Good on, Rowan!

I have deliberately avoided blogging about The Troubles in the Anglican Communion. First, because God knows there are far more intelligent and articulate people doing so on a daily basis. You can read insightful discussions and analyses in any number of places, so why should I chime in? Additionally, so much of the news is disheartening, if not downright mean-spirited, and I'm not willing to give aid and comfort to the nasty sort of exchanges I've read elsewhere.

However, I am making an exception, in order to direct you to this article:

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has challenged the acrimony of arguments within the Church of England and the Anglican Communion over sexuality and women bishops, proposing a bold new initiative to get the warring factions to listen to each other with respect.

The Archbishop wants those who disagree on these issues to make a personal commitment to contacting someone of differing opinion elsewhere in the Communion, in order to promote real conversation and understanding.

The archbishop also offers the following, out of his own experience:

When my diocese in Wales was discussing women priests a decade ago, we arranged prayer partnerships between people on opposing sides, on the basis that we should need some ingrained habits of shared prayer and patience if we were going to carry on a common Christian life after a divisive vote.

This is worth blogging-- and worth doing.

Thanks to Kathryn for the heads up on this one.