Things are heating up at the meeting of 38 global primates (Anglican national or regional leaders) in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.  The meeting, which began yesterday, has the controversy in the American Episcopal Church over ordination standards and same-sex unions front and center.  Many conservative African primates are concerned about the liberal drift of the American church.

One item yesterday was an evaluation of the Episcopal Church’s response to the Windsor Report, a statement put together by a commission appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury after the Rev. V. Eugene Robinson, an openly active gay man, was ordained a bishop.  A report was prepared by the Communion Sub-group for presentation at this meeting indicating that the Episcopal Church had fulfilled the requests of the Windsor Report.  According to an Episcopal News Service press release about the present meeting the gathered primates concurred with the report that although the General Convention of the Episcopal Church did not use the precise wording of the Windsor Report the statements it approved expressing regret for offending Anglicans and declaring a moratorium on ordination of active homosexuals were “sufficient.”  Regarding this matter and the general controversy in the Episcopal Church the primates heard from three bishops besides the Presiding Bishop of the church.  These three bishops span the theological spectrum on the issues.  The Episcopal News Service statement says that all parties have been asked to withhold comments until after the meeting adjourns on February 19 but I’ll bet we get an earful then.  However, a statement by the American Anglican Council calls the Sub-Group Report “highly inadequate in its assessment of the U.S. Episcopal Church’s response to requests made of the church by the Anglican Communion primates.” A statement by Robert Williams, aide and spokesperson for Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori, (reported widely, here by the Globe and Mail) says “The spirit of Anglicanism will prevail here and there will be a middle way forward” but that the Presiding Bishop “will not waver in her stand for justice and inclusion of all people in the body of Christ.”

Well, things got more interesting today when the primates gathered for Holy Communion and the service was boycotted by seven conservative primates from a group known as the Global South.  These bishops posted a statement on the Church of Nigeria web site that says in part:

We each take the celebration of the Holy Eucharist very seriously. This deliberate action is a poignant reminder of the brokenness of the Anglican Communion. It makes clear that the torn fabric of the Church has been torn further. It is a consequence of the decision taken by our provinces to declare that our relationship with The Episcopal Church is either broken or severely impaired.

The Global South Primates took similar action in 2005 at a summit in Ireland.  The seven primates represent the churches in Nigeria, South East Asia, Kenya, West Africa, Uganda, South America, Rwanda.

Final decisions will be made later in the meeting but it looks like it may be interesting.