February 14, 2005

GUATEMALA – One week before a crucial conference that will bring together 38 Primate Bishops from Anglican Churches around the world, Anglican Bishops from Central America published their perspective on the so-called Windsor Report about the consecration of a homosexual bishop in the United States.

The Windsor report, published in mid-October last year, contains the conclusions of a commission made up of renowned Anglican leaders to analyze the consequences of a decision made by the US Episcopal Church (ECUSA) to consecrate Gene Robinson, a declared homosexual who lives with his partner, as Bishop of the diocese of New Hampshire.

The decision was hotly censured by some Anglican Churches, particularly in Africa and even some Churches in the United States, and threatens to cause a schism among the 77 million Anglican believers around the world.

The Lambeth Commission, presided by Irish Bishop Robin Eames called on ECUSA to express its regret "that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached in the events surrounding the election and consecration of a bishop for the See of New Hampshire…"

"Pending such expression of regret, those who took part as consecrators of Gene Robinson should be invited to consider in all conscience whether they should withdraw themselves from representative functions in the Anglican Communion," the Commission stated.

It also called on it to abstain from appointing another homosexual bishop "until some new consensus in the Anglican Communion emerges."

The Chamber of Anglican Bishops from the Central American Region (IARCA), made up of Anglican Bishops from Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama, met last week a few days before the Anglican Primates' Conference slated to take place February 21 – 26 in London.

The conference is expected to adopt a decision about the controversial policy of the US Anglicans, as well as the decision made by the diocese of Vancouver, Canada, to bless homosexual marriages.

IARCA, in a public statement, said it is important to maintain the unity of the Anglican Communion, to respect and strengthen the autonomy of the Provinces and to consolidate mechanisms of consultation in pastoral, canonic and administrative issues.

It laments the fact that the Windsor Report exercises pressure on people to assume one position or another regarding the issues addressed in the report. However, it said, we believe we must maintain a position of observation and learning and at the same time one of conciliation.

Moreover, it laments that in the conformation of the commission that elaborated the Windsor Report, no Latin American representative was taken into account and suggests that, in the future, official documents emitted by the commission be produced or translated into Spanish.

Latin American and Caribbean Communication Agency