Good Words, But . . .

Some of you may have noticed I’ve been silent about the proposal “Towards an Anglican Covenant” (Apparently, that was the “Big Anglican News” trumpeted last week.) and about a recent statement by the Network bishops.

It’s not because I’m lazy. (Well, maybe that’s part of it.) It’s because I really don’t have much yet to say beyond “Good words, but I’m holding out for some action.”

And that’s my thinking. There have been so many statements that sound good from Anglican Communion leaders in the Global North. But do they have the will to back up their words with action? I hope and pray so, but they have not yet demonstrated that.

And as I’ve learned about recent Anglican history, I’ve noticed there’s been a number of times when the relatively orthodox have issued strong words and drawn lines in the sand, then done little as the heterodox go on their Long March to remake Anglicanism to their own liking.

So I’m already acquiring a “Show me” attitude towards position statements and the like. I can only imagine how cynical an orthodox Anglican of longer standing can be towards all this.