Thursday 18 September 2008

Barry Morgan being Flexible

Archbishop Barry Morgan, a supporter of the Modern Churchpeople's Union, clearly understands Anglicanism as not being confessional. He stated:

"[One] of the glories of Anglicanism has been about being held together by our beliefs as contained in historic creeds and formulas but not by agreement to particular statements about that faith in each generation. That is the difference between belonging to a Communion rather than a confession."

This is a clear difference with the likes of GAFCON, in which he made it clear that a plain reading of Scripture is not good enough: presumably it does not stand up to context and transfer. In treating some sexual issues flexibly and yet others, like homosexuality, rigidly, he wonders how Anglicans...

"...have boxed ourselves into this particular corner."

Diversity should be allowed on all these topics. The present crisis had presented problems for some Churches but:

"On the other hand, in other places, it has sent positive messages about the place of homosexuals in God's church."

Not, though, if the Church in Wales obeys the moratoria: if, for example, it found Jeffrey John to be the most qualified to be Bishop of Bangor and yet did not proceed because of a moratorium. Then there are no positive messages, only negative messages and those of duplicity.

Barry Morgan wishes that the dialogue that happened at Lambeth 2008, of listening and putting your viewpoint, could continue, with ongoing relationship building.

No comments: