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To: sionnsar; Logophile
Here's an excerpt from the previous article:

"Greg Griffith: You hold what I believe to be a unique position in the diocese: Adamant in your advocacy of including homosexuals in the full sacramental life of the church, but equally adamant that General Convention seriously erred in 2003. Can you explain your position in more detail?

Tim Jones: The context for my position is one of having been in the past fairly active in support of gay rights. I have marched in public demonstrations for gay rights, and have written and spoken in the past against the homophobia which gay and lesbian people have to endure in society generally, and often from the Christian church in particular.

I am dismayed by the actions of General Convention. This is for three main reasons, though this by no means constitutes a comprehensive account of my thinking:

First, ECUSA betrayed the trust of our fellow Christians. At the Lambeth Council of 1998 it was agreed not to proceed with any divisive actions concerning human sexuality, to give the Communion a breathing space, time to reflect and pray together about the issues involved and their implications. GC2003 cuts right across those prayers and conversations. The bishops of ECUSA agreed to do one thing, and then did the opposite. It makes any future conversations with fellow Christians anywhere very difficult - why should ECUSA be believed or trusted? Just because we believe we are right about something does not mean we can do what we like.

Second, we have got the cart before the horse; to confirm a non-celibate homosexual person as a bishop bypasses the legitimate debate about the Church's teaching on sex and marriage. The implication of that bypass is that the Church's teaching is not very important, even irrelevant. That is a terrible mistake. From my point of view this diminishes the future possibilities for gay people. Even if we, the Church, one day discern our way to celebrating marriage for gay couples, we have now undermined its importance - indeed, the importance of marriage for all of us, gay or straight. We have said that Church doctrine and discipline doesn't really matter."

So, we can conclude that any issues of Biblical Truth are not important. Rather, it's all about whether the process was followed. No wonder that church attendance is down to virtually nothing in Europe!

6 posted on 08/11/2005 7:37:44 PM PDT by Huber (Ebola - A Virus of Peace)
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To: Huber

I think you have cut to the heart of the matter.


7 posted on 08/11/2005 7:43:05 PM PDT by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || Trad-Ang Ping: I read the dreck so you don't have to || Iran Azadi)
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