[Answers to the] Questions to the Archbishop of Canterbury

Global South Anglican ^ | 11/09/2005 | ++Rowan Williams

[sionnsar]

[To the Traditional Anglican Ping List: Please forgive me, I know I am over the promised limit of 9 posts/day to this list, but I thought the answers to the questions posted earlier to be of sufficient interest. Per request of the GSA admin, I am not posting the entire text, just a teaser. Please click through. --sionnsar]

Human sexuality and authority
Q1. We are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God and we should never use language that demeans another human being. Granting all these, do you believe that same-sex sex can be holy and blessed? If so, on what authority do you base this belief?

A1: The church overall, the church of England in particular, the Anglican communion has not been persuaded that same-sex sex can be holy and blessed. Were it to decide...

[sionnsar]

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[sionnsar]

The first, and you would be entirely surprised knowing my interest, was the first time I attended a Russian Orthodox service. An elderly priest came to my town in South Wales in Swansea to celebrate a Russian Orthodox liturgy – the mass. And the curate in my parish said to me, “You might be interested in this. Come with me.” And I went, and when I came away I felt I had seen glory and praise for the first time. I felt I had seen and heard people who were behaving as if God were real. And that it’s the only way, I know it’s not the only way, but I came away with the sense of absolute objectivity and majesty and beauty of God which I have never forgotten. If people worshipped like this, I felt God must be a great deal more real even I have learned him so far. I have a long journey to make into that reality. And that is why ever since then I have often asked when people wants to discuss mission, I’ve often asked “Does our worship look as if we took God seriously?” because that’s what makes a difference to me. This had to be serious, this had to be real.

Ping.

[Kolokotronis]

"[w]hen I came away I felt I had seen glory and praise for the first time. I felt I had seen and heard people who were behaving as if God were real. And that it’s the only way, I know it’s not the only way, but I came away with the sense of absolute objectivity and majesty and beauty of God which I have never forgotten. If people worshipped like this, I felt God must be a great deal more real even I have learned him so far." AoC

"We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere on earth. We cannot describe it to you; we only know that God dwells there among men and that their Service surpasses the worship of all other places..." (Report of the envoys to Constantinople of Prince Vladimir of Kiev on their first attendance at the Divine Liturgy of +John Chrysostomos in the Imperial City.)

+Vladimir became an Orthodox Christian. Too bad the Archdruid didn't. The AoC saw the same thing. Its there for all of us to see...and live.