Today’s articles are categorized under the title of generally to completely disturbing:
From the Associated Press:
Bishop: Anglican[s] Will One Day Embrace Gays
LONDON, November 4, 2005, AP — The first openly gay Episcopal bishop said Friday he believed that the wider Anglican Church will eventually embrace homosexuals, but perhaps not in his lifetime.
He met privately Thursday with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who is struggling to hold the Anglican Communion together despite vehement and apparently irreconcilable differences over whether gays should serve as priests and bishops. Conservatives believe that is contrary to the Bible, and have condemned moves by Anglicans in the United States and Canada to affirm faithful homosexual relationships.
Robinson described the meeting as “cordial,” while Williams’ office said it was “friendly but candid.” Neither side has disclosed the substance of their discussions.
“I believe that the acceptance of gay and lesbian people into the life of the Church is something that is going to happen,” Robinson said in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
This is very interesting. Christian tradition (although not sacramental in the Anglican/EC-USA) holds that Episcopal consecration confers the offices of sanctifying, teaching and ruling. A Bishop allegedly has the fullness of these roles in his office.
I wonder if Bishop Robinson understands his teaching role? It would appear that he is quite misguided about the teachings of his own church. His statement above would make you think that as soon as a gay person steps foot in an Anglican or EC-USA Church they are thrown out. Thankfully the Bishop is wrong in his assessment and in ‘his’ teaching. The church does not shun or throw out gays. It accepts them, just like it accepts the rest of us, in our sinfulness. What the Church does not accept is persistence in sinfulness. What the Church expects is repentance.
It would appear to this writer that the Bishop was endowed with the spirit of political advocacy rather than the Holy Spirit at his consecration.
In the same story:
Anglicans disagree on other issues including abortion, stem-cell research and the war in Iraq, he [Bishop Robinson] said.
“So the question is can we still live together and hold on to one another while we resolve this issue?” Robinson said.
Ummm, NO. We can ask repentance from sinfulness but as Saint Paul so aptly put it:
“Bear not the yoke with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever?” (2 Cor 6:14-15)
We pray that the gifts of sanctifying, teaching and ruling are soon bestowed on the Bishop. Like the gift of forgiveness, they are waiting out there.
In the deeply disturbing column:
EU Conference Says World is a Cruel Place Because of Catholic Church
TheFactIs.org, November 4, 2005
Finding ways to force countries like Ireland, Portugal and Malta to liberalize their abortion laws was the focus of a meeting of 17 members of the European Parliament and representatives of various NGOs who gathered in Brussels on October 18. At a conference entitled, “Abortion —“ Making it a right for all women in the EU,” attendees heard testimony from abortion advocates from countries with restrictive abortion laws. Held at the European Parliament building, participants strategized about ways to make a right to abortion mandatory for all member states of the European Union. They discussed ways to argue that guaranteeing the right abortion falls under the European Union’s mandate because it is a human rights and public health issue.
Participants were particularly concerned about the role of the Catholic Church in countries with a strong Catholic identity. Maria Elena Valenicano Martinez-Orozco, a member of the European Parliament from Spain, spoke on “How to deal with the Catholic Church and reproductive rights.”
Once the labeling begins the persecution is not far behind. As Christians, we are getting in the way of the ‘I want, I think, I need, I have a right’, generation. Christ’s message is bringing the sword once again. Christian’s, take a look at the Cycle A readings for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. It’s time to make sure we have enough oil for our lamps.