What's next?

The TEC bishops want to meet with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. For ++Rowan, this would be a moment of truth. If he agrees to meet with them, he cannot flinch--or else the Communion splits. If does not flinch, then the onus will be placed on the Primates to act. And there, the best guess is, a split as well.

If this is true, the only thing that ++Rowan can do to hold most of the Communion together is to declare himself out of communion with those non-Windsor compliant TEC bishops. Not only would they not come to Lambeth, but they are done as constituent members of the AC.

Of course, this would outrage liberals in England, Wales, Canada and elsewhere throughout the Communion. But most of those progressives are also institutionalists, at least more so than is TEC (or at least that is my impression). While they would love a prophetic voice from Lambeth Palace, I do not think they will ultimately side with TEC's self-understanding. They will understand that TEC's continued misrepresentation of the Windsor process, now resulting in its flouting of the Communiqué, is not something the Communion can legitimately abide.

And if ++Rowan broke Communion with the progressives in TEC, he would have to acknowledge a primate--best bet right now is bishop Bruce McPherson--and encourage him to organize a college of Windsor bishops. ++Rowan's action would precipate the realignment of north American Anglicanism, but it is the last best hope for the Communion remaining a viable worldwide body.

Communion without accountability, and accountability without discipline is no communion at all.