door pre-conference consultation in Amman, Jordan, was promptly wrapped up June 18 after key participants, including Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, were denied entry for lacking the necessary diplomatic paperwork, according to news reports.
GAFCON has come under fire from local Church leaders, including Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani, who expressed his concern that the conference would “import inter-Anglican conflict” into his diocese. Dawani previously called on organizers to move the conference, but his requests have not been honored.
The Most Rev. Mouneer Hanna Anis, primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, also has raised concerns about the event and acknowledged that his advice to the organizers — that this was neither the right time nor place for such a meeting — had been ignored.
Anis has declined an invitation to attend the conference.
Bishop Robert O’Neill of the Diocese of Colorado has traveled to Jerusalem at Dawani’s invitation.
On June 19, GAFCON’s organizers released a document, “The Way, The Truth and the Life,” which, according to a news release on the conference website, “sets out to define authentic Anglicanism, discuss what is at stake in the conflict, and what the future holds for orthodox Anglicans.”
In the document, which is critical of recent developments in the Episcopal Church, Akinola writes: “We have made enormous efforts since 1997 in seeking to avoid this crisis, but without success. Now we confront a moment of decision.”
“There is no longer any hope, therefore, for a unified Communion,” he adds.
GAFCON is being held one month prior to the Lambeth Conference when more than 700 of the Anglican Communion’s bishops are expected to gather at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, for more than two weeks of study, prayer, learning, sharing and discerning.
Gene Robinson & Mark Andrew Civil Union
Jun 9th
As reported in the Anglican Mainstream and the Union Leader.Com, and the web site of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hapshire, “V. Gene Robinson, New Hampshire’s Episcopal bishop, entered into a civil union yesterday with his partner of 20 years, Mark Andrew, according to WMUR-TV.
The ceremony, held at St. Paul Church, coincided with the fifth anniversary of Robinson’s election as the nation’s first openly gay Episcopal bishop.”
It also comes just before Bishop Robinson departs for the Lambeth Conference, the meeting every ten years of all of the bishops of the Anglican Communion. He is attending as an outside observer, due to his being excluded by Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, from the official list of invitees.
The Washington Post coverage adds that “Robinson and Andrew held two ceremonies — a non-religious one in which they became legal partners followed by a formal church service to give blessings to God for their relationship. … Robinson has said he wanted to enter into the civil union before leaving for England to ensure Andrew and his two daughters had legal protections given the threats to his life.”
Gene Robinson has been a frequent guest of St. Thomas’ Parish at Dupont Circle, whose Rector, The Rev. Dr. Nancy Lee Jose, welcomed Gene and Mark during a visit last year.
The Episcopal Cafe reports that “Afterward, during the reception and dinner that took place at Canterbury Shaker Village, Susan Russell gave a 5-minute video interview, which can be found here.”
