Just to get everyone oriented—there are a number of thoughts buzzing about the blogosphere about the interplay among the ABC, Gafcon, Communion Partners, Common Cause, TEC, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council, the Primates Meeting, and on and on it goes.

Some while back now, I pointed out in my analysis of Lambeth just how radical a turn the ABC had practiced for the “non-resolving” Lambeth Conference, and how seriously betrayed the national leaders of TEC must have felt in the final two days of the conference. 

Graham Kings has posted his summary and analysis of the Lambeth Conference.  Notice that the “linchpin” in his summary description is the Archbishop of Canterbury speeches, which I don’t think is surprising. 

Then a conversation has ensued from the article—I’m linking to it in case you miss it because it’s sometimes hard for me to figure out so many things about the British, including their websites [uh, just kidding!]—amongst Communion Conservatives and Federal Liberals about just what TEC should be doing, and other matters.  It’s interesting stuff, and I just can’t help but quote one paragraph from a comment by Dr. Radner which I found deeply enjoyable:

Pluralist is making this all sound way too macchievellian by half. Would that it were so easy to manipulate people into doing things! (Actually no – it wouldn’t be good; at the same time, it isn’t happening.) He seems to think that the grand old “Anglican” tradition is simply made up of self-sustaining “churches” that used to be reasonable and get along, but now power-hungry centralizers, either nasty evangelicals or integralist catholics, have got their hands on the wheel and are trying to take away the freedoms of the little guys, who are nice and tolerant and know how to “reach across the oceans” in love without having a gun pointed at their head or pointing it at others.

Over at T19, two conversations are going on about the interactions of all the players—there is this older thread about the tensions between the “inside” strategy and the “outside” strategy.  And there is this more recent thread about the confusion and chaos that is coming [the past five years have been models of clarity and calm], and the various Anglican players mentioned above, including the Anglican Consultative Council and Gafcon.

The comments connected with all of these pieces are fascinating, intriguing analyses, though sometimes painfully emotional.

This is all fascinating stuff, and if we have to go through it, we may as well enjoy it, while strapping on our safety belts tight and making our decisions methodically and wisely.

Since this is all so emotionally conflicting for both stayers and leavers within TEC, please exercise your usual civility . . . no wait, please exercise unusual civility—and remember our comment rules. 

Hopefully we can all be buoyed anyway by the wonderful court victory given to the parishes of the Anglican District of Virginia.  It is a great blessing from God.