Rome’s Calling, But Lambeth Won’t Answer

Response To Catholic Leader’s Appeal For Clarity From Lambeth ‘08 Likely To Be Blocked By Conference Structure
Report/Analysis By Lee Penn
The Christian Challenge
May 27, 2008

A Roman Cardinal with a liberal reputation – Walter Kasper, head of the Pontifical Council on Christian Unity – has called on the Anglican Communion to clarify its identity at the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops, and to align itself with Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox rather than Protestants.

Kasper warned that any continued effort to avoid resolving Anglican conflicts over issues of doctrine and discipline would only serve to perpetuate the Communion’s crisis, and impede ecumenism between Canterbury and Rome.

There’s just one problem. The Anglican establishment, led by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, has sought to ensure that Lambeth 2008 in Canterbury will – by design – make no substantive decisions. the rest image