(continued)

What’s Next?
Talk of a potential realignment within ECUSA and throughout the entire Anglican Communion continues. Bishop Sisk calls this discord “sad.” While he recognizes that many people in our Diocese have strong feelings and views on these issues, he does not now anticipate that any EDNY churches will join a realignment movement. “The Consecration of Bishop Robinson is not an impediment to our common life in the Diocese,” noted Bishop Sisk. “Although the Anglican Communion will be strained by this action, I hope that someday the Communion will emerge even stronger.”

Bishop Roskam agreed. “What is at issue here is not matters of human sexuality, but power and polity. There is a strong move to centralize authority in the communion and establish doctrine other than what is contained in the Chicago Lambeth Quadrilateral, i.e., Scripture, the Creeds, Sacraments and the Apostolic Succession. That would be a grave distortion of our Anglican heritage. My hope in the communion rests in the fact that our connection throughout is multilayered. We are connected in many ways through bonds of affection, respect and mutual ministry.”

Bishop Donovan added, “The future of the Anglican Communion seems dark at the moment. Some compare the present to the crisis over the ordination of women in the ’70s, but I think this crisis is different, and more serious, because it has touched some very deep nerves for so many people. Nonetheless, I take hope for the future in hearing Archbishop Robin Eames of Ireland, senior among the Communion’s primates, say to a group of us in London last week that the Anglican Communion would not only survive this crisis but in time would be the stronger for having lived through these days.”

“My sense is the overwhelming majority of whatever opinion about Bishop Robinson’s consecration — those who agree or disagree — do not believe it is a church-dividing issue and are more focused on the challenges and opportunities of their local ministries,” Bishop Roskam concluded.

Complete text of the statement by the Anglican Primates, Presiding Bishop Griswold’s statements and letters, Executive Council’s letter, and Archbishop Williams’ statements are available at www.episcopalchurch.org.

Bishop Sisk’s statements are available at www.dioceseny.org.

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