I'm Sorry- They Said What?

On the web site Covenant, Andrew Goddard has posted an extensive critical analysis of the recent documents posted as responses from GAFCON primates to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the St. Andrew's Draft of the Anglican Covenant. It is well worth reading, and while it makes no judgement of where or how, demonstrates that, in those statements at least, something is seriously wrong.

While it is not where he wanted to end up, when he considers the problems with the documents in question, this is his determination:

These conclusions point fairly inexorably to the sad conclusion that the GAFCON movement, although it may talk about its commitment to the Communion and its reform and may appear to have given support to the established Windsor and covenant processes, seems determined to pursue its own agenda on its own terms and to weaken and undermine the wider Communion if it believes that it will not get from it exactly what it wants.

There is a Sufi teaching story. A man once came to the Mullah Nasruddin. "Mullah," he said, "let me borrow your clothesline."

"I can't," said the Mullah. "I'm using it to dry flour."

The man looked shocked. "You can't dry flour on a clothesline. That's hardly a good reason not to lend it to me."

Said the Mullah, "Since I didn't want to lend it anyway, it's reason enough."

Perhaps, deep in the heart of the GAFCON movement, some want to tell that story again.