UPDATED 2/26 Not to be confused with the present presidential candidate of the opposite sex, this Hilary, the 4th century bishop of Poitiers, is just the sort of fellow we need today.
From the Anglican Breviary: "Hilary was born of a most illustrious family in Aquitaine, and of him blessed Jerome said: "He was a man of mighty eloquence, the Latin Trumpet against the Arians." He was born of pagan parents and brought up in idolatry, but in due time was found of Christ and became God's servant. In early life he had married, but at his ordination he and his wife chose to live in continence. And because of the fame he made for himself by his wisdom and eloquence as a priest, he was chosen to be Bishop of Poitiers, in which office he gained the universal praise of the faithful. At that time the Emperor Constantius was persecuting the Catholics by every species of cruelty, in order to make them yield to the Arian heresy. Against the Arians Hilary set himself up as a brazen wall, and thereby turned upon himself the fierceness of their anger. When they procured his banishment to Phrygia, he used his exile to write a work in twelve books, on the Trinity, against these heretics.
"In the year 359, the fourth of his exile, he was obliged to attend the Council of Seleucia in Isauria, which was largely composed of Arians, whom he there publicly withstood. And afterwards he withdrew to Constantinople, where he demanded leave from the Emperor to hold a public disputation in his presence. However, the Arian Bishops Ursacius and Valens, whom Hilary had already confuted in writing, were afraid to meet him in debate, and therefore induced Constantius, under pretense of pardon, to send him back to his bishopric. And he was followed to Poitiers by Martin, afterwards Bishop of Tours, whose growth in holiness was a fruit of his teaching."
Saint Hilary caught my attention last month as we celebrated his feast on the 14th. As I read his biography it struck me that Hilary did not shun attendance at the Council of Seleucia. He capitalized on the opportunity it presented to defend the Catholic Faith in the face of the Arian majority. Now it might be argued that he was forced to attend, and so he did. And I wouldn't want to be interpreted as equating Rowan Williams with the Emperor Constantius or the Semi-Arians, but go he did, and I believe that our bishops should go likewise to the Lambeth Conference. It is an opportunity to stand for truth of the faith of Christ as this church has received the same. As Hilary found the Council of Seleucia to be wearying, so might our bishops find Lambeth 2008. But Hilary left that council only for the purpose of calling the question by going straight to the Emperor and demanding a public disputation of the issues of the day. By all means go to GAFCON, but then go on to Lambeth and call the question.
The Lambeth Conference is the closest thing we Anglicans have got to the Emperor and/or a Great Council. If our unhappy divisions are going to be addressed, it needs to happen there. That said, I believe the Conference really does need to engage openly and honestly on the issues. And there isn't much hope of that if a large number of bishops avoid the conference. I don't believe the cause of truth is served by avoidance. Call the question.
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