06/21/2006: Outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, the head of the Episcopal Church, shows that he doesn’t get it. Speaking before the General Convention, on the issue of electing gay bishops:
Unless there is a clear perception on the part of our Anglican brothers and sisters that they have been taken seriously in their concerns, it will be impossible to have any genuine conversation…There needs to be a clear sense that we are not ignoring the sensibilities for those who are genuinely unable to understand what we have done…Humility is not an easy virtue but it is very much required in this season.
Griswold is revealing his own arrogance in assuming that conservatives “are genuinely unable to understand what we have done”. We understand quite well: you are sanctifying sodomy.
While–as a libertarian, I generally support the rights of gays in society–there is no Biblical sanction for homosexual behavior, as the Scriptures are very clear regarding the sexual act and its role in the marriage covenant (which is heterosexual).
Societal rights are one thing, but sanctioning homosexuality in the Church has no credible Biblical precedent.
It is Griswold and his cronies who need to take their own advice and submit themselves to the authority of Scripture on this matter. They are arrogant for taking a very clear Biblical command and sidestepping it, all the while sanctifying sexual immorality.
Sadly, the incoming Bishop–Katharine Jefforts Schori–is about as brain-dead as Griswold:
[The Church should] lay down our narrow self-interest and heal the hurting and fill the hungry and set the prisoners free…We children of Jesus can continue to squabble over our inheritance or we can claim our name and heritage as God’s beloveds, and share that name beloved with the whole world
Schori doesn’t understand: this whole move to ordain wackjobs is all about self-interest. It has no Biblical precedent, and is an outrage to anyone who takes the Scriptures seriously.
If Schori wants to ignore Biblical injunctives regarding sexual matters, then on what basis does her proclamation to “heal the hurting and fill the hungry and set the prisoners free” have any authority?
What about the Gospel? What role does that have here? After all, any social work in the Church is secondary to Her primary role of preaching the Gospel of Christ (ya know…that silly, outdated notion that just happens to be the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes?)
While many women will [rightly] point to fine Biblical examples–Deborah, Huldah, Anna, Priscilla, Phoebe–of women in prominent positions of leadership, Schori is closer to Athaliah and Jezebel for her flagrant disregard of Scripture.
