Archbiship of Canterbury: “I Could Have Done More”

I could measure in picoseconds the time it would take the elves at T19 to delete my response to Cantaur.

I suspect that had he “engaged” with the HoB it would have had little effect on their decisions.  When you are that deep into prophecy, even a godly admonition will have little effect.  His response, were it other than ineffectual disappointment, might well have helped the rest of the AC

One can only wonder at the level of self-deception operating in so many of ++Rowan’s statements.  However, the main one was very simple: his personal beliefs and convictions with respect to the Christian anthropology never matched that which is presented over and over again in the Bible.

His heart as evidenced by writings (cf late 80’s) was/remains far from a truly biblical worldview.  His stated intention to “regardless of his personal convictions maintain the historic doctrine of the Church” was in doubt even as he said it, prior to his enthronement.  Those who had a hand in selecting him, were either self deceived or were deceptive about their intentions.

The simple fact is that given his non-biblical stance - at best he could be ineffective, at worst ... welll.

#3. Carl,
“One can only wonder at the level of self-deception operating in so many of ++Rowan’s statements.” My thoughts also. Every statement a willow the wisp Additionally there was no real mea culpa either. Clueless to the end.

Archbiship? 

He now feels he could have addressed the crisis by addressing the US bishops sooner than he did?  Doubt that would have made any difference.  Keeping his word after Dar, that might have achieved something.

Had he upheld the Scriptural and Traditional view of Christianity rather than his cantilevering toward his conception of the body’s grace, he might have been effective.  As it is, he demonstrates effectively what happens when one wonders, “Hath God said?”.  He quite effectively facilitated the EcUSA.  perhaps he regrets not being more open about it and more effective in advancing his agenda.  He definitely sank the Primates, to the loss of the Anglican Communion.

What was required was defending the faith, not “engaging” the American HOB.  If all he wanted to do was “engage,” earlier would have been no help.

Could the management and discipline of the Anglican Communion be outsourced to the Vatican?  I’m sure Pope Benedict would not mind appointing a suitable cardinal to handle things more effectively than Rowan has.  I imagine there might even be some cost savings by using already existing Vatican administrative structures and procedures like the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. 

Bizarrely clueless.

RE: “I think it might have helped a lot if I’d gone sooner to the United States when things began to get difficult about the ordination of gay bishops, and engaged more directly with the American House of Bishops . . . “

Nope.

He still doesn’t grasp the *fact* that the only thing that would have caused any of the HOB revisionists pause was the real probability that there would be actual consequences to their Lambeth teas and swanning about pretending to be important in England and serving on various Important Committees.

Once they recognized that there were no actual consequences to their own perceived influence, prestige, and recognition, it was a runaway horse headed to the barn for its nosebag.

No amount of “engaging” directly would have helped.

Just sad that he’s so unaware and oblivious, still.

Let’s try some counterfactual history:  Suppose Abp. Williams had said to PB Griswold either privately or in public, “If you consecrate Canon Robinson you can’t come to Lambeth and I will publicly declare the Episcopal Church out of communion with Canterbury.”  Suppose he had said in England, “Clergy known to be in sexual relationships outside of marriage will not be licensed to officiate.  “Lambeth 2008 can change 1998 10.1 if it wants to but for the next 10 years that’s the way we’re going to do it.”  Perhaps the Episcopal Church would have gone ahead ito schism. Perhaps the dioceses of San Joaquin, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, and Quincy would still be represented at General Convention.  Or maybe not.

Going back - suppose the Pope had agreed to annul the marriage of Henry and Catherine?  Or Luther and the Vatican had been able to adopt in the early 16th century the same statement on Justification adopted in the 21st century?  Or Mohammed had not been able to communicate his vision? Or Joseph Smith? Or the Restoration Church of England been able to include the Commonwealth clergy?

Tom, could you draw a conclusion or two after all that positing? I have no idea what you’re trying to say.

What if dogs had thumbs?
If dogs had thumbs. . . .then they could hold the leash, and we might wear the collars.
Now it’s your turn.

What if Archbishops had teeth?

He could have chosen to do his job.

He could have immediately denounce the heresy the TEC was pushing, including calling Shori personally and asking her to come to Cantebury for a tongue lashing.  He should have pushed for TEC to be thrown out of the communion and made an example of.  There shoud have been no doubt where he stood on the issue of homosexuality and the authority of scripture - he should have pointed out what God said in Holy Scripture on the issue and “let the facts speak for themselves”.

