Initial reactions from General Synod members to the first report synthesizing their small group discussions of the issue of sexuality indicate the process is working. Those who spoke to the Anglican Journal said the report was a fairly accurate reflection of what was said in their “discernment circles.”
The discernment circles varied in size from 15 to 24 people, and each group had a designated reporter who recorded their points of view and filed those reports to the members of the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee. This committee summarized all of the comments in those reports and produced a single document that was presented to members of General Synod for more discussion and feedback.
Bishop Linda Nicholls and Janet Marshall, chair of the faith, worship and ministry committee, worked into the night to weave together all of the information, working to synthesize the reports from the discernment circles. “The reporters were very clear about what they heard,” said Bishop Nicholls. “There was a lot of similarity among the groups which made it much easier to pull together.”
If you make the biblical people decide to leave, those who are left are quite likely to sound an awful lot alike, as they reflect the zeitgeist.
Thought you all might like to take a look at the latest on sex from the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society. The article (http://www.umc-gbcs.org/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=frLJK2PKLqF&b=6077241&ct=8428317) is written by “an ordained single woman.” It is quite a stunning piece but I believe it accurately reflects the thinking of most UMC clergy and bishops. Unlike TEC, I do not think it yet reflects the majority thinking of the laity, by the UMC hierarchy is working tirelessly to turn that around.
[i]Initial reactions from General Synod members to the first report synthesizing their small group discussions of the issue of sexuality indicate the process is working.[/i]
In other words “Oh, look, we are getting more people to agree with us than disagree”.
I read the words. What do they say, except nothing? This is as tiresome as it is exasperating. This is pablum, soft, overboiled chatter by people who will go to some extreme to avoid speaking clearly. Oh we will find out in due course, and we already know WHAT conclusion they intend to come to…..so why the empty, touchy-feely rhetoric? Larry
#2, that author of the letter in your link takes great pain to not use the word “sin.” I think she should be questioned by her Board of Ordained Ministry for that reason alone. I’d guess she doesn’t have an appointment in a church for good reason, so I’m not certain it reflects the thinking of “most” of the clergy and bishops. So, while her post-modern relativism isn’t shared by most UMC laity, who knows for how long with guides of this sort?