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If that power and conviction seem veiled now, Murphy suggests, just wait. "The realignment that we have been predicting and announcing for several years will move forward decisively before the close of this calendar year," he says.

Before the end of this calendar year? The American Anglican Council says, "Realignment can begin right now." Others say it will have to wait until a 12-month commission ordered by the primates' statement reports back to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Others are expecting significant action on November 3, the day after Robinson's consecration ceremony.

But while orthodox Anglicans may disagree on when such realignment may take place, they all look forward to it, and believe that mere statements and debate won't solve the problems in their church.

In the meantime, however, the debate continues.

Ted Olsen is online managing editor of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Christianity Today's other recent articles on the Anglican primates' meeting includes:

One-and-One-Half Cheers for the Anglican Primates' Statement | An interview with theologian—and longtime Anglican—J. I. Packer (Oct. 17, 2003)

Dispatch: Conservatives Just Got Clobbered | Last week's American Anglican Council meeting in Texas announced victory prematurely (Oct. 17, 2003)

Weblog: Early Responses to the Anglican Primates' Statement | Both sides seem happy as the Episcopal Church USA promises to go ahead with its gay bishop ordination (Oct. 17, 2003)

Anglican Leaders Criticize Episcopal Church, Canada's New Westminster Diocese on Homosexual Actions | Future of the Anglican unity "in jeopardy," they say, but don't break communion—yet (Oct. 16, 2003)

Anglicanism's Communion of Saints | Under the somber portraits of their predecessors, Anglican archbishops will discuss the fractious issues of the church and homosexuality (Oct. 15, 2003)

Weblog: Where Else to Go for News and Analysis of the Anglican Primates' Meeting | The best (and worst) articles and sites monitoring the breakup of the world's third-largest Christian body (Oct. 15, 2003)

For more on the Anglican crisis, see our Church Life area.

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October (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47