not too much

The plethora of words continues, but again I have picked out a couple of things.

So it is that we [The Primates' Meeting] reaffirm the resolutions of our Lambeth Conference on sexuality in its entirety. [. . .] But the resolution also mentions in very strong terms to respect the human dignity of lesbian and gay people and the need to to continue a respectful listening. And the communiqué before you does make it clear that we acknowledge that we haven't been very good at this. - Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, at the press conference following the Primates' meeting

There must come a time when the churches talk WITH gay and lesbian people rather than ABOUT them.

Muriel Porter writes in The Age of 1 March 2006:

Unless the Americans and Canadians decide to abandon the cause of gay clergy and same-sex marriages by 2008 -- and please God they won't --- the threatened split will still happen. [. . .] The real tragedy is the failure of more reasonable and inclusive church leaders. [. . .] The real tragedy in the humiliating dismissal of the North American churches is not the behaviour of the Global South bullies. It is the failure of more reasonable and inclusive church leaders, of whom there are significant numbers in the Western church at least, to stand up to them, to refuse to give way so readily in the name of preserving church unity.

The fragile unity left to the Anglican Communion is no unity at all. It is an unworthy appeasement, bought at the price of the many gay people who are faithful, worshipping Anglicans. Numbers of them are priests, and some are even bishops; Gene Robinson is certainly not alone, though he is the only gay bishop to have declared he is not celibate.

While some traditionalists, such as the primate of Nigeria, may be celebrating, these vulnerable people are in deep dismay. Like all gays, they are in constant danger of being marginalised and even attacked for their sexual preferences. In the Anglican Church, once tolerant and generous, they now fear personal public rejection. But few will hear their pain, because they dare not speak.

So moderate church leaders should speak out on their behalf. They should vehemently reject the Global South's claim that adherence to the authority of the Bible is centred in one particular interpretation of its (limited) references to homosexuality. Since when has sexual practice been the supreme test of Christian orthodoxy?

It is a pity they have not instead publicly named the conservatives' power trip as a form of abuse, and their bullying as a failure of Christian compassion and a form of judgementalism, against which Jesus specifically preached. This is the scriptural teaching to which they should require Anglican allegiance.

As the saying goes, evil things happen only when good people do nothing.

God bless you, Muriel. But if we do 'dare to speak' how we can we find an audience and make ourselves heard?