Sunday, July 20, 2008

Pope's veiled warning over Anglican women bishops crisis

The Pope warned yesterday that Christian religions are at a 'critical' crossroads.

During his visit to Australia, the 81-year-old Pontiff said the 'ecumenical movement has reached a critical juncture', which was interpreted as referring to the crisis in the Anglican community over women bishops.

The Lambeth Conference - the once-a-decade gathering of Anglican leaders being held in Canterbury - is being boycotted by a quarter of the world's Anglican bishops due to divisions over women bishops and gay clergy.

Mindful of the warming relations between the Vatican and Canterbury, the Pope has been careful not to intrude on the debate.

But earlier this week he said he hoped the Anglican Church could avoid 'schisms and new fractures'.

Yesterday he met with Muslims, Jews and members of other non-Christian faiths.

The Catholic Church, he said, 'eagerly seeks opportunities to listen to the spiritual experience of other religions'.

His words may have gone some way towards healing a rift with Muslims. Remarks he made in a lecture in Germany in 2006 were seen by Muslims as implying that Islam was violent and irrational.

All religions, he said, should unite against terrorism and resolve conflicts peacefully 'in a world threatened by sinister and indiscriminate forms of violence'.
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