Two scenarios, however, do present themselves as possible options: One is that the Global South Primates, lead by Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola and eleven of his fellow archbishops, could decide to leave and form their own communion, by simply refusing to attend Canterbury in 2008 and setting up a parallel Lambeth style conference on African soil.

Another scenario, one that seems to be gaining ground, is that The Episcopal Church will withdraw itself from the Anglican Communion making null and void any further discussion on sexuality issues. Believing that its adoption of the homosexual agenda now makes it impossible to stay with a communion that does not understand its progressive views on sexual morality, indeed the Christian Faith itself, TEC will go its own way with fifteen or more countries they have been supporting financially. Thus, the TEC will have their own "more perfect union."

These are the fifteen countries whose flags flew at General Convention 2006: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador Central, Ecuador Litoral, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Taiwan, Virgin Islands, Haiti, and the Convocation of American Churches in Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy). There are also other liberal provinces that might join TEC including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Southern Africa, perhaps Canada, (with some notable exceptions), New Zealand, (except the Diocese of Nelson) portions of Australia (excluding Sydney), and rebel dioceses and clergy in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England. A year ago or more, liberal clergy in the Church of England proposed the idea of joining with the U.S. Episcopal Church, but nothing came of it.

The notion of separation was articulated by leading Episcopalians this week when Bishop Steven Charleston, president of the Cambridge, Mass. based Episcopal Divinity School, told the "Washington Post": "I would accept schism. I would be willing to accept being told I'm not in communion with places like Nigeria, if it meant I could continue to be in a position of justice and morality. If the price I pay is that I'm not considered to be part of a flawed communion, then so be it."

Mark Sisk, the bishop of New York, a much quoted voice of rebellion, had this to say to The New York Times: "Being part of the Anglican Communion is very important to me, but if the price of that is I have to turn my back on the gay and lesbian people who are part of this church and part of me, I won't do that."

V. Gene Robinson, the openly homoerotic bishop of New Hampshire, whose consecration remains a sticking point with orthodox Anglicans, said that the Episcopal Church in the U.S. should not give in to demands that it roll back its acceptance of gays.

In a personal statement on the Dar es Salaam communiqué, Robinson said that Episcopalians should set aside the Anglican Communion's request, for now, "and get on with the work of the Gospel" even at the risk of losing their place in the Anglican fellowship.

Members of the LBGT (Lesbigay) crowd, who are part of Sisk's church, say the choice is stark. Both the current and former heads of the formal TEC Integrity organization, Susan Russell and Michael Hopkins, say there's no middle ground between approving homosexual behavior and staying in the Anglican Communion. It was no surprise, then, that Integrity encouraged its membership and allies to directly contact their bishops urging them to reject the demands of the primates. At the end of the day, they too, might be prepared to part company with the Anglican Communion.

Mrs. Jefferts Schori is still hopeful that she can parse the language of not "authorizing" the blessings of same-sex unions, by allowing local dioceses and parish to "bless" such unions. The Global South Primates are not fools, they will never buy it. Even the Archbishop of Canterbury would have a hard time not seeing through that ecclesiastical sleight of hand.

Other liberal voices are trying desperately hard to put the best possible spin on staying in the Communion. One thoughtful liberal, on the HOB/D listserv, said this: "We should insist that representatives of The Episcopal Church, or the church itself, not be threatened with dismissal or exclusion from any of the councils of the Anglican Communion, or the Communion itself. Such exclusion is both repugnant to the Gospel, and the common sense that if we are to reach a common mind it will only be through the meeting and engagement of those who disagree. Peace achieved through the excision or exclusion of persons with whom we disagree is reprehensible."

The notion of a "common mind" is long gone. There IS no common mind. The Global South Primates have made that abundantly clear from the beginning. It was formally passed at Lambeth '98, through Resolution 1:10, has now come to a head, and will reach its apogee at the end of September 2007.

All the whining, cajoling, and demanding that progressive bishops and pan sexually excited liberal laity of The Episcopal Church can muster, changes nothing. The Global South bishops have reached the end of their tether and they will no longer tolerate the parsing, disobedience, and sexual deviancy of an American church they believe is leading people to an unrepentant Hell.

Network moderator, Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, said it well when he wrote, "What we have is an interim proposal for an interim period with interim structures, while the Episcopal Church majority has one last opportunity to turn back from its 'walking apart.'"

It would now seem that 'walking apart" may be the only way forward.

ON the other side of the ecclesiastical fence, Akinola's eleven archbishops and their countries include Nigeria, Uganda, Central Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Indian Ocean, Sudan, Southern Cone, Southeast Asia, and the West Indies. This group of hardliners (of the 38 Primates) is resolute in their determination not to sit with Mrs. Jefferts Schori and the revisionist Episcopal Church bishops. These primates would be among those most likely to not attend Lambeth 2008, in the eventuality that she and they are invited.

Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola is on record as saying that he will have a parallel conference alongside Lambeth 2008 if need be in Africa. He has shown himself to be a man of his word. One can understand his state of mind.

It was Western missionaries who brought the gospel to Africa even with all the baggage of colonialism, racism and, condescension. The Africans believed that Jesus is Lord and were converted to Christ. Now they are being asked to buy a new understanding of the gospel (the acceptance of sodomy) and they are being accused of homophobia and fundamentalism for not buying into it! Is it any wonder that Akinola and his fellow African Primates are not willing to accept western post-modernism and moral relativism?

They are not going to and they never will. This lesson is going to be taught to even so-called moderate bishops of the Episcopal Church like Texas (Windsor) Bishop Don Wimberly who wants to keep a foot in both camps. There is no middle ground on human sexuality. C. S. Lewis, in his chapter Eros, in his book "The Four Loves" says that either sex is in marriage or one should practice celibacy. He wrote those words more than 40 years ago. Nothing has changed since then.

At their very deepest levels, orthodox bishops and Primates know that this is an eternal life threatening issue, "Neither fornicators, adulterers nor homosexuals (active) will inherit the Kingdom." (I Cor. 6: 9) They will not jeopardize their souls and those they preach too by preaching "another gospel" (Gal 1:9).

At the end of the day, the Global South will have no option but to separate, because what is at stake is the eternal salvation of millions of men, women and children. And for that there can be no compromise.

END