wfn.org | Australia's church leaders' views on sexuality ignite controversy

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2001-127

Australia's church leaders' views on sexuality ignite controversy

by Margaret Simons

     (ENI) As the Anglican Church of Australia prepares for its general synod in 
July, major divisions have appeared following an archbishop's request that the 
church bless lifelong homosexual "friendships."

     The Primate of the Church in Australia, Dr. Peter Carnley, has suggested the 
church should bless such unions and concentrate on the spiritual quality of the 
friendship without inquiring into intimate physical matters.

     In a paper prepared for the synod, Carnley, a progressive theologian who is 
also Archbishop of Perth, capital of the state of Western Australia, said that 
friendship was "essential for providing an appropriate and supportive context for 
working out the details of a life of moral goodness. The church's calling is to 
foster such friendships."

     He said that for the church to "specify limits of [physical] touch" would be 
as inappropriate for a relationship between people of the same gender it would be 
in heterosexual marriage. "Does the church become involved in this, or is to do 
so merely an expression of the modern obsession with sex, an example of the 
voyeurism endemic in the modern world imported into the ecclesiastical 
environment?" Carnley's paper asks.

     Following publication of an edited excerpt of his paper in the Bulletin, a 
national news magazine, two senior members of the Sydney diocese, both possible 
candidates for the position of archbishop of Sydney, Australia's biggest city, 
strongly criticized the primate's views. Robert Forsyth, bishop of South Sydney, 
told the Sydney Morning Herald that "any suggestion that the Anglican Church 
should bless a sexual relationship that is not fully marriage of a man and a 
woman is not possible if we are to remain faithful to Lord Jesus Christ and the 
Scriptures."

     "If it means the Christian faith has nothing to say about what you do in 
your bedroom --about sexual behavior--he must be kidding. Sexual behavior is a 
crucial part of human behavior. The Christian faith has crucial things to say 
about work, how we earn money, how we treat other people and our sex lives."

     Canon Dr. Peter Jensen, principal of Moore Theological College and another 
contender for the position of archbishop of Sydney, said that if Carnley "is 
suggesting this [blessing a committed homosexual union] is a good thing for us to 
do, he has gone beyond the border."

     Carnley argued in his paper that the Bible had little or nothing to say 
about homosexual behavior. The "handful" of injunctions were aimed primarily at 
promiscuity. "Where the Bible is itself silent, the church may be wise to 
hesitate to speak," he said.

     At the same time the value of friendship should be nurtured by the church as 
an expression of love and commitment, he said. The idea of "best friends" was 
common both to marriage, and to some same-sex relationships.

     Carnley rejected the term "marriage" for homosexual unions, saying that 
marriage had as one of its chief purposes procreation and nurture of children. 
But he argued that the church should support legal recognition and "next of kin" 
status for homosexual partners, and consider blessing commitments intended to be 
monogamous and lifelong. Homosexual relationships are not recognized by the 
Australian government.

     Carnley mentioned in support of his case the depth of the relationship 
between David and Jonathan in I Samuel 18:3--"Then Jonathan made a covenant with 
David, because he loved him as his own soul." 

     Carnley commented: "There is certainly no sense in which this same-gender 
relationship is denigrated in the biblical text. Indeed it is celebrated. David's 
love for Jonathan is said to have been 'wonderful, even greater than that of a 
woman'." Carnley also spoke of the relationship between Ruth and Naomi, recorded 
in the Book of Ruth, as another "exemplary same-gender relationship."

     His paper is almost certain to lead to heated discussion at the general 
synod. Although attracting strong criticism from conservatives, it has support 
from members of the doctrinal panel preparing the discussion papers for the 
synod. 

     However, one Roman Catholic source commented on Carnley's paper, saying that 
a softer church stance towards same-sex relationships would be at odds with 
mainstream Christianity.

     At the same time the newly installed Roman Catholic archbishop of Sydney, 
Dr. George Pell, known as a conservative on doctrinal issues, has prompted 
national debate with his attitudes to sexuality. Homosexual groups in Sydney, 
which has Australia's biggest gay community, have protested at Pell's public 
appearances, but he has received mass expressions of support from Roman 
Catholics.

     Pell, who holds the most powerful position in the Roman Catholic Church in 
Australia, has also been praised by Prime Minister John Howard, who said on 
national radio that the archbishop was a man who stood up for his beliefs. 

     "I admire that in a man," Howard said.

      Last week Pell conceded on national television that there might be "small 
pockets" of homosexuality among Roman Catholic priests in Melbourne, where George 
Pell previously held the post of archbishop. He added that he had spoken to some 
priests about it.

     Asked whether there were homosexual priests in Sydney, Pell said: "Oh please 
God, no. Please God, no."

     Pell, who in Melbourne ordered that people wearing gay symbols should not be 
given holy communion in his cathedral, emphasized that he bore homosexual people 
no ill will. "I wish them God's peace," he said, but added that the church's 
teachings on sexuality were essential to the support of marriage and families.

--This story is based on an article by Ecumenical News International.