Divorced clergy are to be allowed to become Church of England bishops for the first time in a move which has been condemned by traditionalists.
Critics described the change in Church rules as “utterly unacceptable” and warned it would undermine the biblical teaching that marriage is for life.
Conservative and liberal bishops have been deeply divided over the issue, which they have been secretly discussing for months.
While Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, supported relaxing the rules, John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is understood to have fiercely argued against a change.
H/T to Wormwood's Doxy who says:
So +Rowan thinks that Jesus' plain words about divorce are negotiable, but not any of the other scriptural referents to homosexuality?
Veddy interesting.....
Jasper [The Great Dog] says to tell you all that hypocrisy reeks. And not in a good way.
Jasper knows the Gospel.
The Church of England will find it much more difficult to continue to dither over women bishops and hold the line against gay bishops.
Are all the churches in the Anglican Communion on board, or is this a unilateral decision?
If the gay bishops haven't been divorced I don't really see a problem.
ReplyDeleteOMG, what about the faith once delivered to the saints? I mean, the bible is simply explicit in condemnation of divorce. This is simply changing historic Anglican teaching/theology. Oh, the sky will fall for sure!
ReplyDeleteIf my great grandfather weren't dead he would be chuckling. He was denounced by CoE clergy from the pulpit and in the local newspaper for divorcing back in 1919 (he was fairly prominent locally). Great cries of our boys didn't die in the Great War for people to get divorced (this despite my great grandfather, who was over 40 at the start of the war, volunteering, being wounded, and receiving the DSO).
ReplyDeletePadre Mickey, I'm with you. No problemo.
ReplyDeleteJames, the faith once delivered is gone with the wind. What's to become of us?
Erp, a war hero denounced from the pulpit! I'm sure your grandfather is chuckling even now.
What I don't understand is if you're fit for one order of ministry, why not for the others? Good grief! TEC ordained Padre Mickey, the notorious sinner, and he could be a bishop in our church.
Blame it on Henry VIII!
ReplyDelete"So +Rowan thinks that Jesus' plain words about divorce are negotiable, but not any of the other scriptural referents to homosexuality?" Dead on target.
ReplyDeletePay attention also to "John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is understood to have fiercely argued against a change." Sentamu, formerly a Ugandan judge, is a prime candidate to succeed Williams, should he quit before mandatory retirement age.
LB
Tim, I'd prefer to blame it on someone living and breathing. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHeaven help the Church of England if Abp. Sentamu takes over as primus inter pares.
I don't think he considered himself a war hero or at least not more than most other soldiers/sailors in what was a very nasty war (he saw soldiers/sailors saving wounded while under fire for which they got the Victoria Cross, those were heroes in his eyes if his writings are to be trusted).
ReplyDeleteI must confess that he gave as good as he got as far as many of the clergy.
BTW People might find Greg Laden's post about missionaries interesting. He has his thoughts about why many of the African clergy are so conservative. (This is one of a series of vignettes; Greg did field research in the Congo in the 1980s and early 1990s.)
Erp, thanks. Well worth a read.
ReplyDeleteThe chickens. They came home. And roosted.
Heaven help the Church of England if Abp. Sentamu¨ WB/GM
ReplyDeleteNo doubt about it...this is guy is far more secret politician than political refugee (who has forgotten how it IS TO BE PERSECUTED IN UGANDA as he almost IGNORES his LGBT Anglican brothers and sisters)...he´s a sky-diving grandstander and that is very dangerous to some of us on the ground.
Leo, when folks forget where they came from....
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jasper.
ReplyDelete