But, he made bad choices and drug his feet and didn’t take sides.  He will have God to answer to.

I wrote a piece in 2009 comparing Rowan Williams to Neville Chamberlain.  Everything I have seen since, including this admission, proves my case.

The apostolic response to heresy is not engagement.

The first and primary duty of any bishop is a simple one: To declare the truth of the faith.  Yet in this day and age it also the duty most often neglected.

I am not ruling out the importance of strong action at times, but it is still amazing how much is accomplished simply by leaders of the church speaking the truth clearly, and without qualification or fear.  The good take heart from their statements, and those outside the church, even rulers, quail.

Rowan produced many words, verbal and written.  But rarely did those words contain a simple clear statement of the truth of the gospel, without qualification or fear.  By the end, even those outside the church could see it, especially when the Queen’s simple Christmas speech embodied everything that Rowan would never say.

Another article demonstrating why the ABC may look forward to a bespoke millstone.

His comments display nothing of the character of Christ or the faith;  indeed, his coments might readily be those of any lesser government official - as opposed to a teacher of the gospel and defender of the faith. 

Note how carefully - for those remaining who might still be willing to play the game - his words permit construction to suit one’s views: a bit like the rainbow cloak of Saruman (but perhaps less convincing). 

Reminds me of a Beyond the Fringe sketch “Aftermyth of the War” in which Allen Bennett as a very genteel lady says:

I’ll always remember that weekend war broke out. We were at a house party with the house party with the Astors at Clivedon….

But I did not feel then that all was quite lost…

Immediately thereafter I got on the telephone to Berlin to try and have a word with Herr Hitler, who had been so awfully kind to us on our last visit to Germany last summer.

Unfortunately, the line was engaged, and there is nothing I could do to avert the carnage of the next six years.

++Williams had the chance to come to TEC’s General Convention and lay matters on the line in no uncertain terms, and he blew it big time.  Sure, TEC is an independent province, but the Archbishop had the moral obligation to tell them off, and he didn’t.  Too much Mr Nice Guy!

“I could have done more.”

Oh, you do yourself down, your grace.  You could not have done more to advance the homosexual, secularising agenda in the effective way you have.  You have consciously and consistently supported TEc every step of the way and betrayed the orthodox at every turn.  You have been brilliant at keeping the orthodox asleep while quietly aiding the radicals.

As a result, TEc is in full pan sexual agenda – with your blessing.  The orthodox are being driven to oblivion from all sides across multiple countries.  But, most especially, it is the UK that has most benefitted by your magnificent fifth columnist operation.  As I type, not only is Gay marriage being pressed on all the Churches in the UK but it is now becoming a fact that without endorsing Gay marriage EXPLICITLY you cannot get a job.  It is now, by your great work, the case that Gay Marriage and Gay Rights are now *the* defining feature of the British social and political culture such that one who does not hold to this enlightened position cannot operate freely in British society.  Furthermore, it is now admitted by the British Government that there no way, none, zero, zip, zilch chance of parents being able to exempt their children from Gay indoctrination at schools and, by logical necessity, the explicit teaching that Christianity is objectively wrong.

In short, thanks to your machinations one denomination in the US has become completely secularised and a vehicle for pan sexualism, while the UK itself has become a land of Christian persecution.  Indeed, I was so impressed by you operations that I foresaw your success years in advance.  Hence, I told my Christian friends, “You realise the days are coming when you will have to sign ‘equality contracts’ to hold a job here while your children will be taken from you for indoctrination.  I then proceeded the leave the country for South East Asia. I knew in 2006 with the passing of the Sexual Orientation Regulations that the war for Christians was already lost.  Pan sexuality was now normative in the UK.

Thanks to you I have left a once proud country, my family, my friends, my car and effectively every possession I have ever had and I even fear for my liberty in even returning to visit (which I cannot do on my current wages in the East.)  However, a small price to pay to avoid forced apostasy.

Your subtle machinations, two steps and tactical play will be the study of future generations.
May you receive your rightful reward from Tony Blair.

I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if the ABC had done less by refusing to obey ECUSA’s summons to come to their special meeting in New Orleans.