wfn.org | ACNS3491 Issues of Human Sexuality arouse mixed reactions

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ACNS 3491     |     ACNS     |	   27 JUNE 2003

Issues of Human Sexuality arouse mixed reactions

by Matthew Davies

Issues of human sexuality have had a profound impact on the Anglican
Communion in recent weeks, giving a cause for celebration for some and
anxiety in others. Firstly, there was the appointment of Canon Jeffrey John
as the Bishop of Reading, then the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada
issued a formal rite for the blessings of same sex unions and, to add insult
to injury for many conservatives and fundamentalists, the Diocese of New
Hampshire elected the Revd Canon Gene Robinson as its bishop.

Canon Robinson is the first openly gay man to be elected bishop in the
Anglican Communion. Some bishops, however, have admitted their homosexuality
later in their episcopacy. Reactions to his ordination have been both strong
and varied, although the landslide victory suggests that many clergy and
laity in his diocese have every faith in his ministry.

In a statement issued by the bishops of the Diocese of South Carolina, they
said, "This election causes us the gravest possible concern, for if the
church ratifies it, we would clearly be approving of the relationship in
which Gene Robinson is involved. This is not about a person or a diocesan
election process; it is about a radical change in church doctrine."

Canon Robinson, aged 56, took the difficult decision to leave his wife
because he felt that God wanted him to acknowledge his sexuality. When
asked, "What risks have you taken for the Gospel?" he replied, "Risking the
loss of my children and the exercise of my ordained ministry in the Church
was the biggest risk I've ever taken, but it left me with two unshakable
things: my integrity and my God.

When clergy in six parishes within the Diocese of New Westminster had been
authorised by Bishop Michael Ingham to perform a rite of blessing same sex
unions, with the first blessing being conducted on Wednesday 28 May, there
was an outcry throughout the Anglican Communion which has resulted in two
provinces - Nigeria and South East Asia - cutting their ties with the
diocese.

Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria has said, "Regrettably, the much desired
reflection that will ease the strain on our Communion has been jettisoned.
Furthermore, failure to ensure strict compliance with resolutions duly
passed at our meetings clearly shows that Bishop [Michael] Ingham and his
diocese see no value in being accountable to anybody." He ended his
statement by saying that [Bishop Michael Ingham] has made it inevitable for
the Province [of Nigeria] to severe communion with Bishop Ingham and the
diocese of New Westminster."

Taking a more via media stance, the Most Reverend Terence Finlay, Archbishop
of Toronto, said last year, "I respect the right of individual dioceses to
make a decision in this matter even though it would have been preferable for
us to act together as a church."

He added, "I am deeply aware of how difficult this complex issue is for some
people. Many faithful gay and lesbian Christians are living in committed and
long-term relationships and believe that the Church has been too slow to
recognise the presence of God's Spirit in these relationships. Other equally
faithful Christians hold to a more traditional understanding of this issue
and oppose any change."

In his own defence, Bishop Michael Ingham said in his letter to the six
dioceses on 23 May 2003, "The church recognises that homosexual couples face
the same challenges and share the same responsibilities as other people in
living out the costly demands of love. Our purpose is to encourage and
strengthen fidelity and mutual supportiveness in family life on which the
stability of our wider society depends."

In a statement issued today Bishop Ingham has said that Anglicans in the
Diocese of New Westminster will continue to support fellow Anglicans in
northern Canada and overseas, despite the declaration by some bishops in
these areas that relations are impaired.

Bishop Ingham also released a pastoral letter today, with the intention that
it is read in all 80 of his dioceses parishes on Sunday 29 June. Part of
that letter read, We shall not exclude or reject our fellow brothers and
sisters in Christ, whatever their personal convictions, and we wish to
assure them that the doors of our churches remain open to all. The full
text of the pastoral letter is available at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/special/humansexuality/hs4.html.

The election of Canon Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading took place on the 20
May but more attention has been drawn to the appointment since the news from
the Dioceses of New Westminster and New Hampshire emerged.

