Archbishop of Canterbury sends letter to primates

Lots of people had been holding their breath, waiting for the Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, to issue a statement of reaction after General Convention. Today it has been made known. In the statement, Williams seems to suggest that one possible outcome of the crisis in the Anglican Communion will be two groups: a group of "inner" churches sharing a covenant relationship and a group of "outer" churches sharing observer status. There is a lot in this document. Here's a quote for the flavor of it all, and two links to some reactions are near the end. As I have time, I'll post some thoughts of my own here.

The only reason for being an Anglican is that this balance seems to you to be healthy for the Church Catholic overall, and that it helps people grow in discernment and holiness. Being an Anglican in the way I have sketched involves certain concessions and unclarities but provides at least for ways of sharing responsibility and making decisions that will hold and that will be mutually intelligible. No-one can impose the canonical and structural changes that will be necessary. All that I have said above should make it clear that the idea of an Archbishop of Canterbury resolving any of this by decree is misplaced, however tempting for many. The Archbishop of Canterbury presides and convenes in the Communion, and may do what this document attempts to do, which is to outline the theological framework in which a problem should be addressed; but he must always act collegially, with the bishops of his own local Church and with the primates and the other instruments of communion.

Among the many reactions already online, here are two. Matt Kennedy offers a conservative reading, and Mark Harris offers a more progressive reading. Enjoy.