No pun intended in my title.
The Bishop of Buckingham, the Rt Rev Dr Alan Wilson, said the Church’s ban on offering blessings for civil partnerships was being flouted by several parishes across Britain.
He said this was because some felt the blessings were “logical, natural and compassionate”.
His comments come amid tensions within the Church over its opposition to the Government’s plans to legalise same-sex marriage.
The newly enthroned Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, has underlined his opposition to the plans.From across the pond, Alan's courageous words continue to inspire and bring the fresh air of clarity to the discussion of blessing same-sex partnerships in the Church of England. We find no mincing of words, no muddying the waters, no wishy-washy attempts to straddle the gap, but rather an expression of simple pastoral care and compassion for gay couples and a plea for the church to end the hypocrisy.
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He said: “At the moment the policy is, 'Don’t ask, don’t tell’. We all know that in many dioceses there are one or two places these gay blessings have been happening. It’s hypocrisy, although it is understandable.
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He added: “It is very difficult when an institution is too frightened of its own shadow to engage with the real world.
“True leadership is about coping with reality. On the ground, parish churches often deal with these things really well.”
“It is very difficult when an institution is too frightened of its own shadow to engage with the real world.
ReplyDelete“True leadership is about coping with reality. On the ground, parish churches often deal with these things really well.”
Preeeeeeeeeeeach!!!
Thanks be to God for Alan.
DeleteThat's John McCain's campaign bus. He didn't do much straight talking, did he? I decided to put the bus to good use.
I'm not certain England is ready for such an honest Bishop.
ReplyDeleteNor am I, Wade. I guess we'll see.
DeleteGreat post, GM! To give a worm's eye view from England,I think that Alan is unlikely to secure further advancement to diocesan bishop (he is a suffragan bishop at present) for political reasons. He is not afraid to speak out and say what he feels need to be said. Many of us on the sidelines are cheering him on. I don't think the thought that further promotion is likely to elude him bothers Alan one jot.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, the new Archbishop of Canterbury seems very anxious to promote reconciliation - I don't think he has taken off his Coventry cross since last summer! And his enthronement sermon was all about braving the waves to talk to others from different Church traditions. Peace and love, that is the (new!) message from Lambeth.
Thank you, layanglicana. I concluded some time ago that it was unlikely that Alan would ever be a diocesan. When I met him in England, I said as much, something to the effect that he'd be a perpetual suffragan, which, now that I look back on it, was pretty cheeky for a first meeting.
DeleteMy opinion of of Justin Welby is most certainly not set in stone, but it will be deeds and not simply talking to others that will convince me that he is a true pastor to LGTB persons in England. Even in his words, he will have to do better than the TV interview shown on the BBC just prior to his enthronement.