Anglicans, "Gays" and Women "Bishops"

Here's the text of the handout I prepared for our discussion / Bible study on Anglicans, "Gays" and Women "Bishops":


Readings: Gays - 1 Cor 6:9-11
Women bishops - 1 Timothy 2

Hope you’re not too sick of these issues – v. topical – better for midweek than Sun –
Ask the vicar what he thinks and what we are going to do about it!
Important issue – laity as well as clergy need to be informed
Something might happen soonish!

Jim Packer’s talk and comments on the church website – not just repeating that

Anglicans

Confused and competing versions of “Anglicanism” – for some, “Anglican” virtually = inclusivism!

Historical definition:

A catholic Reformed church

Evangelical origins at Reformation

“Legal” Definition:

Evangelical constitution – BCP, 39 Articles, Ordinal - Canons

Sound basis today – Scripture, Catholic Creeds & “historical formularies” – Declaration of Assent (CW)

Practical arguments:

“A good boat to fish from” – hatching / matching / despatching – “I am C of E” – the church people don’t go to – culture affirming – by law established - not a cult, a useful badge to wear

Strengths of Anglicanism: e.g., infant baptism, liturgy (depending on your view of these things)

Problems with Anglicanism: Liberalism (and Anglo-Catholicism) – theological colleges, administration, hierarchy

The High, The Low, The Broad: A confused trumpet blast?

A lack of moral and theological church discipline

Presenting issues: gays & women bishops – what next…?!
Fundamental issues: scriptural authority, creation order of M & F, church etc.

Gays

The problem of terminology

Practising homosexuality not homosexual “orientation” (?!) / temptation – nature / nurture not the main issue

Luther on temptation – you cant stop the birds flying over your head but you don’t have to let them nest in your hair – its not a sin to be tempted, the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted!

A gospel / salvation issue

Public notorious sin

“Ah, but you eat shell fish and that’s forbidden in Leviticus too!”

Romans 1

“that’s just your interpretation” – the clarity of Scripture

The Culture card

Homosexual practice in the ancient world – was it loving, faithful, consensual, adults? (Is it often now?!)

Lambeth statement on human sexuality

A double standard for clergy and laity - Church leaders to set an Example but…

Jeffrey John in UK – not a Bishop in Oxford diocese but Dean of St Albans

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s personal and ecclesial positions

James Jones, the (evangelical) Bishop of Liverpool – confusing article

The blessing of same-sex unions across the Atlantic

Not just a pastoral or evangelistic welcome to gay people but calling good evil and evil good

The Windsor Report & Process

Faithful clergy and parishes sought alternative episcopal oversight – Archbishop Greg Venables of Southern Cone

GAFCON - Archbishop not necessarily essential arbiter of Anglicanism

- Primate’s Council to oversee traditionalist parishes out of fellowship with their own bishops

 Sign petitions at Anglican mainstream – PCC?

Women “Bishops”

A secondary non-gospel / salvation matter of church order?

Impossible or inappropriate? C.f. gay marriages – is it is marriage? Is she a bishop?

Anglo-Catholic type arguments

Jesus and the Apostles were all men
Ministers represent Jesus and have an apostolic ministry
The Catholic church has not had women for 2000 years so how can the C of E make this change on its own

Evangelical type arguments

The Bible forbids women to teach having authority in church – 1 Cor 11
The church as the family of God reflects male / female relationships in the family – Eph 5

Arguments over women priests / presbyters / preachers

Female / male headship – women preachers but not senior pastors / incumbents / presbyters?

Tom Wright, the (evangelical) Bishop of Durham

Culture card – so what? - what is a biblical culture?

The Manchester Report

Possible “solutions”: Third Provence, Flying / Super Bishops, (statutory) Code of Practice, Nothing

 Write to bishops, synod members, MPs, Queen

No women bishops before 2014 ish

“More in line with our culture” or more compromised with the “world”? – married to the spirit of the age, widowed in the next?

See also:

Virtue on line (American evangelical Anglican news service); Reform; Church Society