Friday, July 17, 2009

From Scotland

Lest we start to believe the "spin" that everyone across the pond is lined up in opposition to our work here in Anaheim, here's this reflection from the Provost of St. Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow:

The Americans have not walked away from the Anglican Communion. They have walked away a little from the idea that the conflict over LGBT issues would disappear if everyone did what Rowan Williams said and adopted the proposals of the Windsor Report. They were right to do so.

The Windsor process has little currency now. The notion that world Anglicanism could be held together by asking churches to discriminate against gay people is shot to pieces.

We need to return to the rather more basic notion that it is devotion to Jesus which holds the potential to unite Christians, not devotion to prejudice. And we must thank God that the Americans have shown us how to make that real.

3 comments:

Muthah+ said...

Always knew that the Scots had their heads screwed on right. I am thankful to the Provost for saying so.

WilliamK said...

Not at all surprising coming from the folks who gave us our episcopate and our original Eucharistic prayer! (*)

I have not doubt that, whatever else happens, the Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church will stay in full communion.

(*) There's some important history here. We must never forget how badly our Scottish brothers and sisters were treated by the English when most of their bishops refused to swear loyalty to William and Mary after James II was deposed. It was "non-juror" bishops who consecrated Samuel Seabury when the English bishops refused. Bullying by the C of E is nothing new in the realm of inter-Anglican relations.

Karen said...

Makes me right proud to have some scottish blood in me it does!

This is a clear, cogent, spot on view of where we are.