THE Australian Primate, Dr Phillip Aspinall, has argued that the consecration of the Rt Revd Gene Robinson was not the original trigger for the current international Anglican tensions.
In an extended interview on ABC Radio on Sunday, Dr Aspinall said that earlier irregular consecrations of bishops [to become “missionary” bishops for dissident congregations in the United States] were condemned as unlawful by the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd George Carey. Archbishop Carey had warned that these consecrations would undermine communion, Dr Aspinall said.
He said that it was “a reasonable expectation for the Anglican Church” that its members, including its bishops, would abide by the constitution and rules of the Church. Legal questions could be raised “where there are indications that people might cross boundaries, that bishops might act outside their own jurisdictions and intervene in the life of other churches, where people might seek to leave the church and take property that is held in trust by the church for a different purpose”.
If people tried to make off with property that belonged to the Anglican Church, the trustees of that property would have an obligation to protect it. He said that he hoped sense would prevail in any confrontation, and that legal action would not be necessary because “once you get into court cases about these kinds of issues, there are no winners”.
Dr Aspinall said that he had not declared his personal position on the issue of the ordination of gay clergy because he believed it was his responsibility as Primate in the current climate to “try to find ways to enable the Church to engage in the debate in a constructive way and move forwards towards a solution”. If he were to express a strong personal view, it would add to the polarisation in the current climate, which would not be helpful.
He said that he felt sympathy for the hurt that gay people experienced. “Quite a number of homosexual people have said that they are people of faith, that they are committed to Jesus Christ, and believe they are faithful members of the Church and they want to have a home in the Church and they want their contributions to be received and valued and welcomed.
“The question the Church is struggling with is: is an active homosexual lifestyle compatible with the gospel?” There was no clear cut answer to that question, he said.
Archbishop Aspinall will act as principal spokesman for the Anglican Communion bishops at the Lambeth Conference, it was announced late last week. He acted as spokesman for the Primates at their meeting in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, in 2007 (News, 23 February 2007).
Archbishop Aspinall said it would be both “a privilege and a challenge” to articulate the voice of the bishops of the Communion at a time of enormous challenge for the Church and the world.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said: “Archbishop Phillip is just the gifted communicator the Conference needs to tell the story of the Conference as it unfolds day by day. I am grateful to him for agreeing to take on the role of principal spokesman for the Conference.”
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