Tipping point?
Colin Coward of The Changing Attitude is angry and he says a tipping point has been reached. The language of the Archbishop of Canterbury in his letter after General Convention and Bishop N.T. Wright's words have (as we have reported earlier) stirred up anger in the The Church of England.
Coward writes:
I am angry. Angry because of the language used. The Archbishop referred to ‘chosen lifestyle’ and Durham to ‘non-celibate homosexuals’, ‘homosexual instincts’ and ‘certain habits and styles of life’, language which I find provocative and offensive. Trying to be charitable, I can only assume the Archbishop’s paper was drafted by a member of staff whose natural instinct is to ally with the GAFCON/FOCA/ACNA axis and the Archbishop let the phrase stand.I’m angry because of the disgraceful dishonesty which infects the Church of England. It is almost tedious to remind the church, bishops and archbishops included, that every diocese includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parishioners and priests, something they know (or should know) perfectly well. How dare they write as if LGBT people don’t exist here and are only present (problematically) in the North American Churches?
We are no longer invisible and neither are our partners. We LGBT Anglicans are present in General Synod, the House of Bishops and bishop’s staff meetings. Bishops lay hands on us and give us communion, appoint us, counsel us, take advice from us, anoint, heal and forgive us. How dare they write as if we don’t exist and are not fully present throughout the Church? We are a gift from God to the Church.
A local rector in Romford, Father John-Francis Friendship, of St Andrew's Church, wrote a "furious" letter and a Facebook petition that attracted 140 signatures.
Fr John-Francis Friendship... who is in a civil partnership, hit back that he was deeply concerned by the tone and content of Dr Williams' suggestions - which he believes leaves homosexuals out in the cold.He wrote: "We are called to become the church God wants us to be...we find no indication of how that can be for those who are not heterosexual.
"We urge you not to negate that prophetic, inclusive voice we believe you have in the past expressed".
Cowards concludes:
We are not campaigning for schism or exclusion but for the Gospel of Jesus Christ which we live and proclaim and the God we love and worship. We have been too patient, too tolerant, too generous and understanding towards those who judge us unfairly. This month, the tipping point was reached. Our campaign for equality will become more vigorous and our defence of classic, Anglican, Christian values more assertive. Changing Attitude with our partner groups in the Rainbow Alliance are standing firm in the mainstream of Anglicanism.
Read The Inclusive Church entry here and more about Father Friendship here.
Well it's about damn time! However, when the Brits get mad, you better duck and run. This will be really really interesting to watch as it plays out.
Posted by Clint Davis![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 14, 2009 12:32 PM
Works for me. This is true Christian witness.
Posted by Bill Carroll![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 14, 2009 2:22 PM
This is great. I applaud those in the Church of England who speak out, but why were so few willing to until now? TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada have borne the brunt of the scoldings from English bishops for years.
Better late than never, I'm sure.
June Butler
Posted by GrandmèreMimi![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 14, 2009 3:16 PM
¨...when the Brits get mad, you better duck and run.¨ Clint Davis
It has been said there is not a meaner/tougher ¨lot¨ with more tenacity and basic fortitude when it´s time to seperate right from wrong and brutality from basic decency and honor...we´ve seen a couple of WW´s to prove it.
After the bomb raids (gasious speech lobbed by terrorfilled fundamentalist extremists, slothful/feckless and cowardly spiritual leaders) end and the ¨trashing of others¨ is cleared away, we will, indeed, ¨carry on!¨
You can count on ¨Allies¨ Worldwide amongst the inclusive forces at The Anglican Communion. No to more wives tales, fear/hate-mongering, ignorant taboo/superstition promoting, selective Scriptural dehumanizing, ¨witch hunting¨, jailing and general abominating and persecuting of OUR sisters and brothers at The Body of Christ!
Pass it on, everyone is WELCOME at ALL levels of Anglicanlife...and I would strong suggest that the ¨perps¨ take a look at their own innermost character and blind loathing.
Posted by Leonardo Ricardo![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 14, 2009 3:20 PM