Church of England Newspaper: Williams ‘set to be manipulated’

Unfortunately, it’s a good plan.

The Bishop of Quincy, the Rt Rev Keith Ackerman stated that past Bishops meetings conformed to a “well manipulated system.”

The Bishops would “meet in small groups, reporting back but never hearing the results of the reporting back” and the bishops would be kept busy “by talking about any number of subjects.”

With this “mechanism in place, whoever is handling the process will get precisely what they want,” he said.

I have no doubt that TEC HOB will attempt to manipulate the ABC.  Furthermore, I have no doubt that the ABC knows that too.  He’s not that stupid.

But with regards to the attempted manipulation, I want to alert everyone, particularly the Windsor bishops, to the insidious use of the Delphi Technique to manipulate their compliance, and how to identify and combat it. 

See this link:  http://www.citizenreviewonline.org/nov_2002/lets_stop.htm

I dunno.  I have trouble believing that Dr. Williams will let himself get rolled.  He’s skating on thin ice as it is.  After all, if TEC skates, Lambeth accomodations next year will be MIGHTY easy to come by, what with the effective end of the Anglican Communion and all.  But I’m generally wrong about these things so take that with a salt mine.

Poor Dr. Williams.

TUaD - that is an absolutely outstanding link to the Delphi Technique.  I’ve seen it done.

Pageantmaster, I’m glad I was able to contribute something of value.  I don’t know how much longer I’ll have the privilege of making contributions.

I’m sorry to hear that - you were one of the first people I met on another site.  I chill passed through me when I thought of the scheme of Ndaba groups proposed for Lambeth.  I would hope that there is no further point of comparison.

Note to Rowan—As Winston Churchill said, sometimes your best is not enough. Sometimes you have to do what is expected.  If you don’t want to become the Gorbachov of Anglican Communion you need to buckle down and read TEC the riot act, or you need to resign. Sometimes using psychological techniques to find concensus is not appropriate.  Sometimes you just have to do your job.

I thought it was Roosevelt, and that the quote was “sometimes it is not enough to do your best.  Sometimes you must do what is required.”
Does anyone know for sure?

Archbishop Williams will only be manipulated if he wants to be manipulated.  Politically and academically he is head and shoulders above most of those who will be attempting to manipulate the situation.

You know, if I didn’t know better, I might think that the Defense Dept. and the CIA consulted with the PECUSA HoB back in the 50s and 60s when designing the Delphi technique- I think bishops have been using it longer than the military.  (Great link, by the way)- This is also a reason never to go to a “seminar” on how to buy real estate or stock futures- many of the same techniques employed to get you to “buy” the idea. 

Of course, the difficulty that the HoB will face in September is that one of the planet’s #1 facilitators is the guy they will be trying to manipulate.  Plus, the best weapon in the Delphi arsenal is unavailable- they can’t afford to make him mad, cause then he might collect all the pretty invitations and the HoB will miss tea with the Queen.

Well if the ABC’s prior pronouncements are anything to go by, he recognised the possibility of walking apart in ‘Challenge and Hope’ in June last year but has seen his duty as to keep space for people to talk to each other for as long as possible.  That was effective with Canada but sadly there is little sign that the US HOB has embraced the opportunity.  I suppose there is still time and one does not know what is going on behind the scenes - it is pretty clear though that the ABC has not just been writing a book.  He deserves our support and prayers.

Clean Bill of Health?

Better to call it a CLEAN SWILL OF STEALTH.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Kudos to TU&D;for a magnificently informative description of the Delphi Technique, which seems to have become an ECUSA staple.

I hope the Stand Firm bloghosts will consider having a DELPHI EXPOSURE THREAD. It could point to the use of this technique at international Anglican meetings (e.g., the busywork agenda that Lambeth Palace had originally planned for the primates’ Dromantine meeting) and in ECUSA (e.g., the notorious “table groups” by which PB Frank Griswold manipulated and largely neutered the House of Bishops). The thread could also invite commenters to describe their own experiences (e.g., at diocesan meetings and “conversations”).
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

One caveat about the Delphi link—-a political caveat unrelated to the ecclesiastical point being made by TU&D;. Don’t get carried away with the author’s rhetoric about the technique “being used, over and over and over, to change our form of government from the representative republic, intended by the Founding Fathers, into a ‘participatory democracy.’” The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was itself hardly a pristine exercise in representative democracy. It produced an excellent product by secretive, top-down methods.

More importantly, the key organs of U.S. government (e.g., Congress, the president, and the federal judiciary; or state legislatures, governors, and judges) make little or no use of the Delphi Technique. Parliamentary procedure is inimical to it. Presidents and governors exercise legitimate top-down authority and usually don’t seek the appearance of sharing it with table groups. Nor would any judge use this process to decide cases. But to the extent that government officials employ the technique, it does pose a threat to accountability and representative government.

(The technique would be useful to political party leaders and no doubt gets plenty of use in nonprofit organizations.)

The Delphi Technique write-up is a must-read for all Windsor and Network bishops attending the New Orleans meeting.  Everyone already knows the game is rigged.  Maybe this time our bishops can employ reasonable tactics to communicate their message instead of coming off as kooks or luddites.

