Gibraltar bishop forecasts unity in 'reconciled diversity'

European churches continue their active lobbying against the absence of any mention of Christianity in the draft European constitution, according to the Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, the Rt Revd Geoffrey Rowell, who is currently in Malta.

Dr Rowell, whose diocese extends from Madeira to Siberia over 42 countries and 250 chaplaincies, will conduct a religious service on Wednesday for the installation of Fr Tom Mendel as the new Chancellor of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral, Valletta.

A Cambridge theology graduate and fellow of Downing College, Fr Mendel, 46, who arrived here with his wife and son last week, was previously chaplain at Shrewsbury public school in the UK as well as in Milan and Copenhagen.

"During my visit to Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, accompanied by Fr Mendel, we evoked Malta's support for mentioning Christianity in the constitution", the Bishop of Gibraltar said. "We also discussed his retirement, vocations, religious education, the Maltese Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent visit to the Pope.

"There is a proper concern about the influence of French laicitè on the way in which the preamble of the constitution has been written," he said. "It does seem to be extraordinary to have a Europe so shaped by the Christian faith whose future constitution makes no mention of it. European churches continue to make known their concern. Last May the Orthodox Archbishop of Athens held a conference to discuss the Churches' concerns; last month the Archbishop of Canterbury hosted a meeting between British opinion leaders and the European Commission President Romano Prodi's religious affairs adviser, Michael Weninger.

"The Council of European Churches (all Christian Churches) wants to see a proper engagement and dialogue with the European institutions. The Roman Catholic, Orthodox and German Evangelical Churches have permanent representatives accredited to the European Community and there is an on-going discussion about organising similar representation of the Anglican Communion."

Dr Rowell indicated that persistent lobbying by Churches had found some reflection in the draft constitution with the belated insertion of article 51 on Status Of Churches And Non-Confessional Organisations which says: "the Union respects and does not prejudice the status of Churches... under national law... and of religious associations or communities (as well as) philosophical and non-confessional organisations... recognising their specific identity and contribution, the Union shall maintain open, transparent and regular dialogue with these Churches and organisations".

In seven of the 10 new accession states, Roman Catholicism is the majority religion, with Lutheranism predominant in Estonia and Orthodoxy in Cyprus, Dr Rowell pointed out. "Every country will in fact bring its cultural religious background to the Union, which shapes political leaders, even though they may not themselves practise, as well as their public opinion. The enlargement process could have an interesting impact on the religious issue".

Actively involved in ecumenical dialogues, as co-chair of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (IASCER) and of the Anglican Oriental Orthodox International Commission, Dr Rowell is all too aware of the impact on the search for Christian unity of the consecration by the Episcopal Church of the USA last November of divorced active homosexual Fr Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire. A few weeks beforehand, the Pope had warned the Archbishop of Canterbury during his visit to the Vatican last October of the severe implications of such a consecration.

Two immediate results were the postponement of scheduled meetings of the Orthodox Commission and of the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM).

However, IARCCUM sub-committee work continues and both Churches have agreed in a public statement to establish a group to "reflect jointly upon the ecclesiological issues raised by recent developments within the Anglican Communion".

Moreover, the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission also went ahead with a meeting last month and was able to adopt an agreed text on "Mary, Grace and Hope in Christ", the last of a series on agreed statements on doctrinal issues emerging over the last 20 years, which will be submitted to both Churches for reflection and reception.

Resumption of formal high-level meetings between Anglicans, Oriental Orthodox and Roman Catholics within the former two commissions will however depend on the report scheduled for the end of this year to be issued by the Lambeth Commission on Communion established by the Archbishop of Canterbury last November.

This 16-person clerical/lay commission's difficult task is to examine the implications of Fr Robinson's consecration for the 38-province, 80 million-strong Anglican Communion spread over 164 countries. Apart from ecumenical implications, the continued unity of the Communion is on the line, with several Anglican provinces in Africa, Asia and Latin America threatening to withdraw their membership unless the Communion retains its commitment to the resolution of the 1998 Lambeth Conference of its 800 bishops which did not endorse homosexuality.

"The recent IASCER meeting noted with great regret the impact on ecumenical relations of the ECUSA's consecration, something which could not have happened in the Church of England", Bishop Rowell said.

"The Lambeth Communion faces a two-fold problem; first the issue of sexual morality. Many Churches are wrestling with the understanding of homosexuality, what is the appropriate lifestyle for homosexual Christians and whether active homosexuals should be appointed to hold clerical office, or be entitled to 'same sex' blessings for their unions.

"The second issue is one of governance. How can we find agreed constraints on the action of individual, independent Anglican provinces? Our Communion is feeling its way towards structures, developing the activities of its primates' meetings and of the Anglican Consultative Council. The challenge from ECUSA, which its primate justifies on the grounds of 'different lifestyles in the US', highlights the problem of provincial autonomy and of respect for the agreed positions which emerged from the 10-yearly Lambeth conferences.

"In the case of women's ordination to the priesthood and episcopate, it was agreed that each province should go its own way. A few have consecrated women bishops (about 10 so far), while the Church of England, 20 per cent of whose priests are women, may take a decision within a few years. I am personally opposed to women bishops and fear that such a decision could increase divisions and make the search for ecumenical unity all the more difficult.

"But I continue to believe that one day Christians will eventually unite in a 'reconciled diversity'," the bishop concluded.