From his address yesterday:
I fear our leaders have succumbed to emotion not reason. I’ve heard clergy in this Church, after casting votes that would alter our Church’s teaching on human sexuality, say “I am humble enough to acknowledge I may be wrong.” Let’s not cloak such actions with the garment of humility. Such action may be misguided compassion, but it is hardly humble. If one recognizes one may be wrong, would not humility suggest that one give the balance of weight to the plain reading of Holy Scripture? To two thousand years of the Church’s reflection upon those Scriptures? To the expressed mind of the Anglican Communion—and to the four Instruments of Unity? To the counsel of Christians around the world—Roman Catholic, Orthodox and the vast majority of Protestants? To what even the Natural Order reveals? Would not humility suggest one should…well, why bother to say it? This is not about, nor ever has been about, excluding some from the grace and forgiveness of God. It is about is what the Church has the authority to recognize as authentically Christian, and what is appropriate for ordained leadership.
I fear our leaders have succumbed to emotion not reason. I’ve heard clergy in this Church, after casting votes that would alter our Church’s teaching on human sexuality, say “I am humble enough to acknowledge I may be wrong.” Let’s not cloak such actions with the garment of humility. Such action may be misguided compassion, but it is hardly humble. If one recognizes one may be wrong, would not humility suggest that one give the balance of weight to the plain reading of Holy Scripture? To two thousand years of the Church’s reflection upon those Scriptures? To the expressed mind of the Anglican Communion—and to the four Instruments of Unity? To the counsel of Christians around the world—Roman Catholic, Orthodox and the vast majority of Protestants? To what even the Natural Order reveals? Would not humility suggest one should…well, why bother to say it? This is not about, nor ever has been about, excluding some from the grace and forgiveness of God. It is about is what the Church has the authority to recognize as authentically Christian, and what is appropriate for ordained leadership.
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