How’s it looking at 7pm GMT?
Just got in from Oxford. Because I was away it looks as though my source for Press Conference notes has gone elsewhere to publish so Anglican Mainstream have them this evening. At least my hit count will go down to something reasonable. There doesn’t seem to be anything of substance on the crucial issue of the future of TEC in the Communion so we sit and wait. The next Press Conference will be on Monday – can you manage till then?
One thing from yesterday needs correcting. While seven Primates didn’t attend the Eucharist yesterday lunchtime, there were a number of other Primates who were at the Eucharist who didn’t communicate. I think that’s significant, because in principle they did exactly what Akinola et al did. That brings the number of Primates who didn’t share Communion with KJS up to about a third of those present, representing about half of all Anglicans worldwide. If that isn’t a sign that things aren’t fine then I don’t know what is.
And to round off today, apparently epiScope thinks that Ruth Gledhill and I are working together. That’s not true – she’s working for me. Everybody’s working for me…
As a non-Anglican, I’m a bit confused by the claim that several primates “did not communicate.” By did not communicate, do you mean they refused to say “peace be with you” to each other during the passing of the peace? Do you mean they didn’t read any of the liturgy aloud? Are you saying that when they received the bread and wine, they avoided eye contact with the Archbishop of Canterbury?
Please define “did not communicate” and explain why it matters…..
PS. Thanks for the work you’re doing to keep us abreast on the summit in Tanzania. I find myself visiting your site regularly and appreciate the insight.
Jargon Descrambler, it means that they did not receive the bread and the wine when Communion was served. Either they stayed in their seats, or went up to be “blessed”, without receiving. I’m betting the former, not the latter. Non-Catholics are often “blessed” in a Roman Catholic service, but do not receive because they are not in communion with the Pope. My Eastern Orthodox daughter, when she visits our Anglican church, goes up for a blessing, but does not receive because she is in a different communion. But if heresy is the issue, then it is unlikely that they would even ask for a blessing.
Hope this helps,
Edith