An article in the London Telegraph by Jonathan Wynne-Jones this past week said Williams has told homosexuals that they need to change their behavior if they are to be welcomed into the church. The church, he said, must be a welcoming community but is not an inclusive one.

Rowan Williams has distanced himself from his one-time liberal support of gay relationships and stressed that the tradition and teaching of the Church has in no way been altered by the Anglican Communion's consecration of its first openly homosexual bishop, said the news report.

The declaration by the archbishop - rebutting the idea that active homosexuals should be included in the church unconditionally - marks a significant development, if not sea change, in the church's crisis over homosexuality.

But as soon as Dr. Williams made the announcement liberal and homosexual campaigners launched an attack on Williams, saying it confirmed their worst fears that the archbishop has become increasingly conservative - sparking accusations that he has performed an "astonishing" U-turn over the homosexual issue.

"I don't believe inclusion is a value in itself. Welcome is. We don't say 'Come in and we ask no questions'. I do believe conversion means conversion of habits, behaviours, ideas, emotions," he told a Dutch journalist.

At the same time he tried to distance himself from a controversial essay he wrote 20 years ago, in which he defended same-sex love. "That was when I was a professor, to stimulate debate," he claimed. "It did not generate much support and a lot of criticism - quite fairly on a number of points." The article in question was The Body's Grace.

Behind the archbishop's apparent change of heart is that he is determined to preserve the unity of the church from being destroyed by the warring factions over homosexuality.

Big Narcissism was, of course, outraged. The Rev Giles Goddard, the chairman of Inclusive Church, a liberal group, said the archbishop's comments revealed an "astonishing" change in his position. He added: "The implication is that there is no justification in scripture for the welcome of lesbian and gay people. It appears that he has moved into the conservative camp."

A British politician accused Williams of a "huge betrayal" and says he is refashioning the Church of England into a narrow-minded, conservative sect. Really. Somebody should point out to him that 95 percent of the English don't give a damn about the CofE anymore, so what has Williams got to lose.

Just suppose, for a moment, that the archbishop has had a seismic shift in his thinking about the inherent dangers of homosexual behavior, and that the biblical prohibitions against homosexuality still stand, AND, that just maybe the Global South archbishops are not so stupid after all, as many of them have been educated at Oxford and Cambridge and still think the Bible is right about sexuality, and that ALL such behavior stays within marriage between a man and a woman, Jeffrey John notwithstanding. Would that be such a mistake to admit in this eleventh hour?

Wrote one person: "My gracious lord of Canterbury knows that if he were to openly declare that he sees nothing wrong with Gene Robinson getting a pointy hat, the Anglican Communion would shatter."

Wrote another: "Sheer propaganda! Agitprop! The wells of the Anglican Communion are poisoned - time to abandon them and find news Wells of Living Water elsewhere."

And how will this seismic shift affect the Episcopal Church's orthodox? Where does this leave the Network, Common Cause, the AAC? We don't know. It has yet to all play out. But at least we have a glimmer of something different that didn't exist a week ago. It might be too soon to strike up a chorus of How Great Thou Art, but it probably wouldn't hurt if the orchestra tuned their instruments in readiness.

Whatever you conclude, Dr. Williams has come across as a man of great humility who is entirely willing to admit that he might be wrong.

DOMESTICALLY, Jenny Noyes, communications coordinator for the network, said it now has more than 900 parishes and 2,200 clergy members, representing approximately 200,000 church members in its embrace. That is no small change bearing in mind that these are, in many cases, large, well-heeled Evangelical parishes with money and tithers that liberal and revisionist bishops need to stay in business.

FLORIDA: A recent article in the St. Augustine Record, titled "Anglican Alliance grows, develops ministries" reveals that the Alliance now has 16 churches in its embrace, mostly in north Florida in the Jacksonville area. These are the richest, most powerful former Episcopal parishes that have left The Episcopal Church and given Bishop John Howard major heartburn.

From the DIOCESE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE comes this word from a VOL reader. "Isn't it bizarre how Fr. Hank Junkin, President of the Standing Committee that nominated Gene Robinson, resigned from St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Hopkinton, NH last year amid allegations of improper behavior with a parishioner. After a break-down (he's now rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Laconia, NH), and now a year later Fr. David Jones, co-chair of that same Standing Committee that nominated (and is a huge supporter of) Robinson is suddenly resigning from his cardinal parish, St. Paul's Concord, NH after 16 years with no apparent plans for his future? These two priests were diocesan spokesmen on national TV defending Robinson's election!

St. Paul's, a cardinal parish in NH, (that comes closest to being a cathedral) has been on the decline over the past few years. They recently had huge shortfalls in their annual budget having to use close to $1million from endowments to balance their budget over the past three years, said the source. Jones is 57.

