Justin Welby appoints a Director of Reconciliation

From here (my emphasis):

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is delighted to announce the appointment of Canon David Porter as Director for Reconciliation at Lambeth Palace. Canon David will work part time on the Archbishop’s personal staff, seconded by Coventry Cathedral where he remains Canon Director for Reconciliation Ministry – bringing first-hand knowledge of the Cathedral’s eminent and longstanding reconciliation work to Lambeth Palace and the wider Church.

The focus of Canon David’s role will be to enable the Church to make a powerful contribution to transforming the often violent conflicts which overshadow the lives of so many people in the world. His initial focus will be on supporting creative ways for renewing conversations and relationships around deeply held differences within the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.

It’s early days for Justin Welby so, while I’m prepared to give his ability to sort out the Anglican Communion the benefit of the doubt for the moment, I find it hard not to agree with much of what was said about this at Stand Firm.

Coincidentally, yesterday was the five year anniversary of St. Hilda’s joining ANiC and tomorrow is the anniversary of the Diocese of Niagara’s dumping wads of legal documents on our office desk, demanding our keys, freezing our bank accounts and inhibiting our rector.

What, in that conversation is there left to say, let alone renew? What divides us are not “deeply held differences” that can coexist within the Christian faith: ANiC and the ACoC adhere to different religions, believe different creeds and answer to different masters.

The only thing I can think of to say to the Anglican Church of Canada’s hierarchy is: repent before it is too late. But that is not much of a conversation starter.

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