Ruth Gledhill: Archbishop meets Gene Robinson
November 4th, 2005 at 6:50 am

It is right in the interests of dialogue and Christian brotherhood that Dr Williams should have met Bishop Robinson, although a shame that he couldn’t have been more open in advance about his intentions. Dr Williams is doing his best to be fair and even-handed in this desperate situation. He also met the deposed Bishop of Recife, Robinson Cavalcanti, during his recent visit here. Bishop Cavalcanti was removed from his post in Brazil by his province after he declared his diocese “out of communion” with the Episcopal Church of the US. He and large numbers of his clergy were recognised instead by the Right Rev Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone, from his base in Argentina.

English-born Bishop Venables, a friend of Dr Williams, is among the leaders of the Global South grouping that met on the shores of the Red Sea in Egypt last week and was addressed there by Dr Williams. The Global South archbishops are in the process of formalising their structure and, although not in a position to do anything yet, will in due course be working together to offer “oversight” to conservatives who want to distance themselves from liberal bishops but remain part of the Anglican Church.
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