News
2006-03-10
Anglican head
rejects attempt to rewrite antigay resolution
The leader of the
world's Anglicans has ruled against conducting a
new debate on the church's teaching that gay sex is
The leader of the
world's Anglicans has ruled against conducting a
new debate on the church's teaching that gay sex is
"incompatible with Scripture." Looking ahead to the
2008 Lambeth Conference of the world's Anglican
bishops, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said he
detected little support for reopening the debate from the
1998 conference.
The resolution condemning gay sex also opposed
the ordination of those involved in same-sex
relationships and the blessing of unions between gays.
The communion has been badly torn by disputes over
sexuality, with conservatives outraged by the election
of a gay bishop in New Hampshire, the blessing of gay
unions in one Canadian diocese, and the Church of
England's tolerance of gay clergy entering in civil partnerships.
"Despite the levels of bitter controversy over
sexuality in the communion, I do not hear much
enthusiasm for revisiting in 2008 the last Lambeth
Conference's resolution on this matter," Williams said in a
letter to the 38 Anglican primates, which was released in
London Thursday. "In my judgment, we cannot properly
or usefully reopen the discussion as if Resolution
1.10 of Lambeth 1998 did not continue to represent the
general mind of the Communion."
Williams noted, however, that the church was
involved in a process intended to hold the communion
together despite deep disagreements. "It will be
important to allow time for this to be presented and
reflected upon in 2008," he wrote. (AP)
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