THE
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April 2016
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of belonging, of a common narrative. We all need to against numerous Christian communities and
deprived them of their church buildings. I’ve been to
belong, don’t we?
see them and they are worshiping in all sorts of places.
Multiculturalism was not created by Muslims; it was One historical Episcopal Church near Washington is
created by authorities here. What has definitely been now worshipping in a Roman Catholic school.
the case is that extremists have used this segregation
to further their own ends so the Prime Minister
Well, thank you for the hospitality! So, that has to end
saying that the other day is absolutely correct. The and be reversed. It has deposed bishops and priests by
segregation is not itself radicalisation but it can be the hundreds, which of course adds insult to injury but
used for radicalisation.
also affects their pensions. That
has to be taken back.
We responded, “Bishop, your
depth of knowledge and experience
You can’t have reconciliation
in these matters humbles us. We
without addressing the hard
cannot leave without asking if
issues. So that is what I was saying.
you’d like to say anything about
I think the question of compliance,
the Anglican Communion and the
of repentance, of restitution;
Primates’ meeting. The Anglican
these are the signs of true
Communion has suspended the
reconciliation.
Episcopal Church in the United
States for three years; what then?
The whole Church has to see
that it can’t carry on with these
Bishop Michael: It hasn’t
irreconcilable views about the
suspended it. All it has done is say it
nature of God, the nature of
will not take part in decisions about
revelation, the authority of
Doctrine
or
Ecclesiology.
the Bible - these are basic things,
The Archbishop of Canterbury
even before you get to sexuality
was saying in his press conference
and marriage and things like that
that on moral issues, and these are
and I said once, and I hold to
his words, like the environment
this, coming out of an Episcopal
and corruption, it’ll still play a part. Well, that leaves General Convention, I was asked by a journalist what
all the problems that we had in place and what I am I thought of the proceedings that afternoon and I said
saying is that the issue is one of compliance.
we are talking about two religions.
The 1998 Lambeth Conference overwhelmingly
decided what the position should be in light of scripture
and the unanimous teaching of the Church down
the ages; what you might call a “catholic consensus”
on these matters. Now the Episcopal Church and the
Church in Canada and some other Churches have
openly gone against this. So, people make mistakes
and there is always opportunity to repent, but that
has to be the point of departure: compliance with
the decisions of the whole church. The Anglican
Communion recognises that there are homosexuals in
the Church.
We said that we know lots of Anglicans in this
country who are deeply concerned about the state
of the Communion. We feel for them, they are our
friends. We can’t personally see the position changing
but miracles happen don’t they?
It recognises the Church’s duty is to offer them
Pa