Bishop David Rossdale, Bishop of Grimsby, discusses resolutions from Lambeths past, and asks why resolution 1.10 from Lambeth 1998 is more important than resolution 19 from Lambeth 1897, which reads That it is important that, so far as possible, the Church should be adapted to local circumstances, and the people brought to feel in all ways that no burdens in the way of foreign customs are laid upon them, and nothing is required of them but what is of the essence of the faith, and belongs to the due order of the Catholic Church
Is the rite of anointing the sick practiced at your church? If so, they'd best stop. Resolution 36 from Lambeth 1908 does not recommend the sanctioning of the anointing of the sick as a rite of the Church. If I followed Lambeth resolutions, our mid-week Holy Eucharist with Healing would be a bit different. To be fair, resolution 36 doesn't prohibit all anointing, if anointing "be earnestly desired by the sick person."
Elements of the WWAC want to treat resolution 1.10 from Lambeth 1998 as Holy Writ. I join Bishop David in asking "What about resolution 19?"
10 comments:
Excellent question.
The answer ? Fairly obvious. No one pays attention to resolution 19 from Lambeth 1897 because it doesn't further any of the political ends desired by those who constantly belabor us with resolution 1.10 from Lambeth 1998.
All the Anglican brouhaha boils down to is a political power play, no matter how much "holiness" they try to clothe themselves with... (and that goes just as much for the so-called "Windsor bishops" in TEC as it does any hot-headed, Global South primate)
Wasn't there also something in Lambeth 98 taht said "no border crossings at all for any reason?"
The only bit of Lambeth 98 that has the "ick" factor is 1.10, so that's all that we need to worry about. Remember, in donatism, those in "real" power who are "real Christians" get to pick the bits taht are important and the bits to be ignored.
I understand the Lambeth Conference as a meeting of bishops every ten years for tea and sympathy (consultation and mutual support). In spite of what many fundamentalist types seem to want, the Lambeth Conference is not a magisterial body with canonical authority. I don't see the Lambeth crowd as collectively having real authority over me. American Episcopalians pray for the departed and generally have a belief in a Eucharistic Real Presence. I doubt Anglicans in Sydney pray for the departed every Sunday and I imagine their understanding of the Eucharist is somewhat different from the Eucharistic theology in the USA. There is lots of variety in the Anglican Communion. We won't ever have uniform praxis.
mapko @ 7:35 PM...We won't ever have uniform praxis.
Right. Nor should we. I keep going back to the preface to the first Episcopal (TEC) Book of Common Prayer. ('Though I grieve for my friends in other parts of the Communion. How long, O Lord, how long?)
Resolution 19 should be a source of great comfort to our African brethren, if they would just stop and listen. I was appalled that polygamy was such a big issue to them. It is clearly both Biblical and cultural so why do the African bishops continue to cling to the Western view of polygamy and even refuse Baptism to those with multiple wives? Resolution 19 allows them to cast off the chains of colonialism, but they don't see it. I agree with David; its all about power. BTW, I was one of the "healing ministers" this morning. In our church the laity anoint and pray for the sick. Oh well :-)
Elizabeth
Scott, It's not just other places in the Communion. I am gay and there are entire parts of TEC within the U.S.A. that I avoid when I am home. I know where I wouldn't be welcome.
I know, mapko, I know. Visit us if you can. We heal on the last Sunday of the month (officially), but in reality, we heal every day of the week.
Blessings...
And what of the long-ago Lambeth resolution (can't remember the number) that vehemently condemned the use of contraception in any and all cases?
James David,
That resolution was, of course, overturned by a resolution at a later Lambeth Conf.
To stea^H^H^H^H err..."borrow" from the Bard, the whole mess 'tis merely “a tale … full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.”
Excellent point made by the Bishop!
Here here!
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