Anglican meeting to be boycotted

From Cork Ireland

A meeting of global Anglican leaders in Dublin in January is to be boycotted by conservative Church leaders.

They object to the planned presence of US presiding bi shop Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, a supporter of the ordination of active homosexuals and same sex marriage.

The primates of the 38 Anglican provinces last met in Alexandria, Egypt, in 2009.

Archbishop Alan Harper of Armagh has said he welcomes the opportunity to provide hospitality to the primates at the ‘‘important meeting’’ in Ireland.

But Archbishop Ian Ernest of the Indian Ocean has already confirmed that he will not attend the Dublin event, due to take place at the Emmaus Retreat and Conference Centre.

Primates of the Global South - which are mainly African, Asian and South American provinces - are now expected to consider whether they will also pull out of the Dublin meeting.

However, the president of the conservative American Anglican Council, Bishop David Anderson, has urged traditionalist bishops to attend and exclude Jefferts Schori from the meeting.

‘‘Even if [Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury] did advise [Jefferts Schori] to absent herself, she will come anyway, for she believes she has a right to attend, has done nothing wrong, and knows that, one on one, she can outtalk him, out-bluff him and out-push him - and frankly, she is right on all three counts," Anderson said.

‘‘He does understand that the African segment of the Communion, as well as some additional provinces, are not on the same page as he is, and the Anglican Communion is in danger of coming unstuck, but he is relying on the ‘muddle through’ principle.

‘‘But without the orthodox primates in attendance, it could be a dangerous meeting, giving opinion and credence to teachings and beliefs that are not representative of orthodox Anglicanism."

http://www.sbpost.ie/news/ireland/anglican-meeting-to-be-boycotted-52442.html