Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Communion Partners and Common Cause: Bishop Howe reports on an encouraging development

BB NOTE: Bishop Howe of Central Florida participated in a meeting of the "Global South" provinces represented at Lambeth and found something that is one of the best pieces of news I have heard in a very long time. Both Bishop Macpherson with the Communion Partners and Bishop Duncan with Common Cause spoke and Bishop Howe reports that "these two approaches are complimentary, CP is an "inside" strategy, and CC an "outside" strategy to attempt to maintain and further an orthodox witness and ministry in North America." Here's more (via e-mail):


This afternoon there was a meeting sponsored by the "Global South" (even though three of its most prominent Provinces are absent). Approximately 150 bishops attended. The history of how the Global South has come to have a life of its own within the larger Communion was recounted, and a brief update on the Anglican Covenant was presented (much more on this to come), and then Bruce MacPherson and Bob Duncan were each invited to speak, Bruce about the work of the Communion Partners, and Bob about the Network, and its evolution into Common Cause.

It was very clearly recognized that these two approaches are complimentary, CP is an "inside" strategy, and CC an "outside" strategy to attempt to maintain and further an orthodox witness and ministry in North America.

It was also clear that the phrase "Global South" no longer accurately names the configuration of Bishops represented, as all parts of the Communion were strongly in evidence. I found this a very encouraging session.

-John W. Howe
Bishop of Central Florida

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now this makes sense.

Anonymous said...

"It was very clearly recognized that these two approaches are complimentary, CP is an "inside" strategy, and CC an "outside" strategy to attempt to maintain and further an orthodox witness and ministry in North America."

Complimentary? Wishful thinking I think.

Anonymous said...

Well the best news from this gathering

was that Gene Robinson was called resign yet again - and so was every single other ECUSA "bishop"

Peter said...

This is really good to hear, particularly from Bishop Howe. Every ounce of energy we spend beating each-other about the head is wasted energy.

A Musing Anglican said...

I'm afraid I just don't see what's so wonderful about all this... nor does the CPP strike me as being a "complement" to the CCP.

If anything, it seems to be pursuing a completely different strategy -- a moderate revisionist "heresy without schism" approach (complementing the radical revisionists) rather than an "'orthodoxy' without schism" approach complementing the CCP.

More HERE


Check out the convenient feed collector on my blog which lists current headlines and posts from over a dozen Anglican blogs (including BabyBlue) and news sites.