Anglican goings on - Martyn Minns, bishop of CANA, not invited to Lambeth

Word today is that newly and controversially-consecrated Bishop Martyn Minns has not been invited to Lambeth. Minns is bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, an mission of the Church of Nigeria to conservative Episcopalians who wish to break away from the Episcopal Church.

I hate to post too much Anglican stuff, because that would be navel-gazing. I also have to assume that some readers aren't Anglican, and I hate lengthy explanations.

But, briefly, all bishops are traditionally invited to the Lambeth conference, every 10 years. Minns was consecrated by Peter Akinola, whom I have lambasted hard and often. Anglican bishops traditionally don't cross one another's boundaries. However, Akinola argues that Anglicans also don't traditionally disregard the Bible as the Episcopal Church has allegedly done, and therefore the border crossing is justified. Additionally, courts in the US have generally ruled that a church's property belongs to its Diocese, not to the congregation - so, individuals can leave the Episcopal Church, but churches cannot. Similarly, national church canons state that Diocesean property is held in trust for the national church ... but no Diocese has ever tried to secede.

Rowan Williams, who has been criticized as having all the backbone of well-boiled pasta, actually asked Akinola not to make things worse by consecrating Minns. Akinola did so anyway. Our dear Archbishop chose not to invite Minns.

Liberals shouldn't be too happy, though. Despite making all sorts of talk about listening to the experiences of LGBT people, Bishop Gene Robinson was not invited either.

What's the next move? Akinola has said, "the withholding of invitation to a Nigerian bishop, elected and consecrated by other Nigerian bishops will be viewed as withholding invitation to the entire House of Bishops of the Church of Nigeria." Perhaps the US bishops will make a similar statement. The Archbishop's secretary has said, however, that Robinson may be invited as a guest, whereas no such invitation is yet being considered for Minns.

If push comes to shove, should US bishops refuse to attend if Robinson doesn't get to? That's a tough question. I would say yes, go, but raise hell. After all, the Nigerians will likely be doing the same thing.

After that hurdle, however, is the problem that the US House of Bishops must respond to the requests of the Primates by September 30. If our response is judged unsatisfactory, then there will be some sort of consequence. Exactly what isn't clear.

The worst case I can imagine is that a large number of Global South Anglican churches end their relationships with us, and Rowan, under pressure, ceases to invite us to Anglican events. Even in this case, I believe liberal and moderate churches would continue their relationships with us. If conservatives forced them to choose between being Anglican and being in relationship with the US Episcopal Church, my best guess is that the Anglican Communion will split. It's not clear that the conservatives wield that kind of power. However, Akinola has been consecrating a lot of new bishops, and Nigeria's bishops could very well outvote everyone at the next Lambeth conference.

What happens, happens. If you're Christian, do pray for the Anglican Communion, that a just resolution might come out of this mess.