Posted on 07/02/2006 3:56:22 PM PDT by sionnsar
ENGLAND: Liberals may split from Canterbury over homosexuals
By Jonathan Wynne-Jones THE TELEGRAPH 7/2/2006
Liberal clergy in Britain are preparing to turn to America 's Anglican bishops for leadership in a move that could produce "civil war" and destroy the Church of England, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.
They are considering the drastic action after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, delivered a strong warning to liberals that they could be marginalised from the Anglican Church if they are unable to subscribe to more traditional doctrine over the issue of homosexuality. A delegation of influential liberals flew out to the American Church 's General Convention in Ohio last month to discuss building closer ties with their counterparts in the United States.
Leading figures from both sides of the Atlantic , including the Canadian primate, Archbishop Andrew Hutchinson, then held talks last week to discuss their reaction to Mr Williams's comments.
The Rev Philip Chester, vicar of St Matthew's, Westminster , disclosed that they had met senior bishops in the American Church to explore ways of establishing a stronger network between liberal parishes. "Building closer ties with the American Church is the way forward," he said.
Among ideas discussed were the twinning of English and American parishes, and inviting more clergy from the US to come to England on placements.
There is also the radical possibility of an American bishop "overseeing" a liberal parish in this country, whose members feel marginalised by the imposition of traditional beliefs.
The Very Rev Colin Slee, the Dean of Southwark, said that there would be "civil war" in the Church of England if Mr Williams pushed through his plans for a biblically conservative "covenant" that excluded the liberal wing of the Anglican communion.
"We are on the brink of a breaking point in the Church of England," said Mr Slee. "Liberals have been tolerant and permissive of other points of view and what they have to realise is that their liberality must be defended.
"I think we'll see over the next three or four years liberals worldwide beginning to work together to defend the true Anglican heart, which is broad, tolerant and generous and is under attack."
America 's Episcopal Church has been criticised for its support of homosexual priests in active relationships, but many parishes in England agree with this stance.
Rowan Williams predicted that the Anglican communion might have to split into a looser federation of churches, which would give a greater role to those able to agree to a covenant of shared beliefs.
Under his blueprint for a two-tier Church, many parishes that could not sign a biblically conservative covenant could be forced to look to liberal Anglican provinces, such as American and Canadian, for "oversight".
The Rev Jonathan Clatworthy, the general secretary of the Modern Churchpeople's Union , an Anglican theological society, said: "If we're going to be pushed to the margins and excluded, then that's what we'll have to do."
While conservatives are keen for Rowan Williams to act swiftly in censoring the Episcopal Church for defying calls to repent for appointing the openly homosexual cleric, Gene Robinson, as bishop, it could be years before a covenant is drawn up. A spokesman for Lambeth Palace said: "People are bound to want to work out what the changing situation in the Anglican communion will mean. However, many years of hard work lie ahead and it is far too early to come to any developed conclusions."
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. She should give up the monarchy if she's not going to use it. It's worse as a token than it is as something useful, however undemocratic.
The fruits are coming out of the woodwork.
Dont tell me there arent 25% homosexuals out there . No way 5% of the population could stir up all this garbage.
When sin like homosexuality enters the church and is accepted by religious authorities, it sure takes a foothold and the church goes down the tubes.
There is supposed to be a defender of the faith, correct?
Where is she?
Who cares?? The Church of England, like most of the main stream Protestant denominations, have been dying for a long time. The evangelical denominations on the other hand, are growing. Let the Church of England do whatever it wants. Because in the end the outcome will be the same. No Church of England at all. Dead.
Go then.
"ENGLAND: Liberals may split from Canterbury over homosexuals.."
They need to split if they embrace a heretical perversion of the faith. Let them be a rogue denomination and be done with them of unsound doctrines. Ignore God's word at your own peril.
I wish they would leave and let the Anglicans have their Church back.
Bottom line: does it matter that the EC splits apart over heresy, when it is founded in heresy originally? Isn't that the reason the EC finds itself in this mess, that it separated itself from Holy Spirit guidance 500 years ago for political profit?
Yup, if I recall from my early European history classes. Henry VIII wanted to get divorced and marry someone else. The Catholic church wouldn't allow it,so He started his own church. The Church of England.
Catherine of Aragon had been married to Henry's older brother, Arthur. When Arthur died, the English wanted her to marry Henry. They needed permission from the Church because marrying a brother's widow was considered incest.
Well they are getting paid by our government.
This is such a good demonstration of when church membership and affiliation become more important than the faith. There are Christian and their are "post Christian" branches of this church....and the two really can't live together long term.
Quite agreed!
This is what the liberals really want, as critiqued by H. Richard Niebuhr several decades ago when he indicted liberal Protestantism for teaching "a God without wrath who brings humans without sin into a kingdom without judgment through a Christ without a cross."
More recently, a writer with the screen name Durkin Park posted this on a Lutheran discussion forum. Just substitute TEC or ECUSA for ELCA
"I sure could describe the other lord being propagated in the ELCA.
He is the lord who doesn’t purify and save, but enables and leaves in the muck.
He is the lord who does not claim exclusive power, authority, honor, and might, but suffers different paths and saviors to “god”.
He is the lord who is shaped and defined by our self-perceived needs (read wants), or our chronological snobbery, not tied down by what any old fuddy-duddy Israelites or disciples had to say about him.
He is the lord who is so sensitive that he lets you burn your hand, body, and soul in the fire rather than say a peep, because everything will be ok in the end, whatever that means.
He is the lord that does not hate evil, and wills and causes its destruction, but rather changes our old fashioned minds to see evil and good as merely different perspectives.
He is the lord molded and shaped by the sinful thoughts of a sinful people."
The Bible has a simple, one word term for making and molding a god in ones image: IDOLATRY.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.