Carolyn—Actually I know for sure.  But I went and verified it anyway.  The last word is “required”, as you stated, rather than “expected” however. He said it about the British commander in North Africa, FM Auchinleck when he had FM Alexander releive him and appoint Montgomery in his place.

I agree with Irenaus,
Greg—May we please have a thread devoted to the technique described in the link provided by Truth Unites and Divides?

Really good article about the Delphi technique.  Thank you, TU&D;.  We all ought to C/P it and send it to our bishop with a CC to our rector and the lay member of the diocesan standing committee.  One of my initial thoughts was the Ndabas too.

Huge attaboys to TUaD

WoW!  Much Thanks for the thanks.  It feels really good to be appreciated. 

And I really do hope that this information gets disseminated to the right people so that they can take appropriate counter-measures against any political manipulations by our Worthy Opponents.

Peace and Blessings,

Your Partner for His Truth and Love

It’s hard to see how the communion can be “manipulated”

This focus on the ABC is western (or as Rucahana would say: “white”, or as Sydney diocese would say “shamefully racist”).

The real question is on a much larger scale and simply does not admit manipulation on this scale: what would it take for the Global South provinces to choose to attend Lambeth?  This question cannot be finessed or manipulated in any way by ECUSA’s HOB!

And the answer to this question is two things: first, that all their bishops (except I think Kunonga) are invited to Lambeth; and second, that non-network ECUSA bishops are not invited.

There is absolutely nothing that the ECUSA HOB can do to change this arrangement. Nothing.

Of course the Delphi technique is neutral - it is a tool that can be used by a leadership to direct in such direction as they feel it is wise to go.  How would it be used in any given case it is hard to prejudge I suppose.

I suppose one needs to read Machiavelli to get on anywhere.

I think we’ve been manipulated….
by TU..aD into appreciating him and his presence by submitting something very useful.
Very tricky….
: )

PM-
“In a machiavellian situation, those who have actually read Machiavelli have a distinct advantage over those who have not.”

Sorry, no idea who said it first, but I’ve been using it for 20 years.

TJ

PS- And you are right about praying for ++Rowan.  Along with a prayer of thanksgiving that the Lord did not choose me for that job.  I have enough trouble stressing over what to say on this blog.  His every word will be parsed and misconstrued for the next year, at least.  And whatever he does, at least a small piece of the Communion will be pulled apart- so his task is not so much reconciliation as damage control.

TO THE ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS,
IF THERE IS GOING TO EVER BE A CHANCE FOR THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE TO REMAIN ORTHODOX IN THE COMMUNION THEN ALL OF THE CONSERVATIVES NEED AND MUST STAND FOR JESUS AT LAMBETH NEXT YEAR.  IF YOU BOYCOTT THE MEETING THAT WILL LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN FOR THE LIBERALS TO STEAL EVERYTHING AND COME AWAY AS THE SAME.  NOTHING WILL BE CHANGED AND TECWW WILL BE GIVEN THE YES IT SEEKS TO KEEP DOING WHAT IT WANTS. 
YOU MUST TRAVEL TO LAMBETH TO PUT A STOP TO THE LIBERALS ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!!!!
IN JESUS,
Bp.  Gryff Reid, M. G. N.
[retired]

TJ - I always look forward to reading you as a common sense view that steps back and looks at the big picture.

I think the ABC wants the lot - he does not want to lose any of it - who knows, perhaps he is the man to do it?

CAPITAL.

I think we’ve been manipulated….
by TU..aD into appreciating him and his presence by submitting something very useful.
Very tricky….
: )

Very good, Rob Eaton+, very good!  You’ve outed me!  Aaaargh!

Actually, I’m trying to manipulate you to do some “heavy lifting” that might be needed shortly….. 

Now Monsignor, that is just silly. They have already stolen everything of value. We must do this thing now, or there will be no hope for the orthodox American Anglicans. None.  We are just out of time. A parallel meeting in Sydney, or Africa, would have a galvanic effect on the future of world Anglicanism. If 20 or 30% of the communion meets at Lambeth you have a rump parliament. The rest of us will be free, for the first time in 40 years,  to witness to the unchurched without the agonizing millstone of TEC thwarting all our efforts. The noisome ECUSA remnant will dry like leaves and skitter away in the wind.

TeddyMak,
I have to agree with Bishop Reid.  He is right that if we do not stand for Jesus Christ in everything we do especially to keep the Communion from falling to the LIBERALS.  If we do not stop them then will have won because us conservative Christians have done nothing to stop them.  We must make a united effort and show force to TECWW that we will not back down.  And that it is time for them to go!  Not us, we need to stand and fight not to run away like cowards.  It is time we kick TECWW out of the Communion. I pray that the Holy Ghost will come down and smite them.
In JJM,
Msgr. C. T. Shelton, m. g. n.
Bishop of the Badlands

So fascinated by TUaD’s link to the description of the manipulation that is done with the Delphi Technique. Of course as PagentMaster says, the Delphi Technique is designed to be neutral. The problem occurs because it is easily abused by facilitators who want to steer a group in a specific direction. Just found another internet site with a brief paper on “The Delphi Technique — How to Disrupt It”
http://www.learn-usa.com/transformation_process/acf002.htm

Fascinating link on the Delphi Technique.  I have seen it done and attempted; in fact, I once broke up a vestry “retreat” because I refused to play.

