Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold defended the Episcopal Church against sharp criticism from a coalition of Anglican archbishops during what has been described as “intense talks” from the first two days of the primates’ meeting Feb. 21-25 in Northern Ireland.

Unlike prior primates’ meetings, where African-led objections to the actions of the Episcopal Church and Canadian Diocese of New Westminster dissipated under the nonconformity of Bishop Griswold, the coalition of conservative primates, led by Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, has maintained its call for accountability among partner provinces.

Thirty-six of the Anglican Communion’s 38 provinces were represented at the meeting with three primates absent: Northern India, Hong Kong, and Burundi, which sent a representative as a substitute after the sudden death of the archbishop’s daughter.

The primates of Canada, Sudan, and the United States were allowed to bring aides to the meeting. Bishop Griswold brought Barbara Braver from his staff at the Episcopal Church Center, and the primates of the Congo, Korea, and Japan were permitted to bring translators. A last-minute request by other primates to bring staffers from a hotel in Newry into Dromantine was vetoed by ACC secretary general Canon Kenneth Kearon.

A Windsor Report reception committee, initially chaired by Hong Kong Archbishop Peter Kwong, who had to step down Feb. 12 because of illness, was to present a distillation of the more than 300 responses to the Windsor Report received by the committee, led by Bishop Bruce Cameron, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Behind-the-scenes activities marked the days prior to the start of the meeting. On Feb. 17, Archbishop Rowan Williams told the General Synod of the Church of England during a debate on the Windsor Report that he endorsed its recommendations, arguing that risks had consequences signaling that he would take a firm line with the Episcopal Church.

Prior to the meeting, Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria wrote to Archbishop Williams on behalf of a coalition of Global South primates, stating they would not share altar fellowship with Bishop Griswold.

In order to avoid a diplomatic incident over worship, a crisis that nearly derailed the special primates’ meeting in 2003, Archbishop Williams offered a number of half measures to placate Archbishop Akinola. He suggesting a “pastoral Eucharist” be offered, and then proposed that a priest be brought in to celebrate Communion. Archbishop Akinola’s response was that it was not the worthiness of the minister that prompted the objections to Bishop Griswold, but rather their belief that unity of doctrine preceded unity of worship. It was not a question of receiving “from” him, but “with” him, one primate told The Living Church.

Archbishop Williams relented and it was agreed that the Rev. T. Shane Forster, chaplain to Archbishop Robin Eames of Ireland, would celebrate a daily Eucharist for those whose “personal discipline” required it, formally recognizing the state of broken eucharistic communion.

Disagreements over the presence of support staff, the agenda, and use of the primates’ time were raised during the first two days of the meeting. The Anglican Consultative Council staff designed an agenda which included 22 activities on a wide range of topics. Among them were HIV/AIDS, poverty, and the tsunami. That agenda elicited strong objections from those who were concerned that the Windsor Report discussions would be sidetracked.

Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda said he received a communication from Canon Kearon during the week before the meeting, asking him to present a talk on “tribalism.” Archbishop Orombi demurred, saying he had neither the time nor was he willing to be diverted from a full and frank discussion of the Windsor Report. Archbishop Akinola repeated this argument to Archbishop Williams during the opening hours of the meeting, noting that it was the first duty of Christians to resolve their differences with one another before tackling social issues. Archbishop Williams agreed and discussions of the Windsor Report occupied Monday and Tuesday afternoons.

Sources in the meeting, which are closed to everyone but the primates and their interpreters and which are neither minuted or transcribed, said that though the presenting argument was whether homosexual practice was “good or bad,” it soon moved to an ecclesiological level. Archbishop Akinola and others from his coalition said if the Episcopal Church wished to remain part of the Anglican Communion, it must abide by its covenants. Sources said Bishop Griswold’s argument was the Episcopal Church wished to remain part of the Anglican Communion but would do so on its own terms.

In their first public appearance during the meeting, the primates traveled to Armagh for a service of Evensong in St. Patrick’s Cathedral with the bishops of the Church of Ireland. As communion was no longer a dividing issue, no primate absented himself from the public service as had been initially threatened. Joined by Archbishop Sean Brady, the Roman Catholic Primate of Ireland, government ministers, and other church leaders, the primates heard Archbishop Williams call for peace between warring factions.

Preaching from Exodus 19, he developed the theme “you shall be to me a kingdom of priests” and stressed the need for friendship and godly love among Christian brothers. Archbishop Williams reminded listeners that it is God who will provide the ultimate solution to the Church’s troubles.

“How readily we turn to anxious striving, as if Christ had not died and been raised. How awkwardly we sit with one another to pray together and worship together. How easy it is for us to close our doors. But, we are called to be a kingdom of priests, and to be built as a holy temple so that the world may be invited, may see, may be transfigured.”

(The Rev.) George Conger