Anglicans have never claimed to base their decisions solely on the Bible, [Katharine] Jefferts Schori said. “We start there, but that’s not the only piece we bring to our decision-making.”<\/p>\n
The few biblical passages about same-sex relationships may be talking about exploitive relationships, she said. “Jesus doesn’t say anything about same-sex relationships of the kind the church is talking about.”<\/p>\n
Jefferts Schori also drew fire during and after the General Convention for her sermon denouncing “the great Western heresy” that people can be saved as individuals. Salvation happens within a community, she said.<\/p>\n
She defended herself on Friday.<\/p>\n
“People took it out of context,” Jefferts Schori said. “You can’t be in a right relationship with God without being in a right relationship with your neighbor.”<\/p>\n
But she declined to say people can’t be in a right relationship with God without being in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, she said. “God is at work in the lives of people who are not consciously Christian.”<\/p>\n