Susan Russell on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s press conference has this to say

“…the ‘take away’ quote of the day award goes to Archbishop Williams for ‘There is no ultimatum involved.’

Despite what has been claimed there is no ‘ultimatum’ involved. The Primates asked for a response by 30 September simply because we were aware that this was the meeting of the House likely to be formulating such a response. The ACC and Primates Joint Standing Committee will be reading and digesting what the Bishops have to say, and shall let me know their thoughts on it early next week. After this I shall be sharing what they say, along with my own assessments, with the Primates and others, inviting their advice in the next couple of weeks. I hope these days will result in a constructive and fresh way forward for all of us.

The sound you hear is the wind going out of the sails of those insisting this ‘was it’ — ‘the line in the sand’ — ‘the moment of decision’ — ‘fish or cut bait time’ — ‘cut the baby in half’ day — etc, etc, etc.

‘It ain’t necessarily so,’ saith the Archbishop of Canterbury.

I also appreciated the question of Integrity Communication Director John Gibson for the Archbishop:

Your Grace, UK reporter Stephen Bates asked the question in his column last week ‘Why would any gay person wish to be a Christian?’ What word of hope do you have for the gay and lesbian baptized today?

While I didn’t like the Archbishop’s choice of the words ‘lifestyle choice’ I did appreciate the core of what I heard to be his message: the Good News for Gay and Lesbian Christians is the same for all Christians.

And that’s all we’ve ever asked for.

It’s the sacramental apartheid thing we’re asking the church/communion to get over.

Finally, kudos to +Charles Jenkins for making very clear that:

‘There are no throw away lives.'”

Read the rest: An Inch At A Time: Reflections on the Journey: Live from New Orleans

You can find more information about what was said at the conference in this article that I posted at the Episcopal Cafe.