Losing Hope for the Anglican Communion

I’m getting ready for a big chess tournament, so I can’t post a long piece now. But further reflection on the Lambeth invitations has further deepened my disgust and darkened my pessimism.

Sarah Hey sums up well many of my concerns.

I, too, wonder what has been the point of Windsor, Dromantine, Tanzania, etc. etc. If +++Rowan hasn’t used them to buy time and string along the orthodox, only then to undercut them, I’d like to hear a more charitable and plausible explanation.

And I agree that now that the invitations have gone out, it’s exceedingly unlikely that the Archbishop will withdraw his invitations to the bishops of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada.

So it now seems that those churches will not be disciplined in any significant way. And most or at least many orthodox Anglicans will rightly find that unacceptable.

Further, +++Rowan has now more clearly shown his preference for apostate persecutors of the faithful over those seeking, and seeking to provide, a safe place for orthodox Anglicans. Withholding invitations from Bishops Minns of CANA and Cavalcanti of Recife speak volumes in that regard. I personally find this more upsetting and deplorable than not disciplining the Episcopal Church.

I hesitate to jump the gun. But, having once been hopeful and even optimistic at times, I now think the Anglican Communion as we know it is probably close to finished. And, frankly, any communion that won’t stand up for the truth enough to discipline and won’t defend the persecuted faithful deserves to be finished.

I hope I’m being too pessimistic. I’m think I’m not.