Williams vs. Jefferts Schori
I had posted a few days ago that ++Katharine Jefferts Schori believes the focus of the Primates' Communique had been to disallow authorized rites in The Episcopal Church. ++Rowan Williams, in his address at the General Synod in the Church of England, understands the Communique and the Primates' wishes as a whole this way:
We have suggested a similar voluntary moratorium by the bishops on licensing any kind of liturgical order for same-sex blessings (the understanding of the Meeting was certainly that this should be a comprehensive abstention from any public rites).
So, there appears to be a difference in understanding about what the Primates want from the Episcopal Church -- a complete moratorium on any blessings of same-sex unions or forestalling authorizing rites officially as a Church (while allowing pastoral local provisions to continue).
When push comes to shove, and with all respect to our Presiding Bishop, my guess is that the Archbishop of Canterbury's viewpoint more likely reflects that of the Primates on this particular matter. As I understand it, same-sex blessings are also performed as pastoral provisions in parts of the Church of England, so there will be implications in his own jurisdiction.
It seems, at any rate, we are unclear about how many angels can dance. . . while placing an all-too-familiar burden on our LGBT sisters and brothers.
I regret having played this game here.
When push comes to shove, and with all respect to our Presiding Bishop, my guess is that the Archbishop of Canterbury's viewpoint more likely reflects that of the Primates on this particular matter. As I understand it, same-sex blessings are also performed as pastoral provisions in parts of the Church of England, so there will be implications in his own jurisdiction.
It seems, at any rate, we are unclear about how many angels can dance. . . while placing an all-too-familiar burden on our LGBT sisters and brothers.
I regret having played this game here.
2 comments:
Richard---a lot of us played that game, because we simply did not understand that our brothers and sisters in Christ would refuse to listen to both the great witness and the great pain/struggle of our GLBT "family members."
I thought that if we just kept talking, they would come to understand---but the talking is apparently over. Especially in Nigeria.
May God have mercy on all of us. And may God give us the courage and the grace to do His will in all of this.
Pax,
Paige
Richard, I never felt you were playing a game -- what I've read was a sign of your own hope.
I feel now that the ABofC is abandoning not only TEC but his very own flock (well, a portion thereof), and that it is he who has chosen to "walk apart." And we had such hopes for him...
Please give my warmest affection to the good people at COS.
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