July 17, 2006
Table
The Archbishop of Canterbury has done gone and come up with a proposed protocol for who sits at the head of the Anglican table and who sits at the foot. And not only that, some criteria, as well, even for who gets invited to dinner and gets a chance to shuffle around for a place card with his (or maybe Katharine’s) name on it.
The seating arrangement is, I understand, to be determined by what one might call, in keeping with the mood of the times, doctrinal chastity. It’s not altogether clear who’s to make such a determination or what might be the evidence. But having done that, perhaps the place cards could be arranged by a color code for the inevitably different shades or, as is often said, blushes, but there shouldn’t be any problem finding volunteers.
The Archbishop must have the sympathy of all and perhaps even the prayers of some if he should succeed in initiating such an undertaking. On the face of it, this new head-to-foot approach will surely be intimidating, perhaps even for him. After all, if I recall correctly, Jesus had some thoughts about seating at dinner parties. In the end, though, Dr Williams will, himself, simply have to choose, another Anglican first and an inevitable reappraisal of what was once called our “bonds of affection.”