In the DIOCESE OF LOUISIANA, the old sanctuary of the Church of Annunciation was deconsecrated after being torn apart by a 30foot wall of water. Bishop Charles Jenkins made it official. The congregation led by Fr. Jerry Kramer is in a state of heart-brokenness. Now they must meet in a double wide trailer. Wrote a member of Kramer's parish: "As we walked into the shell of our old sanctuary for its official de-consecration, all of us were flooded with memories contained within that building. We remembered the baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals that marked transitions in our lives. We relived our first encounters with Annunciation as well as our last days before Katrina. This place still holds our laughter, our joys, as well as the tears and anguish of this tight-knit group of misfits who found a home." "After a good cry, we walked into the steamy heat of New Orleans. We joined other volunteers who were at the relief center serving a line of people who had been devastated by the storm. Indeed, Christ has risen. He will meet us out in the streets. We have grown, learned and aged together. And together we will move into a new chapter of parish life in which we yearn to give more, learn faster, and love deeper. Alleluia, the Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia! Please take a moment and visit their website and make a contribution to this very needy, ongoing ministry and parish of Annunciation: http://www.annunciationinexile.homestead.com/

From the DIOCESE OF WASHINGTON comes word from a VOL reader that it has recently closed one of its lesbian led parishes, the Church of the Nativity (1963) in Camp Springs, MD. The Rev. Joan Bielstein quietly resigned and accepted an interim job at All Souls Parish, D.C. (a heavily endowed parish) a few months before the official closing of Nativity last month. "One third of the parishes in the diocese are in financial trouble. Kind of shoots down the theory that ECUSA is going to grow with their new lesbitransgay folk beating down the doors doesn't it?" said the source.

From the DIOCESE OF CONNECTICUT we learned this week that while the charges against Bishop Andrew Smith were thrown out by the court, the case was not dismissed outright. Rule 12...she says that she has no jurisdiction, and leaves the case open for appeal to the Ct Courts, or the Federal Appellate Court. The "Ct. Six" will appeal, says Fr. Ron Gauss, of Bishop Seabury Church in Groton, Ct, which is what they will do. "Bishop Smith is presenting the issue that the case is dead, when all that has happened is that the Judge says she can't decide the case," he said.

From the DIOCESE OF COLORADO a VOL writes to says that not all the blame for parish closures can be put at the feet of the Gene Robinson debacle and the current state of the national church. "The issues that have led Bishop Rob O'Neil to close churches in the state are long-standing and probably have more to do with geography, demographics, and the long-term failure to have a vision for evangelism (I prefer that term to "church growth") than anything to do with the present troubles of our denomination."

He cites Trinity parish in Trinidad--a mission VOL named in a recent article -- that has long been a marginal congregation. "It was in trouble as long ago as [Bishop] Bill Frey's ministry as bishop of Colorado. The closure of Trinity is part of a larger failure of Christian ministry in that area. A couple of years ago, the (Catholic) Diocese of Pueblo closed every parish in the town except one. It was a devastating blow to the Catholic faithful there, but it can't be blamed on Gene Robinson any more than Trinity's closing can." He said that St. Michael's, Paonia, is also a tiny little place with an aging population and no plans to reach out to the community. He also said that the mention of congregations in Denver "is unfair". St. Thomas was having terrible troubles as long ago as the 70s, when Bill Frey was bishop. "Colorado has institutional problems stretching back for decades, and in a huge diocese such as ours, issues stemming out of New York are pretty minimal in the consciousness of most pew-dwellers. Simply put, one of the hardest things in the world is to start--let alone maintain--a congregation in the incredibly remote reaches of Colorado.

A VOL READER noted that when Jefferts Schori is robed as the next Presiding Bishop, she will not be consecrated (and of course there are those of us who would suggest she was never consecrated, as the Church Catholic has never approved women Bishops, not to mention authority issues), she will merely be enthroned as Presiding Bishop.

JEFFERTS SCHORI AGAIN. A VOL wrote to say that, in the light of a recent story by Terry Ward: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4536 questioning some of the credentials of the new Presiding Bishop that the wire services and online stories have changed the boilerplate about her. The old boiler plate text read: Jefferts Schori was ordained as a deacon, then a priest in 1994 at the Good Samaritan church. She served as the Corvallis congregation's associate rector for seven years and then became bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada in 2001.

The NEW boiler plate text reads: After about two decades of service, she was elected to the highest post of the church in June, the Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States. The position will also serve as a U.S. diplomat to the international Christian community. She'll set up an office in New York City.

