Why can't everyone just get along and agree with me? seemed to be the attitude of Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. He seems to be distressed over the homosexuality debate splitting his church
Speaking during a question and answer session at the Greenbelt Christian festival, attended by more than 15,000 people at Cheltenham race course over the bank holiday weekend, the archbishop spoke of the rawness of the anger of the factions in the church.
Some evangelicals, particularly in England and the US, have threatened in effect to split the communion over their opposition to the promotion of homosexuals in the priesthood.
Dr Williams, who came under immediate fire on his appointment two years ago because of his previous liberalism on the issue and his admission that he had himself ordained a gay priest, told his audience: "It is not so much that we have disagreements in the church - that happens - it is more to do with how those disagreements are conducted ... while we may disagree, we need to learn how to do it with a bit more grace."
Oh, one usually finds that folks could handle things with more grace in situations like that, but one suspects which side he thinks has the bigger problem.
In the same article was this reference:
Jeffrey John, the gay but celibate theologian appointed last year as suffragan bishop of Reading before a row which culminated in the archbishop forcing him to stand down, was another speaker at the festival.
Now it seems to me that if one is "gay" and yet seeks to be pleasing to God that celibacy is the way to handle the issue. Just as someone who was "straight" was unmarried and sought to be pleasing to God. This is where the world has infected our understanding of homosexuality. Homosexuality from a Biblical standpoint is not a state of being, but rather a behavior. If Jeffrey John is celibate, that is not engaging in immoral behavior, then I don't see what the issue is unless he's advocating homosexual behavior in others. Of course that's a different issue. The problem really is that he seems to feel the need to identify himself as "gay", which ultimately is his (and other's) agenda setting. And I guess that is a problem after all.
1 comment:
My father attends St. James 'Anglican' church in Newport Beach. I appreciate your perspective. It's the first time I've heard my feelings echoed. I saw my dad leave his church with a heavy heart to go to St. Matthews Anglican Catholic church. Growing up as a devote Episcopalian in the Bronx, NY and coming to the west and continuing his faith, this situation has caused him deep despair. The intolerate ones are the ones pushing their "new" views and brand of religious liberalism on the whole of their church. Bishop Bruno would rather no one go to worship than to worship in a traditional and conservative way. What kind of tolerance is that? He stated that we(conservatives) would not get control of that "campus". He's more concerned about the property than the hurt and anger of the congregants of his dioseses. I don't understand it. The Word of God has not changed! Either Jesus is the Saviour or he's not! You can't have it both ways. With them, the unity of the church (in their image) is the important thing. Not your faith, beliefs, or principals. Believe what you want, it doesn't matter. All that matters is what you FEEL. God wants us to seek and strive for a higher self not the lowest common denominator.
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