The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury: ¨God breaks down all barriers, a Church seeking justice will find a way...¨

Su Gracia Rvdma. Justin Welby

Celebracion Eucaristica en ocasion de la visita del Arzobispo de Canterbury
Santiago Cathedral, 11 de Agosto, A.D. 2013, Ciudad de Guatemala with The Most Reverend Armando Guerra
photos by Elizabeth Bell

Yesterday, the 11th of August in Guatemala City, Central America, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury gave a sermon.  I listened as hard as I could.  I didn´t want to miss a word, or idea, or suggestion (I also wanted to know where/how the NEW ABC was growing from in terms of inclusivity, equality and justice, for all).

All ought mean all, at the Anglican Communion, but would Archbishop Justin OPENLY discuss OUR current state of  ¨some are holier than others¨  illusion within the international cluster of the Anglican faithful?  Must we look backward to more break-ups within our Anglican Communion partners because we/they will not accept differences amongst one another at home and abroad? 

Is it ok to note that we ARE different from one another and still open our doors, welcome each other and greet with genuine hospitality. Ought we not acknowledge differences amongst people/culture/tradition/reason or shall we simply play pretend that all is well?  Shall we continue to deceive (self and others?) within the Anglican Communion.

All is not well as some of our brothers and sisters are damned to hell by clergy conjuring up marginalizing, exclusion and hatred toward LGBT Christians.  Must we ignore real terror at Church?  Deceit?  What will you do, Archbishop Justin?  What do you think  be done in order to love one another?  All oneanothers and at ALL levels of Anglican Communion life.  Can you be entrusted with the spiritual care of ALL of us equally as well as morally? Will you strive to make everyone equally safe to worship God at Church? 

If I had been having a one-on-one conversation with Archbishop Justin, I would have been very direct.  I would have asked ++Justin why he can't seem to wrap his pre-announced ¨open mind¨ around LGBT equality at Church and beyond Church in England?  

I would have Archbishop Justin what he now thinks about the punitive Anglican Covenant (which was defeated by a solid majority in the dioceses at The Church of England but not his then diocese).  I would have asked Archbishop Justin what it is he planned to do to encourage ALL Anglicans to come to the alter together and celebrate Holy Eurcharist without fear of being humiliated or rejected entirely? 

ALL Anglicans. Anglicans like you, me, Presiding Bishop Armando, Presiding Bishop Katharine and the Global South, Gafcon folks?  What will you, the ABC do, about uniting us and reconcilling ALL of us to wholeness and spiritual good health at the body of Christ?  

Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury said these things (at least this is what I understood him to say during his sermon which was given in English and perfectly translated into Spanish):

*  We must physically take action to love our enemies.  We must reach out to our enemies and interact with them.  We must ¨buy their bread¨ which will start a relationship so we can talk to one another.  (He used an example of two different groups in Africa who had been murdering each other for years and the priests were biter and tired full of anger/hate).  We must open the doors of resentments (justified resentments or not).

(to be continued, we are having a storm and I want to publish this first part)