By Jim Naughton
Research has proven that I am not the Archbishop of Canterbury. Neither, in all likelihood, are you. These facts, in hand for some time now, acquired new significance yesterday with the revelation that Rowan Williams, who is the Archbishop of Canterbury, believes, what a great many Anglicans believe, namely: "that an active sexual relationship between two people of the same sex might ... reflect the love of God in a way comparable to marriage, if and only if it had about it the same character of absolute covenanted faithfulness."
This is Rowan Williams, who is the Archbishop of Canterbury
This is Jim Naughton, who is not the Archbishop of Canterbury
As archbishop, Williams might feel that the proper execution of his office requires that he puts aside his personal convictions. Juggling numerous concerns and multiple constituencies, he may have reason not to speak out boldly on behalf of one marginalised audience for fear of alienating another. Equipped with a variety of subtle ways to move the Anglican Communion toward a fuller understanding of human sexuality, he can initiate imperceptible advances on one front while publicly taking a hard line on the other. There are wheels within wheels, and he can make them all spin. He is the Archbishop of Canterbury.
But I am not. And neither are you. We can either speak our truth - which as it turns out is also his truth (and more important, we believe, His truth) and organize ourselves to reform the Churches we love, or we can sit back, beg our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to be patient, and hope that somehow the Communion will arrive at a new consensus on homosexuality without anyone seeming to have so much as nudged it in that direction.
READ IT ALL IN The Guardian.
3 comments:
The Archbishop also teaches that the churches position was expressed by Lambeth 98.
He admits his 'personal view' is merely that, and that individual theologians can be wrong (by implication he admits he is - or at least could be - wrong.
Pity that those who are pushing calling evil good aren't as honest.
There is a problem with the ABC's severing his personal opinion from that of his ecclesial opinion. It makes the Church look like a Leviathan that cannot change. It also robs us of the kind of integrity that the Incarnation provides us.
I am so glad you were at Lambeth. I am just sorry I missed you while I was in FtW.. I will be back in a few months though.
The 'severing' doesn't mean that the Church can not change, it only means that it has not yet changed...
He can continue to 'lobby' for his view, but he can not 'preach it'...
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