Canon Nerissa Jones, MBE Chair of Trustees for Affirming Catholicism, said:
Lambeth Conferences should reflect the diversity and range of theological opinions contained across the Anglican Communion and provide an opportunity for bishops to grow in their appreciation of others’ points of view through prayer, worship and study. Although Bishop Robinson is only one bishop, his being excluded because of his openness about his sexuality sends a damaging signal to faithful and honest lesbian and gay Christians world-wide, and undermines the integrity of the conference. The wholeness Affirming Catholics strive for requires every voice to be expressed and included, but yet again it looks as though Lambeth bishops will be talking about homosexuality without honestly acknowledging the presence of the gay people already in their midst. We call on the Archbishop of Canterbury to find ways for Bishop Gene Robinson to be included in the Conference so that his experience can be heard.
Of course, a range of theological opinions will be present, in the persons of the bishops who participated in the consecration of Bp. Robinson.
And, of course, if you define his exclusion in terms of his “openness” about his sexuality, rather than his flagrant disregard of historic Christianity and the expressed views of Anglicanism’s Instruments of Unity, the exclusion is unconscionable.
And, of course, if you define “gay/lesbian” as an ontological category of person (“God made me gay”) rather than a disordered condition, then justice is offended at his exlusion.
Mercy! Don’t words matter!
My patience with “wholeness, unity” is really at an end. Aren’t you tired of the cant yet? Let me suggest a simple fact: Anglicanism – like Druidism and the New York Yankees – is not for everyone. Are some excluded because they ought to be? For Heaven’s sake, won’t someone of importance say ,”Yes, of course.” Is the current notion of “inclusiveness” essential to Christianity? I certainly hope not. To say “Yes” is like asking me if I want a loud drunk in the congregation, and then telling me, when I say, “Absolutely not” that I am being intolerant and failing in my Christian duty to include everyone and love all equally. When Christ drove the money changers out, He was not saying, “BUt I still love you all and want you to be one of us.” He was saying, “Out, you miserable creatures, out of this temple. And don’t some back!”
Christ may have come to save sinners, but He didn’t come to save even sinners who don’t want to be saved. So it’s out with the loud drunk, and stay out, until you are sober and won’t throw up on the floor.
Can someone explain why Williams hasn’t said this to TEC and Shori? Look at the babble in the recent blogs. Over and over and over, the same banderlog. And the name calling. Bigot indeed.!Talk about loud, obnoxious drunks! If this were a guy persuing a girl, he would be charged with harassment. LM
To say that unity is worth any price is to tell me that no divorce is possible even if one is most certainly going to kill the other if the two stay in proximity.
When everything you espouse leads away from Rome and Constantinople and towards a liberal understanding of everything…just what ‘Catholocism’ is it they affirm???
Wearing a fancy cope does not make you a Catholic any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
They are neither affirming nor Catholic. They are the opposite: hyper-Protestants whose right to read the Bible as they wish, or redact it as they wish, reigns supreme. They can put on more lace than a Victoria’s Secret model and fill their parishes with so much incense that people choke, and it won’t change that reality.