Not Even Variable Geometry Can Hold the Anglican Communion Together

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, should know that the Anglican Communion that he inherited is not going the same Anglican Communion that he hands over to his successor. Separation of the orthodox from Canterbury is inevitable barring a miracle such as seeing the Organization (that calls itself a Church) of England, the Episcopal Organization, and the Canadian Anglican Organization all repent and don sack cloth and ashes. Still, the Archbishop tries to hold things together. This time he looks to something called "variable geometry" which was not something you studied in High School math class. Maybe the creators of "Transformers" use it, but should religious organizations?

Anglican Futures gives a timeline of Justin Welby's prior attempts to put into words a way forward and this newest iteration,  

 Yesterday, he chose to look to the political sphere for a new solution, which he intends to put to those Primates of the Anglican Communion who are willing to meet with him in Rome in April.

“There”, he said, “we will look at what the communion could do to remain in a variable geometry of unity, but also an unvarying commitment of love in Christ. Those two expressions vary in geometry of unity and unvarying commitment of love in Christ offer us all a way forward in holy obedience to God".

I had to search for what this new term means over at "Feeling Europe",

"Variable geometry may not only refer to ways to alter the shape of an aircraft's wings in flight in order to alter their aerodynamic properties but also to a concept for multi-speed Europe, a proposed strategy for European integration, next the forms of multi-speed Europe and Europe a la carte."

"'Variable-geometry' Europe is the term used to describe the idea of a method of differentiated integration which acknowledges that there are irreconcilable differences within the integration structure and therefore allows for a permanent separation between a group of Member States and a number of less developed integration units. DI is considered to be a tool to achieve common aims and policies in politics, social fields, economy, legislation and institutional issues to strengthen sovereignty or to enhance effective capacity."

Back to Anglican Futures to sum it up,  

The Archbishop of Canterbury assumes that both the progressive and the orthodox understandings of sexuality and marriage can be described as showing “unvarying commitment of love in Christ” and “holy obedience to God”, despite being diametrically opposed to one another.  

And that is the problem.  His quest for unity has led the Archbishop to a position where the ultimate expression of holiness is a Church which holds together completely contradictory positions on fundamental issues, on which the bible speaks clearly.  

Variable geometry may work great in supersonic aircraft and in science fiction movies, but it won't hold the sinking ship that is the Anglican Communion together.