He added: "That is the last word on the subject by the Lambeth Conference and there was never any suggestion from even one of the 670 bishops at this conference to revisit, or revise much less to repudiate anything in Resolution 1:10."

Lord Bishop Reid also strongly justified the agenda of the Conference when he emphasised the importance of bringing together for fellowship and strategy considerations "bishops who are labouring in isolated and difficult situations to experience, first-hand, the solidarity and prayerful support of the worldwide communion. It is good for people working in different parts of the world to share their ideas and experiences and to stimulate each other in the work of evangelism and justice".

Lord Bishop Reid also commented defensibly without dismissing contemptuously the issue of the American consecration disappointment when he said, "It may suit our detractors to pretend that we are resolved to continue discussing sex indefinitely. But what we, in fact, resolved to do was to continue the dialogue for as long as it takes to achieve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace which is our Lord's desire."

But Mark Dawes, from a populist perspective, characteristic of the modern media, as having the 'voice of the people' but without any necessary reference to the 'voice of God', attacks the bishops for deliberating long enough and delaying long enough on an issue of growing declension destroying the vitals of the Anglican Faith.

In an outburst of virulent verbal attack he sees significance in the co-incidental fact that is was about the same time five years ago that the 'Bishop' Gene Robinson debacle occurred 'during the 2008 Lambeth Conference of (Anglican) Bishops, July 16-August 3, held this year on the Canterbury campus of the University of Kent.

Dawes picks up on the news aspect related to the Conference that about 200 theologically conservative Anglican bishops boycotted the Kent Conference and instead met in Jerusalem for what they dubbed the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).

Alternative Fellowship

Dawes noted international reports that approximately 230 of those bishops who met in Jerusalem are already working to set up an alternative Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans to rival the official Lambeth centred Anglican Communion.

What Dawes as a keen journalist reports simply cannot be ignored, it would seem, for the realities and implications are far-reaching. Dawes notes that at least 15 of the 29 provinces that make up the Anglican Communion globally have already severed relationship with the Episcopal Church of the United States, and that increasingly Anglican congregations in America are expressing disillusionment with the Archbishop of Canterbury's failure to be decisive.

The Apostle Paul certainly seemed decisive in recommending how persons who identify as church members but behave immorally and are unrepentant should be dealt with - "Expel the wicked man from among you." (I Corinthians 5: 13). Also, in the Pastoral Epistles very high moral qualifications are outlined for holders of spiritual office in the church. Therefore, Bishop Gene Robinson would be conspicuously disqualified.

Strangely, therefore, United Theological College of the West Indies lecturer, Rev Garth Minott, posits a quite different approach, borrowing that which he introduces as an African word and concept he identifies as 'Indaba'. But while the concept has pastoral and counselling merit it represents, in essence, a major deviation from the focus of Dawes, not on the issue of homosexuality or any blatant moral transgression for that matter in the Church, but in the person of a bishop, called to be an example worthy of all believers in Christ to emulate.

Disappointingly, his references to Dawes are definitely condescending and perhaps even at times abusive and so he lowers the tone of the discourse, even though his thoughts in general are informative and interesting.

No mood to rush

He asserts that the Anglican Communion took 40 years to arrive at a position relevant to polygamy in the Church in Africa, and no doubt with some good reasons for an 'Indaba' approach. But he does little to show that the case of an active homosexual bishop in the 21st century is of similar ilk. Instead, he declares that "the Communion is in no mood to rush the current debate, despite Dawes' pronouncement".

But that hardly seems like roping Dawes into his commendable 'Indaba' process. In the age of the modern media it would seem that certain issues have a significant contextual difference. Being in no mood to rush might be perhaps wrong interpreted as if being in a mood to ignore the issue and that would be bad.

Mark Dawes is well trained theologically, apart from his journalistic professionalism. However, his statement of concern about how "Anglican have so far treated with the issue of homosexuality within the ranks of its clergy" might have led him to be just too strong in declaring, "I continue to say schism is better than heresy".

The relevant observation here is that the issue of heresy does not arise. The Anglican Church is not heretical. The tradition of the Anglican Church is firmly a standard bearer for orthodoxy as may be found within the Creeds and the Westminster Confession. The Apostles' Creed, for example, has 12 articles and nine of them affirm the person of Christ and has stood the severest tests for at least 1,500 years.

Heresy occurs when a wrong opinion is held concerning the Person of Christ. All other issues are disagreements and differences of theological persuasion.

Perhaps then, when a broad view is taken of the issues in the public media cauldron on this issue, there is need to give more respect to Rev Garth Minott's recommendation for 'Indaba'.