The Episcopal Church, schism and the MR Rowan

Thomas Bushnell's look at one outcome is interesting, and should be looked at.

Suppose Peter Akinola comes to Rowan Williams tomorrow and says: “Tell the Episcopal Church that they are no longer in communion with you, or else we will say we are no longer in communion with Canterbury.” What would +Rowan do? We already know; he’d say, “Good bye, and godspeed; we’re sorry to see you go, Peter.” Suppose Robert Duncan comes to Rowan Williams tomorrow and says: “Tell the Episcopal Church that they are no longer in communion with you, but that you are in communion with this new organization Jack Iker and I have set up, or else we will say we are no longer in communion with Canterbury.” What would +Rowan do? We already know; he’d say, “Good bye, and godspeed; we’re sorry to see you go, Bob.”

What Peter Akinola wants, and what Duncan and Iker want, is for +Rowan to say “I am no longer in communion with the Episcopal Church, but I am in communion with Duncan and Iker and whatever organization they have formed.” It is this goal to which Akinola, Duncan, and Iker are all working towards. But simply making the ultimatum to +Rowan won’t get what they want, which is why they are proceeding as they do.