Bishop Iker's Reflections on Anglican Unity

The Rt Rev'd Jack Leo Iker, bishop of Fort Worth, Texas, has just published his reflections on "What holds the Anglican Communion together?." After a review of the "Four Instruments of Unity," the bishop's conclusion is crystal clear:

"The Episcopal Church will have to decide in June 2006 at the General Convention if we will comply with the teaching of the Communion or if we will "walk apart" (as the Windsor Report expresses it) and leave the Communion. The Anglican Church of Canada will have to make the same decision at their General Synod in 2007. After these decisions are made, the Archbishop of Canterbury will have to decide which Bishops are to be invited to the Lambeth Conference and which Bishops will not be participants.

One way or another, a decision will have to be made that will affect us all. It is expected that General Convention will try to "fudge" the issue and have it both ways: to say that we intend to remain in the Anglican Communion, but continue to ordain active homosexuals and bless same-sex unions. I doubt that the Primates of the Communion will be willing to accept that. Already more than half of them are in broken or impaired communion with the Episcopal Church because of all this.

I repeat what I said in addressing this at our Diocesan Convention last year. If the Episcopal Church decides to walk away from the Anglican Communion, this Diocese will not depart with them.

Pray for the Church, for our unity and witness. Pray for our leaders, that we will comply with the mind of the Anglican Communion and the historic teaching of the Church of God throughout the world."

The bishop's entire reflection may be found on the diocesan web site here.