NEW MAP for Anglicans on the move. Mr. Ken Blackwell, a VirtueOnline reader has created a map showing non-ECUSA Anglican Communion churches across the United States. VOL is delighted to offer this to its readers as we increasingly receive e-mails from people leaving The Episcopal Church and want to know what the options are available to them. Mr. Blackwell has done a fine job in helping such persons. This map will be updated frequently and you are free to send Mr. Blackwell any additions or changes you think should be made. His e-mail is KenBlackwell@yahoo.com. The map can be accessed here: http://www.greaterdanburyanglicans.org/AMiAChurches/AMiAChurches.html?ShowAll

STORIES YOU NEVER HEAR ABOUT: A VOL reader wrote to say that he had two male cousins that were openly homosexual. "One died a very painful death due to AIDS; recently the other one committed suicide. Their Episcopal priest had told them that they were okay. That wasn't very "Christian" of "her" now was it?" Indeed not.

The BISHOP OF BOLIVIA, the Rt. Rev. Frank Lyons will make pastoral visits to Anglican Churches in Louisville and Elizabethtown, KY next month (Sept. 3). He will baptize, confirm and reaffirm members of Holy Apostles Church, Elizabethtown, during the 10 a.m. service and will reaffirm members of the newly-formed Louisville Anglican Mission during their 3:30 p.m. service.

This is Bishop Lyons' second episcopal visit to Kentucky. He installed the Rev. Kent Litchfield, a retired Episcopal priest, as rector of Holy Apostles Church last October. During the installation service he also baptized, confirmed and received members into the church which was formed in July 2005 by several former Episcopalians who walked away from Christ Church in Elizabethtown. Just one year after establishing their new church in Elizabethtown, Rev. Litchfield and the members of Holy Apostles have started an Anglican mission church in Louisville.

Two other new Anglican churches in Kentucky, St. Andrew's in Versailles and Apostles in Lexington, are under the supervision of Ugandan bishops. A third church, St. Patrick's Anglican in Lexington, is part of the Anglican Mission in America which has several American bishops who serve under the authority of the Anglican archbishop of Rwanda. Bishop Lyons provides episcopal oversight and pastoral care for 24 Anglican churches throughout the United States, including All Saints Anglican Church in Evansville, Indiana.

TENTH PROVINCE. I asked a canon lawyer whether a 10th province could be formed in the U.S. that would not be a part of ECUSA. Here is what he wrote back:

"The original idea of a 10th province, as voiced by ESA in 1990, was one internal province within ECUSA. Talk of a 10th province now means the same thing, at least for the present. Whether such a province could then break with ECUSA and be recognized as a separate Province is a question of some significance. And that would depend upon both the ABC and the Primates' Committee."

From the DIOCESE OF RECIFE, now under the Primatial Authority of the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America comes news that The Episcopal Church of Brazil has passed a motion to approve all Sexual 'Orientations'.

The Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil (IEAB), in its latest General Convention, in Curitiba, 26-30th. July, 2006, through its House of Laity and Clergy, contrary to Resolution 1.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998, and following the liberal line of its North American counterpart (ECUSA/TEC) passed a motion defending an unlimited inclusiveness "of all persons independent of their sexual orientation".

With implicit reference to the doctrinal, ethical and canonical precepts of the Diocese of Recife - which, consonant with the majority of the Anglican Communion, disallows the ordination of practicing homosexuals and heterosexuals that support the legitimacy of homoerotic practice -– the motion passed by the IEAB affirms its support of clergy and laity who "throughout the recent history of the Brazilian Church have suffered persecution and insult on account of their sexual orientation, or for supporting the inclusion of all people, independent of their sexual orientation, in the full life of the Church" (i.e.: in terms of ordination to Holy Orders). The Brazilian church is an ECUSA plant, which explains everything.

The ironic thing is that it is the Diocese of Recife (today under the protection of the Most Rev. Gregory Venables), whose identity and autonomy were violated by the IEAB, and whose leadership suffered under an intense public defamatory campaign, and whose bishop was deposed and clergy excommunicated by the IEAB.

THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH wants to restore ecumenical relations with dioceses in the Episcopal Church that have asked for Alternative Primatial Oversight since the 75th General Convention, an August 23 letter from Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad states. Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan welcomed the overture while noting that the Russian Church does not ordain women to the diaconate and presbyterate, a matter that "may impede the recognition," he wrote. In addition to Duncan, Kirill's letter was addressed to Bishops Edward Salmon of South Carolina and John-David Schofield of San Joaquin.

Miffed by this move, Episcopal Bishop Christopher Epting, deputy for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations for TEC, accused the Russian Orthodox Church of "unilateralism". That church broke off talks with the TEC after Robinson's consecration. He issued the following statement: "The Episcopal Church's position on the full equality of women and men in the light of the Christian Gospel is already well known and is nothing of which we are ashamed. The Episcopal Church has regularly declined to comment or take sides on divisive issues within any of our ecumenical partners, and we have no intention of doing so now. We have always honored the jurisdictional boundaries of our ecumenical partners and have not attempted to interfere in others' internal conflicts."

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