Archbishop Rowan Williams Hopes for Restraint, Stresses Value of Episcopal Church

July 9, 2009

Preaching a meditation on Thursday morning at General Convention’s Holy Eucharist, the Archbishop of Canterbury observed that every word he writes or preaches is “scrutinized and interpreted and picked over for hidden meanings and agendas,” adding that he expected this day would be no exception.

Archbishop Williams said two clear things to The Episcopal Church on Thursday morning: Thank you for your engagement with the Anglican Communion, and the Anglican Communion loves you. The warm words included some implicit exhortation, however.

“Of course I am coming here with hopes and anxieties. You know that and I shan’t deny it. Along with many in the communion, I hope and pray that there won’t be decisions in the coming days that could push us further apart,” he said. “But if people elsewhere in the Communion are concerned about this, it’s because of a profound sense of what The Episcopal Church has given and can give to our fellowship worldwide. If we, if I, had felt that we could do perfectly well without you, there wouldn’t be a problem.” the rest

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