Inclusive, To A Point

650 Anglican Bishops are at the once-a-decade, worldwide Communion called Lambeth at Canterbury, in England. But this only represents 70% of the worlds Anglican leaders. 200 are absent. There is an issue. It might even be called a schism. 70-30 is a significant split.

Of the missing, the vast majority of those chose not to attend. But then there are a very few (all from the Episcopal Church of the United States) that were simply not invited. How can that be? Because they are the Bishops that have chosen sides. They have openly declared a schism. One, by virtue of his actions, and a dozen or so others because of their response to it.

It appears that the head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Rowan Williams, prefers not to confront the biggest issue the Church has faced since it's inception. Instead, he would rather avoid a messy conference, and gather only with those that "go along". Doing that will not solve the problem. Actually, like all avoidance strategy, it will probably only work to further divide.

It's kind of ironic that just a couple of weeks ago, I wrote a blog entitled "What God Hath Joined Together", with another example of the Church's avoidance of this issue in an extremely destructive way.

But the real irony I want to write about is this: The Church invites inclusion of all kinds of people, and rightly so. But after that, it actually promotes division by refusing to lead in a uniform voice, and teaching and preaching to one consistent and unchanging Gospel. So that even on a personal scale, a "feel good" Church seeks to avoid confrontation.

Take the example of one unfortunate individual: He enters the Church, and after many years, decides to join it's priesthood. He spends many more years in the Ministry and is given more and more responsibility by it's Diocese. Finally, he is elected Bishop. Over all of this time, he leads a divisive lifestyle that is known by virtually all of the persons who have been his career and personal advocates, but is now at the epicenter of this schism. And so then at the very height of his career, it is this Church's magnificent decision to exclude him. I almost feel sorry for him, but there's no way I can, because he has worked so arrogantly and self-serving for years to bring himself to this point also.

So a Church leadership that asks each of us to be inclusive in all ways, now must begin to exclude some of it's own elected leaders from it's Communion. That's not just wrong, it is symptomatic of a failing organization. Leadership with no compass. No, let me rephrase; there is a compass, and it points one correct path. But this Church refuses to accept that and so it scatters in all directions. It had better stand for one thing, or fall for all things. Maybe it's too late.