Prompted by the suggestion of an African bishop that more face-to-face conversations would be helpful after the Episcopal Church's sexuality decisions of last summer, the Rt. Rev. Theodore Daniels, assistant bishop, Diocese of Texas, and the Rt. Rev. John Lipscomb, bishop of Southwest Florida, traveled with the Very Rev. Dr. Titus Presler, dean of the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, to Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya in late July.

"As three individuals who hold diverse views about homosexuality, we united in appealing for the continued unity of the Anglican Communion amid the current discord," the three said in a prepared statement. Noting that many aspects of the sexuality controversy were discussed, they reported that their African conversation partners disagreed with the Episcopal Church's sexuality decisions.

"The personal meetings with church leaders at this sensitive time were helpful," the group said. "Good relationships were formed, and the conversations were fruitful." They reported that a number of bishops expressed hope that similar visits would be made to other African provinces.

"We were not an official delegation of any group or structure in the Episcopal Church," the group emphasized, saying they had undertaken the journey at their own initiative. Listening and being vulnerable to the concerns of the African church leaders were keynotes of the trio's trip.

"The intensity of some African Anglicans' feelings suggested to us that the global aspects of Anglican life may be more prominent in their sense of church identity than it is in the sense of church identity of many American Episcopalians," the group said, adding, "We believe that as a church we can learn from their more intense global awareness."

The full text of the group's statement follows:

Conversations we had in three Anglican provinces in east Africa in late July concerning the current turmoil in the Anglican Communion were candid and substantive. We returned with a vivid sense of the concern our African companions have about Episcopal Church decisions, even as they minister in inspirational ways amid great challenges in their contexts. We were received graciously and hospitably in the three provinces in which we planned visits -- Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya -- and our appeal for the continuing unity of the Communion was received as an important concern. 

The journey was prompted by the suggestion of an African bishop that more face-to-face conversation would be helpful between leaders in the Episcopal Church and leaders in provinces troubled by Episcopal Church decisions, especially the consecration of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. This is an important time as the Communion awaits the report of the Lambeth Commission in October, and as African bishops prepare for a continent-wide meeting of bishops in Nigeria, also in October.

Our venture in having conversation and building relationship was undertaken at our own initiative. We were not an official delegation of any group or structure in the Episcopal Church. Thus the discussions were not intended to yield decisions or negotiated conclusions.  In the spirit of mutual responsibility in the Communion, the visit to each province was approved in advance by its archbishop and by our own Presiding Bishop.      

Our keynotes in the conversations, which took place from July 22 through Aug. 1, were listening and vulnerability to the concerns of our companions. As three individuals who hold diverse views about homosexuality, we united in appealing for the continued unity of the Anglican Communion amid the current discord. Theologically, our central concern for relationship in the Communion rests on the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, who energizes our commitment to incarnational presence with others. We were drawn by the Holy Spirit simply to be with our Anglican companions -- and to talk with them.

The choice of which provinces to visit was guided by personal relationships and by geographical proximity in east Africa.

During two days in L'Eglise Episcopale au Rwanda, we met with Abp. Emmanuel Kolini and with the province's other eight bishops. We were invited to greet a major evangelistic gathering in the Diocese of Shyira, where Bp. John Rucyhana welcomed us to the diocesan guesthouse. Convened on the occasion of the dedication of a new cathedral in Ruhengeri, the revival was attended by at least 2,000 people, most of them under age 30. Abp. Kolini arranged a plenary meeting of the bishops with us, together with Abp. Yong Ping Chung of Southeast Asia and a pastor of the Anglican Mission in America. 

During four days in L'Eglise Episcopale du Burundi, we met with Abp. Samuel Ndayisenga and the other four bishops of that province. In addition to individual meetings, the archbishop arranged a plenary meeting of the bishops and the provincial secretary with us in the capital city of Bujumbura. The bishop of Bujumbura invited us to greet the congregation of Holy Trinity Cathedral and to meet with the staffs of the diocese and its Peace Center. 

During four days in the Anglican Church of Kenya, a much larger province with 28 dioceses, we met with Abp. Benjamin Nzimbi, who convened a meeting at the provincial offices in Nairobi that included five other bishops and several other leaders. The two bishops of our number who remained in Nairobi on a Sunday were invited to preach in congregations in Nairobi Diocese.  

The journey seemed appropriate to our hosts, and they expressed gratitude. Deep concern about the Episcopal Church and about relationships within the Communion was pervasive, and our presence from the Episcopal Church was welcomed. Indeed, some felt the visit was overdue. We are grateful for the reception we received, especially in view of the natural caution some companions initially had about talking with us. In one case, it was only our unofficial status that made conversation possible.  

Many issues in the current turmoil came up in our discussions: effects of the Episcopal Church's decisions on Anglicans in Africa; stands taken by African provinces and by the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa; biblical, ethical and theological views of sexuality; interactions of gospel and culture in Africa and the USA; the scope and limits of diversity within the Anglican Communion; the course of recent Communion-wide discussions; the range of opinion within the Episcopal Church and the polity of our church in making decisions; parameters of the Lambeth Commission; actions desired from the Episcopal Church; opportunities and constraints in continued shared mission.

It was clear to us that the Episcopal Church's sexuality decisions have affected African Anglicans on the ground, as well as leaders. We heard reports of some members leaving the Anglican Church, of clergy experiencing deep anguish, and of complications in Christian-Muslim relations. Even accounting for the disproportionate coverage that international media give to events in the USA, the intensity of some African Anglicans' feelings suggested to us that the global aspects of Anglican life may be more prominent in their sense of church identity than it is in the sense of church identity of many American Episcopalians. Thus the effects of actions taken by another Anglican province may be felt more deeply by African Anglicans than by American Anglicans. We believe that as a church we can learn from their more intense global awareness. 

Our African companions disagreed on biblical and theological grounds with the Episcopal Church's sexuality decisions. They felt that our decisions disregarded the Communion and the need for a wider Anglican consensus. There was some variation in the ramifications people felt these decisions would have on inter-provincial relations. Some were as concerned for the situation within the Episcopal Church as they were about relations with their province. We invited reflection on what the Episcopal Church could do to repair strained relationships, and a number of suggestions were made.

We were open about our own views in human sexuality, which reflected the diversity of the Episcopal Church. We shared the process by which the General Convention made its decisions in 2003, the theological views those decisions reflected, and the cultural context of the Episcopal Church. We noted that dialogue within the Episcopal Church is ongoing. We expressed our concern for the effects our decisions were having in parts of Africa and elsewhere in the Communion.     

A number of bishops expressed hope that visits such as ours would be made to other African provinces, which they felt would find such visits similarly helpful in providing a forum for personal conversation. We share this hope. We will be sharing more specific observations with relevant individuals and groups in the Episcopal Church. In general, we felt that the personal meetings with church leaders at this sensitive time were helpful, that good relationships were formed, and that the conversations were fruitful. In a time of stress, we continue to hope and pray for the continuing unity of the Anglican Communion. 

The Rt. Rev. Theodore Daniels, Assistant Bishop, Diocese of Texas
The Rt. Rev. John Lipscomb, Bishop of Southwest Florida
The Very Rev. Dr. Titus Presler, Dean, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest