ARCHBISHOP GREGORY Venables, the Primate of the Province of the Southern Cone, says he will continue to take on board Anglicans deferring from the US Episcopal Church (TEC).Speaking at the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem he also told reporters that he wished more bishops at GAFCON would attend the Lambeth conference next month.
Answering a question at Friday’s press conference he said disillusioned Anglicans were welcome in his province.
“This is something that started because we had no option but to respond and it will go on as long as there is a need.”
He added: “Hopefully something will happen soon which will conclude this sort of transitional emergency period we’re in but until that happens then we have to go on doing this.”
The Province of the Southern Cone covers the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Ever since the consecration of the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson in 2003 members of The Episcopal Church have been seeking his province for oversight, deeming TEC as too liberal.
At the press conference Archbishop Venables defended his reasons for attending Lambeth. He is one of the few GAFCON bishops to go to the conference.
“With regard to Lambeth each of us decided to make our own personal decision ,some time back, not to make a group decision and that we would work on this as individuals and honour each other’s decision. I felt that after consulting with a large number of people that it was right for me to be at Lambeth and to go there and take part in it.”
He added that there was need for more dialogue in the church.
“I don’t think there’s much need to listen more about where we all stand as I think that’s all very clear. But I think there is more need for dialogue. That’s one thing that some of us are aware of as seriously lacking. I’ve been in this business for many years now and I’ve yet to come away from a meeting feeling that we’ve really connected and talked seriously about the issues.”
Archbishop Peter Jensen, Sydney Diocese, was also at the press meeting. He said that the liberal acts of some parts of the Anglican Communion had awoken a global movement.
He said: “All around the world the sleeping giant of evangelical Anglicanism and orthodox Anglicanism has been roused by what has happened in Canada and the USA.”
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