The Church of England’s first gay marriage has left its faithful ‘unsettled’ and ‘anxious’, a senior figure said yesterday.
It was the first admission from C of E leaders that the wedding of two male Anglican clerics at a prominent London church has worsened the Church’s crisis over gay rights.
The decision by the Reverend Martin Dudley to defy the Church’s laws and stage the ceremony – which contained large chunks of the traditional marriage service – came just as bishops from around the world are preparing to meet to try to find a compromise.
But why would we WANT a compromise? The very reverse seems to the the best choice, and asap. Larry
Consensus is the absence of leadership.
Lady Margaret Thatcher
A couple blog comments make some pertinent points about how deep and probably fatal the problem now runs.
First, this link on Fr Ould’s estimable site from a gay cleric ‘winston’ in London states that no cleric there in a civil partnership is asked to give assurances their relationship is celibate – despite COE law – and openly states that many senior clerics, from an assistant bishop and archdeacons downward, are openly known to be in gay relationships:
http://www.peter-ould.net/2008/06/15/gay-wedding/#comments
The claim is that no discipline at all on celibacy is being observed there or in a neighboring diocese where that priest now serves.
Second, Chris Johnson over at MCJ notes that this mock-wedding was clearly known about WEEKS before by the London hierarchy – it was a HUGE occasion, with 300 guests, choir, etc, and many senior clerics from London were there. So it would be totally ingenuous to affect surprise at this (‘Rick! I am shocked – SHOCKED – to discover gambling in your bar!’) – the place was booked weeks ago and the invitations printed and sent.
Now wait for the big evangelical churches in London – All Souls, St Helen’s Bishopgate, Holy Trinty Brompton – to give their ultimatum to the Bishop of London.
I understand here will be a post GAFCON meeting in London, too, at All Souls …
Anxiety is caused by lack of clarity. The mind can not handle and endless parade of ambiguity. In fact, “diversity” is just another word for ambiguity. Or cowardice.
Has Rowan said or done anything?
William, #5, Stand Firm has ++Rowan’s statement posted. Imagine Kendall will post it later today when he gets back online.
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/13444/