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."
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.)
It seems that there are a number of "middle-of-the-road" who bought into the statements made by VGR's proponents that "It'll be just like female ordination - there'll be a fuss for a while, and then it'll all quiet down." Turns out it didn't quiet down, eh? Maybe some of those bishops are re-thinking their earlier actions.
My grandfather was born in Missouri. One of his favorite responses to rumors like this was "Show me, and then I might believe it!"
The left wing thugs in our church and other churches will never back away until each domination splits into at least two parts, one part for the liberals and the other for the rest of us.
Liberals never give up.
If they back down, they will go back and regroup and try again.
That being said, I don't care. I want to save the church and I want them to back down sufficiently to save it.
Who knows what will happen down the line? We might get a better presiding Bishop (I've heard Jenkins is a decent man and has a chance)...
The general population is becoming more conservative and the Episcopal population may be as well.
That's why I argued (unsuccessfully) against ultra-conservative positions. You know what I mean. If they will back off a bit, we should also.
Yeah, THAT's "repenting" .. Imagine that prayer of repentence to God.
"God, I'm not willing to admit my sin is wrong, but I MAY CONCEDE that I should not have acted unilaterally..." Amen