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Archbishop compares Church of England to 'drunk man' on the 'edge of a cliff'

The Archbishop of Canterbury has publicly highlighted the divisions within the Anglican Communion by comparing it to a "drunk man walking near the edge of a cliff".

The Most Revd Justin Welby was speaking in Mexico, when he talked about the dangers posed by splits within the Church of England, while emphasising the need for reconciliation.

It's the first time the Archbishop has so openly acknowledged the schism between liberals and traditionalists on issues like homosexuality and women bishops, saying there's a danger the divides could make it lose touch and become ineffective in serving the poor and hungry. Writer and Broadcaster Christina Rees, who is also a General Synod Member of the Church of England, told Premier's Marcus Jones on the News Hour why she thinks the Archbishop's comments are to be welcomed:

Preaching the sermon during a Holy Eucharist at Hotel Quinta Real in Monterrey, Archbishop Justin spoke about the life of Jeremy Taylor, a cleric imprisoned after the Civil War.

He said:

"I sometimes worry that as Anglicans we are drifting back in that direction, he said. 

"Not consciously, of course, but in an unconscious way that is more dangerous. Like a drunk man walking near the edge of a cliff, we trip and totter and slip and wander, ever nearer to the edge of the precipice. "It is a dangerous place, a narrow path we walk as Anglicans at present.

"On one side is the steep fall into an absence of any core beliefs, a chasm where we lose touch with God, and thus we rely only on ourselves and our own message. 

"On the other side there is a vast fall into a ravine of intolerance and cruel exclusion. It is for those who claim all truth, and exclude any who question.

"When we fall into this place, we lose touch with human beings and create a small church, or rather many small churches – divided, ineffective in serving the poor, the hungry and the suffering, incapable of living with each other, and incomprehensible to those outside the church.

"We struggle with each other at a time when the Anglican Communion's great vocation as bridge builder is more needed than ever."

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