From 1 to 4 November, the Churches of the Porvoo Communion held a consultation in Turku, Finland on the Churches’ teaching on marriage. Delegates represented the Anglican Churches in England, Ireland and Scotland, and the Lutheran Churches in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. Observers were present from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, and the Latvian Lutheran Church Abroad.Boggles the mind, doesn't it? One wonders why "belonging to one another" is not a priority for the leadership in the Anglican Communion. Why can't we have a “platform of sustained communication in the face of issues which raise difficulties for [the Churches]” of the Anglican Communion? I don't know about you, but the dissonance is deafening for me.
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The consultation concluded that differences over the introduction of same-sex marriage remain unresolved. The Churches hold a variety of views and pastoral practices along a theological spectrum. Some believe same sex marriage to be a legitimate development in the Christian tradition, whilst others see the potential for a serious departure from the received tradition. Nevertheless the consultation affirmed the benefits of "belonging to one another" and the value of honest encounter. The strong relationship of the Porvoo Communion, provides a “platform of sustained communication in the face of issues which raise difficulties for [the Churches]” (My emphasis)
The Archbishop of Canterbury assures us that there is no alternative to the Anglican Covenant. My goodness! The statement above looks to me very much like a foundation upon which to build an alternative. TINA begone! Covenant begone!
H/T to Ann Fontaine at The Lead and Simon Sarmiento at Thinking Anglicans.
