BREAKING: +++Rowan Williams Sides with PB Schori Against ++Akinola

In this story from Anglican Mainstream is this disturbing news:

Lambeth Palace today confirmed the Archbishop of Canterbury has written to the African Primate [Peter Akinola] asking him to cancel his trip to Virginia to carry out the service [installing Martyn Minns as bishop]. A spokesman for Dr Rowan Williams confirmed a letter had been sent to the Archbishop of Nigeria . . .

I am somewhat aghast that +++Rowan has chosen to take sides in this matter. And it is certainly not an encouraging indicator of where his priorities lie. For one thing, it once again shows providing for distressed orthodox Anglicans in North America is rather low on his list of things to do.

His taking sides already is exacerbating divisions in the Church of England:

…Around 30 members of the Church of England General Synod have signed a message of support for the new head of a breakaway Anglican denomination who is due to be installed this weekend.

And I suspect it will harden divisions in the Anglican Communion as well. In any number of ways, this is a very questionable move on his part.