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While Rowan Williams is considering his next move, eleven bishops of the US Episcopal Church have given to the General Convention's key resolution. In short, they say it's a fudge; it's not Windsor-compliant:

Now, once again, we find the need to speak candidly. The responses which the Convention has given to the clear and simple requests of the Lambeth Commission, the clear and simple requests indeed of the Anglican Communion, are clearly and simply inadequate.

The bishops include the leading episcopal members of the (ACN), an association of conservative dioceses, parishes and clergy formed in January 2004 in opposition to the 2003 General Convention's endorsement of the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson. ACN dioceses and parishes total about a tenth of the membership of the Episcopal Church. The movement has been seen by some as an autonomous province waiting to happen; a view that will only be encouraged by the language of their statement today:

It is our intention not only to point to the inadequacies of the General Convention’s responses, but to declare to our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the Communion that we continue as The Episcopal Church in this country who uphold and propagate the historic faith and order we have come to know through the Anglican heritage of apostolic teaching and biblical faith; who desire to be fully a constituent member of the Anglican Communion; and who are ready to embrace and live under the Windsor Report without equivocation. Accordingly, we repudiate the actions of the General Convention of 2003 which have breached the bonds of affection within the Communion. We bishops have committed to withhold consents for any persons living in same gender relationships who may be put forward for consecration as a bishop of the Church. And we have refused to grant authority for the blessing of sexual relationships outside Christian Marriage in our jurisdictions. We intend to go forward in the Communion confidently and unreservedly.

So, in all essential respects, this statement from the ACN offers the Anglican Communion the clear and simple response it requested from the Episcopal Church. Indeed, it could be read as a clear and simple assertion by the ACN that they are the Episcopal Church. The statement's authors are just as clearly running out of patience with ECUSA and looking to the wider Anglican Communion for support.

Meanwhile, the preached today at the Convention's closing eucharist by the Presiding Bishop-elect, Dr Katherine Jefferts Schori, has managed to further outrage conservatives. "Our mother Jesus gives birth to a new creation. And you and I are His children," Bishop Jefferts Schori told delegates. An interesting approach to winning the hearts and minds of a divided church. Yes, the same sermon also makes reference to 'King Jesus', but, this even-handed approach to theological language was lost on some commentators. As one puts it:

With Jefferts Schori as the leader-to-be of the Episcopal Chuch, it seems that the church will move beyond gender-inclusive language to transgender-inclusive language.

Ouch.