After giving a lecture on the meaning of heresy throughout history, Dr Williams was asked whether there was a future for the Anglican Communion, which is estimated to have around 80 million members in 44 regional and national member churches.
Addressing an audience at Telford’s International Centre in Shropshire, Dr Williams replied: “I do see the Communion as worth working for because I believe that a model of real international unity by consent is a very precious gift to the Christian world at large.
“That’s what I want to work for.”
Hmmm. “REAL international unity?” But that’s just the thing that’s lacking and must be restored. Not preserved, mind you, but restored. What ++RW has consistently strived to preserve is merely superficial and artificial institutional unity that glosses over mutually exclusive and rival gospels. The only unity truly worth fighting for is GENUINE unity, and that must be grounded in an uncompromising commitment to upholding CORE doctrines of classical Anglicanism, of which the supreme and unique authority of Holy Scripture is one. And since the pro-gay agenda is flatly and indisputably contrary to Scripture, and totally lacks any biblical justification whatsoever, it simply has to be excluded from Anglilcanism. Period.
No exceptions, not even for ++RW himself. And I mean that literally.
You simply can’t realistically expect meaningful ecclesiastical discipline to be dispensed and accepted “[i]by consent.[/i]” That’s like entertaining the fantasy that rebellious teenagers will willingly accept discipline, or addicted husbands will willingly give up drinking, or their mistress, etc. The kind of strong discipline that is needed in Anglicanism must be IMPOSED, not politely requested from recalcitrant and wayward provinces.
David Handy+
But Rowan Williams isn’t looking for rebellious teenagers or adulterous husbands to voluntarily give up their ways. He’s looking for the whole family to sit around and validate each other’s identity. That’s what “unity” means to him.
As the “gestalt prayer” by Fritz Perls used to have it:
“I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful.
If not, it can’t be helped.”
Of course, I always preferred the National Lampoon’s version:
“You are you and I am I and I got the better deal.
If by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful.
If not, it’s even better.”
RW lecturing on “heresy?” I just stopped there.
Alas, Catholic Mom (#2), I think you’ve got the AboC pegged. That’s the problem with so-called “Affirming Catholicism;” it retains all the outward appearance of Catholic Christianity while possessing none of the substance.
The whimsical poem, however, is delightful (both versions).
David Handy+
His definition of “work” = doing nothing. Ever.
Surely, based on historical inactions, this is the ABC’s theoretical position. It has no discernable experential basis in his person or office as occupied by him.
RE: ““You are you and I am I and I got the better deal.
If by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful.
If not, it’s even better.â€
Hah hah — Catholic Mom that is [i]great[/i]!
Well, after all ++RW has issued several phone book lengths of [i]words[/i] on the subject of the communion remaining together, what more could you expect?