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Guadalcanal missionary hostages reportedly killed
More sad news for the Anglican Communion. Six missionaries of the Melanesian Brotherhood, part of the Anglican Church of Melanesia, are dead.

Solomon Islands warlord Harold Keke took the missionaries hostage three months ago, but reportedly killed them a day or two after the abduction. Keke is said to have killed more than 50 people so far this year, and caused more than 1,200 people to flee their homes on the western coast of Guadalcanal.

The report comes from Nick Warner, head of the 2,000-member Australian-led peacekeeping force recently dispatched to the island. Voice of America quotes Warner, who met with Keke and his men yesterday, as telling Keke "that I wanted to leave today with the Melanesian Brother hostages that I understood they were holding. I was told during that meeting that the Melanesian Brothers were dead." Warner gave no further information about how they died.

Good news
Too much bad news lately, so here's a bright spot. Remember Patrick Cubbage, who was fired from a New Jersey military cemetery for saying "God bless you" during services? He's going back to work Monday, with full back pay, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Archbishop of Canterbury summons Anglican leaders for emergency meeting
Orthodox members of the Episcopal Church USA who are upset by the church's approval of an openly homosexual bishop have had at least one of their requests granted: the heads (or Primates) of Anglican churches around the world will soon meet to address the situation.

"I am clear that the anxieties caused by recent developments have reached the point where we will need to sit down and discuss their consequences," Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, said. "I hope that in our deliberations we will find that there are ways forward in this situation which can preserve our respect for one another and for the bonds that unite us. I hope we can use the time between now and then to reflect, to pray, to consult and to take counsel."

Since this was only announced this morning, there has been little response from the American Anglican Council or other orthodox groups. But Weblog expects that a meeting of orthodox Episcopalians planned for early October will be rescheduled for after the Primates' meeting.

Meanwhile, orthodox Anglicans are lamenting yet another action taken by the Episcopal Church yesterday in favor of homosexual practice. In a 120-72 vote, the House of Deputies affirmed a resolution that said, in part, "We recognize that local faith communities are operating within the bounds of our common life as they explore and experience liturgies celebrating and blessing same-sex unions."

"Today's vote is yet another painful illustration that the Episcopal Church has left the Anglican family and become an 'anything goes' denomination," American Anglican Council President David C. Anderson said. "Dioceses and local faith communities now have a green light to 'bless' relationships outside of marriage. This move is a tragic but logical next step for a Church that has already abandoned the historic Christian faith."

More on the ECUSA same-sex union resolution:

• Episcopalians approve local option on same-sex unions | Episcopal leaders approved a resolution stating that local dioceses are within the bounds of the church when they allow the blessing of unions of gay or lesbian couples (The New York Times)
  
  
• Episcopal Church ratifies compromise on gay unions (The Washington Post)
  
  

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August (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47