ABC … what happened to the Gospel?

I recently finished MacCulloch’s biography of Thomas Cranmer (1996, Thomas Cranmer: A Life, London: Yale Univ Pr.), which I must have bought during seminary but never got around to, its pages properly yellowing even though the binding was untouched. Hoping to make quick work of it so as to free shelf space in my study I wound up reading it for months, a bit at a time. I was alternately horrified and fascinated by the unwinding tale of life in Henry VIII’s England, and it was enlightening about the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury to read of the trials of the first person to hold that post in an independent Church of England. It’s a terrific read, but caveat emptor: they burned and hanged people with horrifying frequency.

All of that led me to joke about the current Archbishop, who frankly, seems not to have a very good grip on things. One of my spiritual companions then brought me an article from The Atlantic (March 2009) by Paul Elie called “The Velvet Reformation,” in which Rowland Williams’ dilemma is outlined fairly faithfully. I’m still shaking my head, very glad they’re through burning people at the stake for differing points of view about Christianity, but also wondering where the Gospel–the good news of salvation–has gotten to in this day and age. Williams sees the via media through his own mirror darkly it would seem, and it reminds me frankly of the nine years of stagnation in the Episcopal Church under Presiding Bishop Griswold. Of course the two of them have roots in Anglo-Catholicism in common, but I’m not sure whether that’s a relevant parallel or not. But since Katherine Jefferts-Schori became Presiding Bishop the Episcopal Church has moved aggresively forward. I think she is demonstrating bold but certain leadership. Much of the good news about the church in general, as well as for lgbt parishioners, comes from the newly reborn dioceses where the Gospel has been rediscovered and the focus is on bringing all of God’s children to the table to partake of the banquet.

The most notable news about the ABC (my affectionate term for Archbishop Williams) of late is his rapid (overnight) negative response to the election of Mary Douglass Glasspool to be suffragan bishop of Los Angeles, and his absolute silence concerning the “death to gay people” legislation being promulgated in Uganda, by Anglican bishops, no less. With all due respect, where is the voice of tradition, scripture, and reason from Canterbury? The Archbishop of York has had no qualms about speaking out in opposition to this horrifying legislation. Has Williams nothing to say? Or is this his “velvet” via media? At any rate, Christians everywhere should declare this silence unacceptable. The legislation is evil incarnate and all pressure available should be brought to bear to stop it.