Pope Says Anglican Gays Are Obstacle to Unity

Reuters: Pope Says Anglican Gays Are Obstacle to Unity

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul on Saturday urged Christians to be committed to seeking unity of their divided Churches but, in a reference to homosexual clergy in the Anglican communion, said new ethical obstacles had surfaced.

At a vespers service in St Peter's Basilica to mark the 40th anniversary of a Second Vatican Council document on ecumenism, the 84-year-old Polish Pope said the commitment to unity should infect ordinary Christians and not just be a matter for experts.

"Unfortunately, we are faced with new problems, especially those of an ethical nature, where new divisions which impede a common witness have sprouted," he said to some 7,000 people inside the basilica.

This was a clear reference to the crisis currently besieging the Anglican communion after the Episcopalian Church in the United States appointed an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire.

This appears to be a followup of the following controversy last month:

A FRAIL Pope John Paul II yesterday told the new Archbishop of Canterbury that allowing openly homosexual clergy in the Anglican communion was a "serious difficulty" on the path to Christian unity.

The 10-minute meeting between the men was apparently kept short because of the 83-year-old pope’s health. But according to a papal aide, the pope started the meeting by asking Williams about "the situation in your church"

The pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, was determined to read his two-page speech, although many of his words were difficult to understand. "As we give thanks for the progress that has already been made we must also recognise that new and serious difficulties have arisen on the path to unity," the pope said, visibly shaking.

This was a reference to the crisis rocking the Anglican communion after the Episcopalian Church in the US appointed an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire. Williams said: "I hope that none of what we have achieved over these many years of friendship will be lost."

The Reuters story continues and explains that a recent attempt to bridge the gap amongst Anglicans.

The 70-million-member Anglican Church, which split from Rome in 1534, has been divided over whether to ordain openly homosexual men and whether to bless same-sex marriages.

It was sparked last year by the appointment by U.S.  Anglicans of Gene Robinson as their first openly gay bishop.

Traditionalist Anglicans, particularly the Africans, have denounced the move. They threaten to break with churches that bless same-sex unions and are considering ways to redraw the Anglican world map to escape liberal provinces.

Last month, Anglican leaders held a summit in London in an attempt to stop their loose association of Churches falling apart over the issue.

They urged North American Episcopalians to ban same-sex marriages and the consecration of gay bishops. They asked the liberals, based in Canada and the United States, to apologize and promise it would not happen again.

That apology never happened.

In response to the report issued Monday, the Episcopal New Hampshire diocese released a statement on its Web site that says the diocese will continue to "seek ways of reconciliation and to heal (church) divisions," as called for in the report.

But beyond that, the statement affirms the diocese’s support of Robinson and gives no indication any called-for apology is forthcoming.

"We acknowledge and regret the pain and confusion caused by the election and consecration of our bishop. We now realize more fully that our action, in response to a sincere understanding of God’s calling, has caused deep distress for many in our communion," the statement, issued by the diocese’s Standing Committee, reads. "We affirm the ministry of our bishop and applaud his efforts at reaching out in ways that are sensitive and caring, especially to those who are deeply distressed by his election and consecration."

Given the Pope's reaction yesterday, it is clear that in his opinion the recent moves by the Anglican church were clearly insufficient.

Comments

[*** Dave]

While Christian unity is certainly a laudable goal. I suspect that the ordination of women is at least as significant a barrier between Rome and Canterbury.