Canon Jeffrey, who is treasurer and canon theologian at Southwark Cathedral,
was appointed to the suffragan post last month by the Bishop of Oxford, the
Rt Revd Richard Harries. Despite the fact that there have been many requests
for him to withdraw from the position, Bishop Harries has strongly supported
his case for the appointment. He pointed out that Canon Jeffrey has made it
clear that he is fully committed to upholding the doctrine and practice of
the Church of England as expressed in the House of Bishops' report, Issues
in Human Sexuality. He also stressed that "Jeffrey is personally committed,
as his references made clear, to a personal lifestyle of sexual abstinence."

Later in his statement he said, "I want a diocese that is able to show
everyone, including gay and lesbian people, that they are beloved of God."

In an interview with the BBC this week, Bishop Harries further defended the
election of Canon Jeffrey. What I was looking for was a person in the
catholic tradition with a good knowledge of church growth, he said. That
is where we need the impetus at the moment.

Speaking of Canon Jeffrey as being a symbol for many in the acceptance and
affirmation of gay and lesbian people in the church, Bishop Harries said,
We will have a much more honest debate about the subject. My hope is that
in two years he will have won the hope and trust both of the House of
Bishops and people in his episcopal area.

A group of 35 Anglican leaders from around the world met in Oxford on
Wednesday calling on Dr John to withdraw his acceptance. Part of the
statement, which had the backing of two Primates, Archbishop Drexel Gomez of
West Indies and Archbishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone, said, "We
urge Dr Jeffrey John to withdraw his acceptance. This appointment flouts the
mainstream Anglican teaching on human sexuality. We believe that if he is
consecrated, the unity of the Church of England and Anglican Communion will
be disrupted.

Eight bishops of the Church of England, however, wrote to the Archbishop of
Canterbury in support of Dr John, but urged that the debate should be
carried on privately.

Despite the many dynamic comments and statements that have materialised on
both sides of the argument, some of the more recent pronouncements have
expounded the opinion that the issues are to be dealt with at a provincial
level. The Most Revd Clive Handford, President Bishop of Jerusalem and the
Middle East, said, I was a little surprised at the appointment because of
the potential risk of controversy. However, while not knowing Dr John
personally, I believe him to be an excellent and highly regarded priest. It
is significant that he has stated that he is celibate and has been for some
years. I shall take no action other than to keep Dr John and those involved
in my prayers. He added that no one in this Province has requested that any
action be taken.

A statement from the Archbishop of Southern Africa, the Most Revd
Njongonkulu Ndungane, also supported this perspective. The issue
surrounding the appointment of Jeffrey John as a suffragan bishop affects,
in the first instance, the diocese of Oxford and the Church in England, not
the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, he said.

A statement issued today from the Primate of Australia, the Most Revd Peter
Carnley, called on the need for honesty and humility, and a willingness to
acknowledge the possibility of alternative readings of hotly disputed texts.
The full statement is available at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/34/75/acns3490.html.

In his letter last week to all diocesan and suffragan bishops in the Church
of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury voiced his own concerns on the
matter:

Confidence in the ability of a new bishop to minister to those in his
pastoral care is a centrally important matter, and it is clear that serious
questions remain in the diocese. To consider these with prayerfulness and
maturity needs time and a measure of calm. It is not for anyone outside the
diocese to override or pre-empt what is obviously a painful and complex
process, and I can only ask your prayers for the diocese as it struggles
with this and tries to find a right discernment.

He concluded by saying, In a few weeks, I shall be making a pastoral visit
to West Africa. Some of our local issues are there too, of course, but so
are most of the greatest wounds of our age, afflicting millions - violent
conflict, epidemic disease, instability and poverty. Faithful Christian
witness shines through all this, and we are deeply thankful for it. It does
us no harm to think about our own priorities against such a background, and
perhaps to learn in some matters to give each other a little more time and
space for thought as we try to find how we can walk in step as the Body of
Christ - not falling over ourselves because of anxiety and suspicion.

For further articles relating to issues of human sexuality please visit:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/special/humansexuality/index.html

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