Phil Ashey: Why Good Disagreement and Conversational Ecclesiology are neither good nor missional

Today I write to commend three resources to you in support of the proposition that we will do well as followers of Jesus Christ not to fall into the trap of endless conversations about human sexuality and the Bible which end in accommodating culture over Biblical content.

At the very best, such processes divert the Church from proclaiming with clarity and certainty the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his saving, transforming love for all people, everywhere and at all times. At worst, such processes give access to false teachers to lead God’s people astray. False teachers also lead those who do not yet know Christ to eternal separation from God. Finally, such processes divert the time, talent and treasure of God’s people from the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission. Remember the famous “Decade of Evangelism” of The Episcopal Church USA? Remember how it was utterly eclipsed by “conversational ecclesiology” and “good disagreement” over gay rights, same sex blessings and ordinations/consecrations of leaders (clergy and bishops) in same sex relationships? There is a lesson and a warning here for The Church of England (CofE) and the rest of the Churches in the Anglican Communion.

The first resource which I commend for you to read in its entirety is an essay by Dr. Martin Davie, “Why Disagreement is not good.”…

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, --Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury