The Primates’ gathering: still intact after day 1

It would seem that no one has walked out of the Primates’ gathering in Canterbury yet.

Also, according to this report, Foley Beach – and, presumably Charlie Masters – have not been ejected:

Fears the first day would see a walkout did not come to pass — to the chagrin of the crew of a BBC video truck parked outside the cathedral in the rain awaiting the capture on film of the departure of the conservatives. At the close of business the primates attended a public Evensong service in Canterbury Cathedral — with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry of the Episcopal Church of the USA sitting four places down from Archbishop Foley Beach of the Anglican Church in North America.

British press speculation and informed sources opined before the meeting that Archbishop Beach would be sent home after the first day. Conservative commentators expected the GAFCON primates to demand the expulsion of Bishop Michael Curry and Archbishop Fred Hiltz as a condition of their continued participation at the opening bell. Neither appears to have occurred — so far.

Fred Hiltz must have been feeling lonely as he processed into Evensong:

only a minority of the Primates dressed in convocation robes and an even smaller minority (described to me by an attendee as “the arch-liberals”, including the Primates of TEC and Canada) processed. The effect was clear, if unintended, in demonstrating how few their number were. Most of the Primates simply sat and waited.

Leave a Reply