The focus of the trip appears to center on attempts toward reconciliation with African provinces and dioceses that have decried the decisions of General Convention 2003 and subsequent actions of ECUSA. To date, twenty-one Anglican provinces have declared either impaired or broken communion with ECUSA. The letter from Bishop Lipscomb reads in part:

“Why are we making this journey? There can be no question that we are at a crossroads as members of the Anglican Communion. Sustained conversation between the leaders of our various provinces is critical. Our decisions and actions in the United States have created a situation in which we struggle with what it means to live in strained or impaired communion with many of those who have been our partners in mission.”

”Perhaps at no other time has the work of reconciliation, beginning with the household of faith, been more important to the witness of the whole Christian community. I believe that this trip is part of the work essential to healing the growing divisions within this portion of the Body of Christ.”

The timing of this trip – just 2 months before the Lambeth Commission is expected to issue its report to the Archbishop of Canterbury – is significant. It seems ECUSA’s leadership has suddenly backed away from its position that the worldwide Anglican Communion’s outrage does not matter. For years, orthodox leaders have sought the counsel of the Global South and nurtured relationships with leaders in those regions. Is ECUSA now willing to acknowledge that their unilateral actions have gravely damaged the Anglican Communion? Have they accepted the fact that the autonomy argument they have used for a year is invalid at best? Will their attempts at reconciliation include repentance? Who planned this trip, and who is funding it?

Bishop Lipscomb’s letter continues, “At the very least, however, we go with a heart opened to listen to the concerns of our sisters and brothers in Christ, to understand how our actions have affected them, and to clarify the potential for common mission and ministry as we look to the future.” Would not the provinces and dioceses of Africa prefer that their concerns had been heeded before the Anglican Communion was fractured? Is this not too small a gesture offered much too late?

In a surprising development today, the Chief Operating Officer of the Episcopal Church Center announced the resignation, effectively immediately, of Daniel B. England as Director of Communication. The announcement was not only unexpected and abrupt, but also offered few details and begs specific questions. The first and most obvious is, “Why?” – ECUSA is in the midst of a dire crisis, and the Director of Communication suddenly resigns for undefined “personal reasons.”

It is always significant when an organization in crisis loses staff in key leadership positions, but this case is particularly curious. In March of this year, Dan England unveiled a new communications strategy to ECUSA’s Executive Council. The clear, strong and consistent message crafted by Mr. England since then has been two-fold: “All is well” within ECUSA and the reaction of orthodox Episcopalians as well as the Global South should be disregarded.

The crisis and its numerous ramifications have been ignored, downplayed, denied or explained away. “We think the controversy is beginning to die down,” he [England to the Executive Council, March 2004] concluded. “But even if it doesn’t, we intend to use the bad press to get our message across. If it goes well, that will be like free publicity.”

Leaders such as Archbishop Peter Akinola, Primate of All Nigeria, have been dismissed or derided. In response to Archbishop Akinola’s assertion that ECUSA must “repent and come back to the fold, or give up on the Anglican family,” Mr. England upheld the Episcopal Church’s message.

“If he’s waiting on the network [Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes] to replace the Episcopal Church, I think he’s in for a long wait,” Mr. England responded.

Does Mr. England’s resignation signal an acknowledgement that the approach chosen by ECUSA has proven ineffective, unsuccessful or even a complete failure? In other words, is the Episcopal Church leadership actually in serious disarray, and can ECUSA no longer afford to denigrate the voice of the Communion? If so, does Mr. England’s resignation indicate that the leadership of ECUSA is questioning its own direction, decisions and leadership? Did he in fact “resign”?

As these two situations are considered together, once again questions must be asked: What is going on behind the scenes in ECUSA? Is the leadership divided? Do they expect a decidedly unfavorable report from the Lambeth Commission and are attempting damage control at the eleventh hour? Do they sense their message backfiring such that a new messenger is required? Time will tell.

END

ATTACHMENTS:

Letter from Bishop Lipscomb

ENS Article

Bishop heads back to Africa

19 July 2004

My Dear Friends in Christ,

I am writing to you to ask for your prayers. Marcie and I returned to the diocese this past Thursday cutting short our sabbatical and vacation.

Today I begin a two-week journey that will take me back to East Africa to further conversations that began during our pilgrimage this past April. I was asked to be part of a team to visit several provinces in that region. I will join the Rt. Rev. Ted Daniels, assistant bishop of the Diocese of Texas, and the Very Rev. Titus Presler, dean of the Seminary of the Southwest, and will return home Aug. 2. We are going with the full knowledge and support of our presiding bishop.

Why are we making this journey? There can be no question that we are at a crossroads as members of the Anglican Communion. Sustained conversation between the leaders of our various provinces is critical. Our decisions and actions in the United States have created a situation in which we struggle with what it means to live in strained or impaired communion with many of those who have been our partners in mission.

Perhaps at no other time has the work of reconciliation, beginning with the household of faith, been more important to the witness of the whole Christian community. I believe that this trip is part of the work essential to healing the growing divisions within this portion of the Body of Christ.

What do we hope to accomplish? The mission of the Church is primarily the work of building up those relationships that glorify Christ and allow the world to see and know the love and grace of God. When relationships within the church are strained and placed in jeopardy our ability to make a faithful response and witness to God's work of redemption is imperiled.

This journey will not resolve the issues of difference between the Episcopal Church and the Church in East Africa. At the very least, however, we go with a heart opened to listen to the concerns of our sisters and brothers in Christ, to understand how our actions have affected them, and to clarify the potential for common mission and ministry as we look to the future.

It was a privilege to represent our Church during the Days of Remembrance in Rwanda in April. I was grateful for the kind reception given to Marcie and me by Archbishop Kolini in Rwanda and Archbishop Orombi in Uganda, as well as by the bishops and people of many dioceses in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. My opportunity to preach and share the Holy Communion in many places of East Africa was a constant reminder that we are part of a world wide fellowship of Christians who share a common heritage.

I ask for your prayers that God will use these coming days to further strengthen and deepen those relationships so the world may know that Jesus is Lord. May God bless and keep you.

In Christ,

+John, SWFL IV

Thursday, July 29, 2004

An Announcement from the Episcopal Church Center

[ENS] The following announcement has been received from Patricia C. Mordecai, Chief Operating Officer at the Episcopal Church Center in New York:

Daniel B. England has resigned as Director of Communication for personal reasons. The Presiding Bishop has accepted his resignation, which is effective immediately. Bishop Griswold said that "the creative initiatives begun by Dan England during his approximately four years on the staff have been much appreciated and will continue to serve our ongoing communications efforts."

The process toward naming a successor in accordance with the procedures of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society has begun, and a position announcement will be posted in early September. Bishop Griswold has asked Robert Williams, who directs the Episcopal News Service and oversees media relations for the Episcopal Church, to assume the title of Acting Director of Communication. Prior to coming to the Episcopal Church Center, Williams was Director of Communication for the Diocese of Los Angeles.

Bishop Griswold said: "Those overseeing the various aspects of our communications work are seasoned professionals, and I am confident that our programs will continue to develop in ways that serve the growing needs of our church."

END