Tuesday, July 14, 2009

+N.T. Wright Weighs in.

In the slow-moving train crash of international Anglicanism, a decision taken in California has finally brought a large coach off the rails altogether. The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church (TEC) in the United States has voted decisively to allow in principle the appointment, to all orders of ministry, of persons in active same-sex relationships. This marks a clear break with the rest of the Anglican Communion.

Both the bishops and deputies (lay and clergy) of TEC knew exactly what they were doing. They were telling the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other “instruments of communion” that they were ignoring their plea for a moratorium on consecrating practising homosexuals as bishops. They were rejecting the two things the Archbishop of Canterbury has named as the pathway to the future — the Windsor Report (2004) and the proposed Covenant (whose aim is to provide a modus operandi for the Anglican Communion). They were formalising the schism they initiated six years ago when they consecrated as bishop a divorced man in an active same-sex relationship, against the Primates’ unanimous statement that this would “tear the fabric of the Communion at its deepest level”. In Windsor’s language, they have chosen to “walk apart”.
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1 comment:

Cindy said...

Sure seems the powers that be (in this case, educated fools) are eager to continue cutting their own throats. If they honestly think the average U.S. outside observer is going to be impressed they've gone against the will of the majority, they can very likely THINK AGAIN.

Frankly I think this is all reeks of "Good Guy Badge-ism" and some on the bandwagon are doubtless spineless cowards who will go along with it for fear of losing friends, prestige and respect.

It also strikes me as a pathetic attempt to look modern/hip/progressive in order to restore a rapidly aging denomination. If I were gay, I might wonder if the gay issue isn't being USED to prop up a dying denomination!

Only the Holy Spirit can renew and revitalize anything. Man's pathetic attempts to do His work will always fail.

--Cindy