Durham Bull, 2
Colin Coward of Changing Attitude continues his critique of Anglican bully boy N. T Wright, the Bishop of Durham:
Durham refers to ‘certain habits and styles of life’ which are left behind when people rise to new life in Christ (para. 6). LGBT people do not have ‘certain habits’ which are different from the habits of heterosexuals. Nor do we have distinctive ‘styles of life’. His language is deliberately chosen to demean LGBT people. I have met hundreds of LGBT Christians whose lives are characterised by holiness and a renewed humanity. The bishop cannot know the people of his own diocese well if he hasn’t discerned holiness in many of his partnered lesbian and gay clergy and laity. Perhaps, like other bishops I know, he is blind to their presence.In para. 12 the bishop addresses sex and ‘rights’. He refers to ‘those with homosexual and similar instincts’. He is wearied by the need to spell out yet again the difference, for those with such instincts, between their human dignity and civil liberty and their ‘rights’ as practising let alone ordained Christians.
I am wearied by his use of the phrase ‘homosexual instincts’. Lesbian and gay people do not have ‘instincts’ that distinguish them from heterosexual people. We have exactly the same range of human physical and emotional desires, the same ability to engage in appropriate adult behaviour and relationships. In the bishop’s mind we are not human beings similar in every way to heterosexuals but deficient in some way, corrupted, perverse.
I am deeply disappointed in Bishop Wright. I've been an admirer of his interpretive work for scripture for years.
I get these sense as I read through his response (and I am almost assuredly wrong in this assumption) that he has no close relationships with any persons who are gay. That is what created the substantial shift in my own thinking. I listened closely to the people I loved who were experiencing these things. Most gay persons don't come to an understanding of their sexuality lightly, particularly people who grew up in a context of valuing scripture. It is grueling work to come to terms with such identity!
This is what I kept wondering as I read his words, "Doesn't he know how hard people have worked to come to this place? In most cases it was never done lightly or without great care." The Episcopal Church at least deserves a modicum of respect from those in the Communion who disagree. I didn't get the sense he was offering such kindness.
Posted by Tim Sean![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 12, 2009 12:33 PM
Progressive priests whom I know often use Bp. Tom's exegetical writings for their sermons. It's sad for many of them to see his recent intemperate commentary.
I wonder if he does much listening to GLTB folks in his diocese. Listening is what often changes minds and hearts.
I like the title of this post, Jim.
June Butler
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August 12, 2009 2:54 PM
Tim, your comment about "him" not knowing any GL people, but presuming you are incorrect, is spot on.
Back in the '60s there was a man who lived in a town about six miles from our town. That town had a large black population. The man knew scores of black people. They shopped at his store. But, one day, in a conversation about civil rights for black people he said, "I don't have any problem with the [Negroes] - I think everyone ought to own two or three of them."
It's the same with the bishop of Durham. He knows gays and lesbians - he has them in his clergy rolls, he is in contact with them daily, he just doesn't want to acknowledge that they are people.
That's one man's opinion, any road.
James Holloway
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August 12, 2009 3:15 PM