The spiritual leader of the world’s Anglicans urged church leaders Sunday not to consecrate any other gay bishops for now, as he ended a once-a-decade Anglican assembly that was dedicated to preventing schism in the troubled fellowship.
In his final speech at the Lambeth Conference, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said the Anglican Communion needs “space for study and free discussion without pressure” about whether to accept changes in the traditional biblical understanding of same-sex relationships.
“A fellow Christian may believe they have a profound fresh insight. They seek to persuade others about it. A healthy church gives space for such exchanges,” he told the 650 bishops at the meeting in Canterbury, England. “But the Christian with the new insight can’t claim straight away that this is now what the Church of God believes or intends.”
[blockquote]But the Christian with the new insight can’t claim straight away that this is now what the Church of God believes or intends.”[/blockquote]
So why have you done everthing in your power to make sure it continues, dear Rowan?
Agreed Jeffersonian. This is precisely what TEC is doing. Their basic belief is that they can make their own “truth” to suit their goals. The pushy gay presence at Lambeth was evidence of that. TEC will ignore this call by ++RW and continue on its merry way suing the pants off of anyone who objects to the new Truth.
“space for study and free discussion without pressure” about whether to accept changes in the traditional biblical understanding of same-sex relationship”
What? The ABC is hinting that just such changes are indeed possible, is he not? Am I misreading this? Is this not playing TEC’s cards for them? Is this not quietly becoming their mouthpiece? If I read this correctly, he has become much more open about which side he is on. Even I am astonished. Larry
“COMMUNION NEEDS SPACE FOR STUDY….ABOUT WHETHER TO ACCEPT CHANGES IN THE TRADITIONAL BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS.”
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Here the ABC lays out a threatening vision, i.e. the power to determine that what is black is really white. Let me ask whether any reasserter of you, harkening to the ABC’s words, could ever accept (and on behalf of your families) the pronouncement of any bishop or Lambeth Conference that the “traditional biblical understanding of same-sex relationships” is flawed? Apparantly, the ABC and Lambeth would have no problem imposing that conclusion if they could. For me, the arrogation of such power over the believer betrays 500 years of revolutionary Christian struggle– that every man can be his own priest, his own Bible reader. Therefore, I would not be too precious about just where you might land, after TEC. Frankly, those who leave will pay a great price– I miss, for example, the great music, the ancient atmosphere, the BCP and, yes, the free and easy conversations I had with my old friends. But, I wound up in a church which takes seriously the study of the scriptures, and is one that probably needs me. AND I can sleep at night.
“for now” “needs space for study” “whether to accept” – ha! The Archbishop is a human fudge-coated waffle.