Posted on 04/03/2006 6:24:32 AM PDT by monkapotamus
LONDON - The liberal leadership of the American Anglican Church is preparing for an unexpected climbdown over homosexuality that could save the worldwide Church from schism.
Three years after consecrating Anglicanism's first openly gay bishop, the American bishops appear close to bowing to international pressure and shelving their radical agenda at a conference in June. Leaks from a private meeting of the bishops in North Carolina last week suggest that they will "repent" for plunging Anglicanism into turmoil by consecrating Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
That reads like a script out of a daytime soap opera. So he's a gay, divorced, Bishop. Lovely.
With the likes of Spong who in continuously trying to disprove the basic tenets of Bible, what difference will this make, only way I will ever go back to Episcopal church is wedding or funeral
If they are serious about this reversal, that's exactly what they should do. If they need to they can always quote the Old and New Testament (what a novel idea!)
That's nothing -- I was in a church in FL that had a black woman in a daishiki on the crucifix. The priest was shocked when I asked him what the heck was wrong with him.
I think this would have the effect of slowing them down. I have no doubt we'll continue to study the issue until "leadership" gets the result they want, at which time it will be declared settled.
I'm all for establishing an autonomous Anglican Church in union with the Holy See for all of my Anglican brethren.
List?
Comment #26 is very likely true. The leftist program often consists of two steps forward, and if the hoi polloi can't "accept" that yet, one step back. Then repeat.
Let us not forget that Robinson also had an undisclosed alcohol addiction and has had to go into rehabilitation.
I would say that they are a little bit late.
The odd thing here is that if it was "Biblically sound" doctrine to ALLOW homosexual priests, then why are they now listening to the general membership protests, rather than God? Oh -- you mean they weren't listening to God originally?
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Good news, thanks.
US bishops set for U-turn on gay 'marriages'
The liberal leadership of the American Anglican Church is preparing for an unexpected climb-down over homosexuality which could save the worldwide Church from schism.
Three years after consecrating Anglicanism's first openly gay bishop, the American bishops appear close to bowing to international pressure and shelving their radical agenda at a conference in June. Leaks from a private meeting of the bishops in North Carolina last week suggest that they will "repent" for plunging Anglicanism into turmoil by consecrating Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.
They are also likely to come into line with the rest of the worldwide Church by backing an indefinite ban on the blessing of gay "marriages" and they may even apologise for having authorised them in the past. Though they appear reluctant to impose an outright bar on the future election of gay bishops, the majority seem willing to back a call for dioceses to exercise "very considerable caution" before doing so.
According to several bishops who attended last week's meeting, they would block the consecration of a second openly homosexual bishop if the diocese of California elects a lesbian or a gay man in May. Three of the seven candidates for the high-profile post have gay partners.
Until now, the majority of American bishops have refused to compromise their liberal ideals, despite the fury of conservatives from Africa and Asia and appeals by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
They have argued that the equal treatment of homosexuals is a matter of justice which overrides the Church's official teaching that active homosexual clergy and gay "marriage" are contrary to the Scriptures.
However, it appears that the threat of expulsion from the worldwide Church has concentrated their minds and, though they refuse to admit that they were wrong in principle, they may concede that they should not have acted unilaterally.
Their potential U-turn, which risks infuriating the influential gay rights lobby in America, has been outlined in an unofficial e-mail circulated last week by the Bishop of Arizona, the Rt Rev Kirk Smith. He disclosed that the bishops had been briefed about a series of resolutions to be presented to a meeting in June of the American Episcopal Church's General Convention, its equivalent of the Church of England's General Synod.
He expected the resolutions would be passed by the convention and said they represented the desire of the bishops "not to do anything that would further jeopardise our standing with the rest of the Communion".
He added: "I think one might say this represents a 'go slow' approach for our church. Without backing away from decisions we have made, it is nonetheless a clear message that we will work to conform to the requests of the majority of the Anglican Communion."
The Rev Richard Kirker, general secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said liberals would be furious if the convention backed down. He added: "Not even the General Convention can stop the inevitable flow of history."
Thanks.
The leftist love of dictators is pretty shallow. Shocking when it manifests itself in Churches, though, at least IMO.
Not just remove the gay bishop ... but REMOVE THOSE THAT PUT HIM THERE ... he is not the problem ... THEY are!
The bishops have taken the UNscientific position of "born homosexual". This is exactly the same as the ECUSA taking the Geocentric solar system as gospel despite the obvious science of the heliocentric solar system.
For the left wing bishops, this seems a debate about the cause (lack of personal responsibility) of homosexuality rather than religion. (if personal responsibility is removed then it is nobodies fault. Probably some bishops are trying to cover up their past misdeeds.)
Agreed. But the gay-blade Bishop has to go too.
Don't count on it. The Integrity crowd will not be silenced easily.
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