If the report is correct on TEC’s leadership’s intention to resurrect that defunct subcommittee report, this is a brilliant and diabolical move.  Persuade the international bishops that they did enough and get a statement from them; then +Williams calls for another study group from the Primates to consider the response; and presto, the can is kicked down the road past Lambeth 2008.  If +Williams plays along with this, he will have sold his soul.  Let us pray.

The rest of us will be free, for the first time in 40 years, to witness to the unchurched without the agonizing millstone of TEC thwarting all our efforts. The noisome ECUSA remnant will dry like leaves and skitter away in the wind.

Nicely said Teddy Mak and spot on.

I don’t know how much longer I’ll have the privilege of making contributions.

TU&D;—

What’s this about, if I may ask? If you can’t go public, please email me.

“Monsignor” and “Bishop of the Badlands” I appreciate what you say, however for orthodox representation be be at Lambeth, TEC must be discarded from the communion.  It TEC is there then everything we have done to unite the orthodox within the greater Anglican Communion has been for naught and we will go on as a divided association of christians and “non christians”, something which God warned us not to do.  If TEC is discarded which I pray will happen shortly after October 1st, then YES we need to be at Lambeth.  But if TEC is not discarded then the orthodox need to be in Sidney or wherever the “NEW” Anglican Communion chooses to meet.  It would be folly to attend Lambeth and pretend that everything will work itself out.  God definitely has the power to work it out, I’m not denying that, but Satan rules this earth and TEC is not going to change its stripes any more than Satan will, IMHO.

I second what revrj said quite clearly above: Williams will only be rolled if he wants to be….and I’m afraid he’ll be happy to lie down and get on with it. I’ve seen no evidence that he’s a man of conviction and determination, so why should we expect anything different on this occasion?

Thank you Fr. Walker for your comment and I am glad that I am not alone in my mistrust of Rowan Williams.  His actions, inactions and rhetoric indicate that his personal sympathies still lie with the homosexualists.  His ultimate goal is to keep the communion together without alienating the homosexualists until he retires.  Leaving the mess to the next ABC, who will probably be evenly more overtly revisionistic.  ABC is a political appointment made not by the Queen but by 10 Downing Street.  The British government has surrendered most of its national identity to the EU, which is pagan, secular and very pro-homosexualist.  RW knows that eventually the AC must split as the GS will not accept the an EU controlled agenda, but as long as it’s not his name in the history books, he doesn’t care.

“This focus on the ABC is western (or as Rucahana would say: ‘white’, or as Sydney diocese would say ‘shamefully racist’)”—-James Noble

It also reflects the unfortunate fact that Canterbury controls when the Primates meet, who gets invited to the Lambeth Gathering, and what if anything gets discussed at Lambeth.

Donald,
It will behoove us all to remain very loyal to Jesus Christ and stand up for him and to “kick butt” against his enemies.  Wherever the new seat of the Anglican Communion shall see, so shall the Lord be.  I totally back and support Akinola, Southern Cone and GS primates in all that they do.  They arent afraid to stand for Jesus.  Neither am I.
All hail and glory belongs to the Lord thy God in the Highest!
In JMJ,
Bp. C. T. Shelton, M. G. N.

TU&D;,
Thanks for the Delphi link.  Public agencies sometimes use a form of this technique to blunt opposition to controversial projects.  A public hearing is supposed to take place, but somehow public discussion and debate never quite takes place before the forum ends.
I tell my clients it’s the “mushroom treatment;” keep them in the dark, and now and then throw a little crap on them.

I hope this does not take place in New Orleans at the September HofB meeting, but expect it will occur in one form or another.

My thanks too for the Delphi link, but I think the order of the day in Appreciative Inquiry.  In AI the answer you want is manipulated by the questions used.  The questions are designed to get to the answer you want.  There are other models used as well, as in the presentation that Bp. Clay Matthews used with our clergy when we were in a bp. search based on the premise that progress and never conservation of the past is always the direction of the Holy Spirit.

TonyinCNY brings up Appreciative Inquiry (AI).
Having participated in Appreciative Inquiry in another non profit situation, I can say that I experienced the same manipulation of the small group process and tactics for silencing dissent as described in the manipulation of the Delphi Technique in the links provided. As TonyinCNY points out, AI is designed to silence dissent up front. But just to be sure the desired outcome is achieved, it also provides for appointed small group leaders, compilation of the many ideas into the “group consensus” by an appointed subgroup, etc.

I have been away a few days, but I thank “Truth Unites” and all others who have commented on the Delphi Technique.  Now just Windsor Bishops but EVERYBODY here should be aware of it.  I even saw it being used by those who snuck into the Plano Meeting of 2003 even though they were not running the meeting.

There are also some very fine strategies to combat it. 

A favorite bishop says:
Come Prepared.
Come Early.
Stay until it is all over.