It’s featured news in the New York Times for September 26 that the Episcopal bishops in North America have disagreed with the worldwide Anglican Communion on LGBTQ issues and are coming closer and closer to schism.
Thanks to Father Jake I found a blog called Anglican Resistance. There a priest named Bill Carroll has posted “My Word to the Church.” It’s a message that feels like vocal ministry to me.
Yes. I do understand that this Anglican Communion is the one whose liturgical church services George Fox kept busting up. And yet. . . . And yet. . . . I keep hearing a cry for faithfulness, for humility, and for unity in God’s love from these hireling ministers that calls to me.
What can I learn from these priests and bishops?
Can I come to see my own struggle with the diversity of worldwide Quakerism more clearly by walking beside them for a while?
among Friends 
September 26, 2007 at 12:24 pm |
I love Bill Carroll’s words of ministry. They’re like a fire, and like a hammer that breaketh in pieces. It’s of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord may have many rebukes to deliver to His GLBTQ people, just as He has many rebukes to deliver to His straight people, but this I know: that He is not a profiler by skin color, gender, erotic inclination, nor any other quality that He gave us; and that He who is love and faithfulness Himself will never condemn love and faithfulness wherever it is found. His church cannot go on shutting its doors to, or shaming, or stigmatizing GLBTQ souls merely on the basis of erotic inclination.
But for that to change, many stony hearts must be replaced by hearts of flesh, a miracle that only God can work. The best we can do is pray for it and cooperate with it by keeping our own hearts as tender as we can.
And Bill Carroll’s logo is powerful. It reminds me of Sara Cleghorn’s ringing words:
Whoever else may be disbarred,
Comrade Jesus hath his red card.
But it’s important, when Jesus’ “revolutionary” aspect is emphasized, not to forget that He’s also God’s Lamb: a bruised reed shall he not crush, and smoking flax shall he not quench.
December 28, 2016 at 7:29 am |
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The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and FUM | among Friends