From Here
“So here I am back home, delighted to see my family and friends and congregation. I feel rested, recuperated and re-created at so many levels. I enjoyed Canada very much, and Vancouver in particular. What is it about that place that makes it so attractive to me? The broad answer is that so many things that matter to me seem to have made so much more progress here than in England. For over 30 years I have felt ‘on the edge’ of my church, and society, working hard to still belong, and always trying to push the boundary back a bit further. Sadly parts of my church and home-nation seem to have moved backwards over the last 30 years.
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The Inter-faith aspect of ecumenism is also further advanced than in England, particularly with regard to the insights and spiritual riches of Buddhism. Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Llama are heading up a heavy duty conference on spirituality in Vancouver in the autumn. This relaxed attitude to differences must be connected with the low regard for organized religion in this part of North America, and the high regard for spirituality. I say ‘this part of North America’ because it has been identified as Cascadia, an area comprising British Columbia, Washington State and Oregon. It would be easy to ridicule this West Coast, laid back, inclusive attitude, but I really do feel so much more at home in it than in the uptight, exclusive world of 21st century England.
There is a public acceptance of progressive theology in Vancouver that astounds me. I attended a public lecture by Marcus Borg, a radical biblical scholar and theologian, with an audience of nearly 500 people. Few of them were students, this was in holiday time, and most were over 45 years old, members of local Anglican and United Church congregations. Three of Borg’s books leapt into the top ten sellers in a local Christian bookshop. I cannot think of anywhere in England where this would happen.
The Anglican Church in Canada is decades ahead of us when it comes to women’s ministry, with some Dioceses having had two consecutive woman bishops, whereas we are still years from appointing our first. I am sure the influence of women in senior positions has had a positive effect, not least in the field I am researching, child protection and sexual misconduct in the church.The social response to sexuality is also more open and honest. Of course there is homophobia here, and churches that seem to define themselves by this single issue, but there are also places where the wide varieties of human identities and committed faithful loving lifelong gay relationships are simply taken as part of the spectrum of normalcy. If the Anglican Church is to split on the issue of celebrating gay relationships I know which side I am on.
I am sure Bishop Michael Ingham could find a spot for him.
“…sexual misconduct in the church.”
O please!!! It sounds like he is open to all kinds of sexual misconduct in the church. He has just revised its definition to suit his own biases.
When you reject the authority of Scripture and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, Satan will convince you to believe anything that fits in with his plan. He may call himself a priest but he is not worthy to be designated as one in any Christian church.
“3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2Tim 4:3-6).
Good advice from Paul to Timothy, and to us today.
“Of course there is homophobia here, and churches that seem to define themselves by this single issue…”
This is simply the usual cheap shot: if you don’t agree with me, you’re homophobic. In most cases this is simply not true.
“This relaxed attitude to differences must be connected with the low regard for organized religion in this part of North America, and the high regard for spirituality.”
Religion is a commitment. Spirituality is a hobby.
“I attended a public lecture by Marcus Borg, a radical biblical scholar and theologian, with an audience of nearly 500 people.”
Resistance is futile!! You will be assimilated!!
“I am researching, child protection and sexual misconduct in the church.”
Not with a view to making that the New Normal, one hopes. . .
“The Inter-faith aspect of ecumenism”
First – Ecumenism means a desire for unity in the Christian Faith.
Second- inter-faith is politics straight and simple
Thirdly – can you say – World Religion?
Very well put indeed.
“Resistance is futile!! You will be assimilated!!”
If only he was…
