THE PUNITIVE ANGLICAN COVENANT: ¨The conservatives in Africa and the US have been getting impatient, because until the Covenant is ratified, there is nothing to beat the Episcopal Church in the US over the head with.¨

¨We have seen the pressure put on the liberals to comply with conservative practice and ideals. Where is the pressure on the conservatives to accept the liberals? ¨

¨Rowan turns rough¨

REFLECTIONS:  ¨Is Rowan Williams finally getting tough? And is he doing so with the right people?¨

Paul Handley
The Guardian United Kingdom

¨...For a while, the Covenant stuff was all "in the fullness of time", as each province slowly worked itself round to debating it internally. The result is that only Mexico has so far adopted it: what you might call a low-key start. The conservatives in Africa and the US have been getting impatient, because until the Covenant is ratified, there is nothing to beat the Episcopal Church in the US over the head with. So, in his Pentecost Letter in May, New Rowan ruled that anybody from a province that appears to be erring, e.g. the US and Canada, should be thrown off the Communion's central committees. More than this, he actually set about doing it.

Next, women bishops. The General Synod decided in July 2008 to press ahead with women bishops without giving any cast-iron, legal safeguards to those who don't accept them. There would be a code of practice, but nothing legally binding. Since then has come the Pope's offer of sanctuary for traditionalists in the Roman Catholic Church.

In the light of this, New Rowan, joined by the Archbishop of York, a fortnight ago concocted their own cunning plan, introducing the idea of co- ordinate bishops for the traditionalists, so that each diocese has a sort of episcopal twin-set. Supporters of women bishops haven't been overwhelmingly enthusiastic; but hey, says Rowan, I'm an Archbishop. So, there we have it: at long last, the bearded hippy finds his true voice, and it turns out to be a reactionary, authoritarian one.

It's a good story, but is it true? It might be worth mentioning a few contrary indications. So, on the Covenant front, the Anglican secretariat is also chasing the conservatives who have been operating unbidden in other people's provinces. This is no more Anglican behaviour than it is to bless gay couples, they are told, so why should they sit on the central committees, either? As for the women, the Archbishops' proposal maintains the principle that the diocesan bishop is responsible for all the parishes in his or her dioceses, whatever services the co-ordinate bishop provides.

These are slightly technical details, but they point up a key element in the New Rowan strategy: all his moves are designed to hold the Church together. When it comes to a clash between unity and truth, from the evidence of his actions, Rowan will always prod and poke at the truth bit to see if it crumbles a little. Unity is pretty much sacrocanct, and becoming more so as the years roll on. In the past, he treated his flock more or less as adults. If they really wanted to squabble or flounce off, it really wasn't his job to try to stop them. Lately, though, it looks as if there has been a change of heart, and the don is beginning to look a bit more like a headteacher.

The message — "Be nice, children" — isn't particularly radical, and is accompanied by various suggestions for compromise; but at least the suggestions are there. The problem, of course, is that the message is universally applied. This might seem scrupulously fair, but because the conservatives and the traditionalists are the ones threatening to walk, they have been the focus of Rowan's attention. We have seen the pressure put on the liberals to comply with conservative practice and ideals. Where is the pressure on the conservatives to accept the liberals?¨ read it all, HERE

· Thanks to The Guardian, United Kingdom
· Thanks to Paul Handley