"Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has been embarrassed by so many Anglican leaders shunning yet another pre-fabricated 'conversation' with the Episcopal Church." -- Jeff Walton, Spokesman for IRD's Anglican Action Program

Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion set to meet this week in Dublin, Ireland are encountering a larger than usual number of empty chairs. At least 15 of the leaders (known as primates) of the national Anglican churches have declined to attend the bi-annual meeting between the 38 members of the global family of churches descended from the Church of England.

Of that fifteen, at least seven have specifically cited the continued participation of ultra-liberal U.S. Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as reason for skipping the meeting, while others have cited a range of reasons including "diary commitments."

Absent primates represent approximately 80 percent of the worldwide Anglican Communion's population, which is disproportionately found in the global south. Twenty-Two Anglican provinces consider themselves to be in either broken or impaired communion with the U.S.-based Episcopal Church. Anglicanism is fast growing globally, especially in Africa, while the U.S. Episcopal Church continues to shrink.

Jeff Walton, spokesman for IRD's Anglican Action Program, commented:

"Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has been embarrassed by so many Anglican leaders shunning yet another pre-fabricated 'conversation' with the Episcopal Church.

"After snubbing repeated requests from Anglican leaders not to bless same-sex unions or consecrate openly partnered homosexual bishops, Episcopal Church leaders have effectively cut themselves off from the majority of Anglicans worldwide.

"The Anglican sex battles that have captured media attention are the consequence of a much deeper rift between two competing gospels: one found in historic Christianity, the second a modern innovation proclaiming indiscriminate affirmation.

"This strife within the third largest family of Christian churches worldwide will not conclude in decisive schism. Instead, liberal and conservative Anglicans will continue to realize a de-facto separation over time. The Dublin primate's meeting exemplifies this evolving separation."