A group of senior Anglican clergy has told the Lambeth Conference that liberal churches must end the ordination of gay bishops and stop blessing same-sex relationships if the Communion is to arrest its slide towards a permanent split. The working party given the task of finding possible solutions to the rift told the 650 bishops meeting in Canterbury that traditionalist churches in Africa must also stop setting up parallel church bodies in the United States as homes for congregations splitting away from the American Church because of the dispute.
One always ought to consider that they might be completely wrong, but I see no chance whatsoever that the Episcopal Church in the USA will not ordain another gay bishop, which, by the way, gives me hope for the future of the Christian church.
Since when did our understanding of sexuality become a communion-breaking tenet of faith? These guys have it all wrong. Discuss and debate sexuality, yes. But break communion? Give me a break.
Posted by: Chris | July 29, 2008 at 07:03 AM
I think it's more political than anything, Chris. One of the big drawbacks of the Anglican Communion is our rather top-heavy structure where bishops often act like princes.
Sexuality is just the cover here. It's really about power. What makes me sad is these splits make it harder for churches like the Episcopal Church to give aid and do development work in places that really need it. The laity suffer because of the bishops' egos.
Posted by: toujoursdan | July 29, 2008 at 07:18 AM
Chris, I agree with you. I don't get that either. Break communion over THAT?
Dan, I forget where I read it now, but I think one of the British papers had an article about how many of the Anglican bishops, for one reason or another, never spent much time in the parish and don't really understand the laity.
Posted by: John Petty | July 29, 2008 at 07:38 PM