Graelyn Brashear writes for C-Ville about The rite stuff: What the Episcopal Church’s position on gay marriage can teach us about the middle ground.
Savi Hensman writes for Ekklesia in response to the article by Andrew Goddard that we linked to last week: Church of England: Is error really better than uncertainty?
Kelvin Holdsworth writes for The Herald: I shall express anger and frustration as I march with Pride.
Tiffany Gee Lewis writes for The Guardian about Where the godless don’t go.
Christopher Howse writes in The Telegraph about Onward, Christian Soldiers: Arthur Sullivan’s greatest hit.
Thanks to Savi for a measured response to Andrew Goddard’s essay on the process of the Church of England coming to terms with reality. Pointing out that it is better to be uncertain rather than certain but wrong, she nails the “stopped clock is right twice a day” modality of Goddard. It can also be noted that the case against same-sex marriage, in terms of Scriptural clarity, is sorely lacking in certainty, and only certainty will suffice for Anglicans when it comes to prohibition or mandate. Tolerance or allowance is the generous world in which Anglicans pitch their tents when… Read more »
For all the fact that Savi Hensman’s article is measured and good, it ignores the simple problem that there is a conservative minority within the CofE who will never be reconciled to same-sex marriage, in large part because they’ve never been reconciled to civil partnership or, in some cases, the Sexual Offences Act 1967. The CofE therefore has to choose: it either moves towards equal rights, accepting that the irreconcilables will huff and puff and threaten to leave, or it continues to pander to the irreconcilables and therefore gives up on equal rights. The young Rowan Williams clearly believed that… Read more »
“It’s not clear what Welby thinks.”
Those who have heard Archbishop Welby say that only 2% of Anglicans are in England and 98% of Anglicans are ‘abroad’ could make a pretty good guess about what he ‘thinks’. But I fear that like his predecessor he does not think that his primary duty is to his own people in the C of E.
The ABC is arriving in Guatemala City this evening. He will speak, in English, tomorrow at a special mass at Santiago Cathedral. I will be there, hanging on his every word (English, best, Español with a friends help to be sure apples really are manzanas). I don´t think there will be a chance for a question, but, if there is, I will ask Archbishop Justin about his current position on the Anglican Covenant (after all, the Church of England, really did say no, and said NO strongly and we need to hear/know about that *abroad* ). Hey, we have double… Read more »
Grateful thanks for Savi’s (as usual) pertinent article about the Churches’ need to avoid making mistakes in their attitude towards minorities, on the basis of gender or sexuality.
Papal-style pronouncement can sometimes be regretted as well as regrettable (Anglican Orders, perhaps?)
“It’s not clear what Welby thinks.”
Like his predecessor, he’ll try to stay on the fence as long as he can.
Meanwhile the Church of England becomes more of a laughingstock.
“Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide.”