Episcopal Diocese of Albany - Priests and Deacons Update

Business Office: 68 South Swan Street - Albany, NY 12210 - (518) 465-4737
Christ the King Spiritual Life Center: 575 Burton Road - Greenwich, NY 12834 - (518) 692-9550

August 8, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Having been away from the Diocese since June 20th, it is wonderful to be home. Karen and I returned from the Lambeth Conference late Monday night, August 4th. During the past six and half weeks, I spent the first 10 days in Israel attending the Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON); a week with Karen and the kids in Northern Ireland, in our sister Diocese of Down and Dromore, where we attended a friend's wedding and visited with Bishop Harold and Liz Miller; and a week in Scotland on vacation with the family. On July 15th, Chris and Catie flew back to the United States and Karen and I flew to England where we spent the last two and half weeks with approximately 670 other Anglican bishops and their spouses from around the world, attending the Fourteenth Lambeth Conference (a once every 10 year event), hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

While there is much to share with you about GAFCON and Lambeth, I must first start by saying thank you to all who have been holding me and my family up in your prayers these past weeks. It means more than you know. I would also like to say thank you to everyone who has filled in for me in so many ways during my absence, especially Canon Bob Haskell and Jerry Carroll. They did an outstanding job, for which I am greatly appreciative. Karen and I would also like to thank the Diocese for making it possible for us to attend the Lambeth Conference. Despite the expense, very long hours, and much frustration at times, we were very honored to have been able to be part of the Lambeth Conference, representing the Diocese of Albany. In addition, I must also say thank you to two anonymous donors who made it possible for me to attend GAFCON at no expense to the Diocese. I was humbled by their extreme generosity.

Now, on to GAFCON and Lambeth. No doubt many of you have already heard and read about both conferences, on the blogs, newspapers, and other sources. Unfortunately, I didn't have ready access to a computer while attending the conferences nor did I have the time, due their very demanding schedules, to report back while they were ongoing. Thank you for your patience. Rather than try to touch on the many aspects concerning the conferences in one article, I have decided to break it up into a series of articles in which I will give an overview of what occurred and share some of my thoughts and observations. Even though GAFCON occurred first, I would like to begin with Lambeth while it is still fresh in peoples' minds.

As mentioned above, the Lambeth Conference occurs once every ten years and is hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The current Archbishop is the Most Reverend Rowan Williams. This year's conference "Lambeth XIV" was held primarily on the grounds of Kent College in Canterbury, with a few events held at Canterbury Cathedral as well as a day trip to London where bishops were invited to participate in a march in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), visit Lambeth Palace (the home of the Archbishop) where we were addressed by Archbishop Williams and the Prime Minister, and then attend a garden party hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. I will share more about our day in London later.

Traditionally, all the bishops of the world wide Anglican Communion are invited to the Lambeth Conference. This year, there were a few exceptions. Among the most controversial, was the Archbishop's decision not to invite Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire, an actively practicing homosexual who just recently married his partner. As most of you are aware, the election and subsequent consecration of Gene Robinson in 2003 has caused great division and turmoil, not only within the Episcopal Church, but throughout the larger Anglican Communion. Although not invited to Lambeth, Bishop Robinson did show up in the Market Place on the grounds of Kent College. While some within the Communion were angered that he was not invited, others were angered that those bishops who participated in Gene Robinson's consecration were invited. For that as well as other reasons which I will discuss later, over 200 bishops from the Global South representing approximately one half of the 77 million Anglicans in the world, decided not to attend Lambeth. There absence was acknowledged and was greatly felt throughout the Conference.

Unlike past Lambeth Conferences, which issued "weighty reports" and where resolutions have been passed (the most notable in recent history was Resolution 1.10 at Lambeth 98 dealing with human sexuality), which have been used to instruct and teach the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Williams stated from the start that he wanted this Lambeth Conference to be a time of spiritual retreat and Bible study, as well as a time for listening and building of relationships, to enable us to better discuss the issues that are dividing and threatening the Anglican Communion and the larger Church.

Rather than vote on resolutions or make a strong statement concerning the issues confronting the Church, it was decided by the Archbishop and his planning committee that a Reflection Paper would be issued instead, touching on all that had happened and the thoughts and views expressed during the Lambeth Conference. In his opening address, the Archbishop stated, "Quite a few people have said that the new ways we're suggesting of doing business are an attempt to avoid tough decisions and have the effect of replacing substance with process. To such people, I'd say, 'How effective have the old methods really been?' as for resolutions: if you look at the resolutions that have been passed since 1867, you'll find many of them, on really important subjects, have never been acted on."

Depending on who you talk to, some would say that the criticism toward the process, identified above by Archbishop Williams, is exactly what happened. Others would argue that this was one of the best and least confrontational Lambeth Conferences in recent history. There was some question half way through the Conference as to whether the process as envisioned would be allowed to play out. Many bishops, to include myself, were getting quite frustrated, especially with the order in which issues were being addressed. The issues which were most controversial and divisive were put off to the end of the Conference. Many of us feared that there would not be adequate time to deal with the very issues that threaten the future of the Anglican Communion. Despite recommendations that we adjust the schedule, ultimately, it was not changed, thus limiting the majority of the Indaba Group discussion on matters of human sexuality, the proposed Anglican Covenant and the Windsor Process to the final three days of the Lambeth Conference. In reading the 2008 Lambeth Conference Reflection Paper entitled, "Lambeth Indaba," you will discover what you probably already knew, and that is views regarding these issues varied widely throughout the Anglican Communion. To view this document as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury's three presidential addresses and other Lambeth and GAFCON related documents, you may go to www.albanyepiscopaldiocese.org and click on the Lambeth Conference and GAFCON link on the home page.

As I look back at Lambeth, I have a variety of thoughts and emotions all going on at the same time. In many ways Karen and I were very excited and honored to have been able to be a part of Lambeth, having been blessed in many ways, the greatest of which were the relationships established and strengthened with bishops and their spouses from around the world. In other ways I found myself very frustrated with serious questions about the process, the outcome and the future of the Anglican Communion.

In the follow on articles, which will be coming out over the next several days, I will say more about life at Lambeth, as well as share some of the joys and reasons for hope as well as the frustrations and reasons for concern. In addition, I will also be addressing GAFCON. Again, it is wonderful to be home. One thing I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, is how blessed I am to be in the Diocese of Albany.

Faithfully Yours in Christ,
+Bill

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