» What future now for the Anglican church?
Is it finally reaching a schism over dogmatism and inequalities?
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams
Infighting in the Anglican church seems to be headline news these days; not a week goes by without another problem for the church, Sharia law being the latest issue to contend with.
Never before have we witnessed such a fall out between members of Parliament, and the 77 million Anglicans world wide who have all united to condem the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams.
The latest row involves the Archbishop’s mention of Sharia law and how it could perhaps one day somehow be run along side British law.
However, Sharia Councils have been operating for more than two decades in Britain – their Jewish equivalents, known as Beth Dins, have been operating even longer.
Both bodies stand outside the official court system, but should Muslims or Jews feel the need to have a religious matter resolved, they are there to provide help.
Dr Williams denied that he called for the introduction of Sharia Law. In a statement he said that he “certainly did not call for its introduction as some kind of parallel jurisdiction to the civil law”. He said that he was “exploring ways in which reasonable accommodation might be made within existing arrangements for religious conscience”.
However, the Archbishop went on to criticise the practice of Sharia law in some Muslim states, specifically the treatment of women and extreme punishments.
Homosexuality is punishable by death under Sharia and more than a hundred of gay men have been put to death in Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979.
The Anglican church has slid down the road to schism since 2003 when American liberals sparked the row by ordaining openly gay Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire.
This year, things are getting very messy with Conservative Anglican leaders to stage a breakaway summit in Jerusalem that could irretrievably fracture the 400-year old church over a dispute with liberal clergy about homosexuality. Headed by Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, to meet in Jerusalem six weeks before July’s Lambeth Conference, the 10-yearly gathering of Anglican leaders.
Futher more, Jane Williams, wife of the Archbishop , will be running a spouses conference alongside the main events at this years Anglican Conference. She has reportably said, “she expects three or four bishop’s to bring their male spouses”.
“It does look like a mess. It is another nail in poor old Rowan’s cross… I do see it breaking up,” said religious commentator and broadcaster Clifford Longley.
