Another day, another disappointment from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of England. After such excitement and possibility of real change with the renomination of Dr. Jeffrey John to ascend to the episcopate in England...nothing! Turns out that when the spotlight shines on the ABC, he shrivels and wilts like an unwatered flower in the Florida sun.
The reporter who broke the story Sunday in the Telegraph, Jonathan Wynne-Jones, explained on his blog that his initial report was based on leaked information, a leak that apparently greatly angered his Holiness:
Although he (the Archbishop) is only one of 14 members of the Commission, liberals will be perplexed as to why he allowed John’s name to be included on the shortlist if it was only to be rejected at the last minute. To be fair, he didn’t know that this fact would be leaked to me, and he is said to have been livid with the Commission that it was. But, given what happened in 2003 and his apparent distress at forcing his old friend to stand down from becoming Bishop of Reading, it will surprise many that he didn’t use his influence to try and sway the few undecided members who could have secured his selection.
The Archbishop has appeared increasingly resolute and self-assured over recent months, but liberals will be left wondering why he loses his backbone when it comes to fighting their corner. Even conservative evangelicals made clear that there was no reason to object to the dean’s appointment this time round, pointing to the fact that he has stressed that his homosexual relationship is celibate.
(This need for LGBT clergy to be "celibate", even when partnered, is insulting. Perhaps I'll re-post my rant on that at another time).
Needless to say, this is a huge disappointment. This was an opportunity for ++Rowan to redeem himself, make amends, and come to the light about the inclusive nature of God's love. Instead, he has stabbed his "friend" in the back again, presumably this time out of being pissed that the news was leaked to the London media. Meanwhile, Dr. Jeffrey John has been thrust back under the microscope... again!... had his credentials and whether he engages in sex examined... again!and put back in the lab animal cage... again! What a sad, sad state of affairs.
Interesting that today's Morning Prayer reading out of Romans 9 gave us a bit of foreshadowing for today's news:
What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses,
‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’
So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomsoever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomsoever he chooses.
--Romans 9: 14-18
Clearly, it seems God means to harden the Archbishop's heart.
The reporter who broke the story Sunday in the Telegraph, Jonathan Wynne-Jones, explained on his blog that his initial report was based on leaked information, a leak that apparently greatly angered his Holiness:
Although he (the Archbishop) is only one of 14 members of the Commission, liberals will be perplexed as to why he allowed John’s name to be included on the shortlist if it was only to be rejected at the last minute. To be fair, he didn’t know that this fact would be leaked to me, and he is said to have been livid with the Commission that it was. But, given what happened in 2003 and his apparent distress at forcing his old friend to stand down from becoming Bishop of Reading, it will surprise many that he didn’t use his influence to try and sway the few undecided members who could have secured his selection.
The Archbishop has appeared increasingly resolute and self-assured over recent months, but liberals will be left wondering why he loses his backbone when it comes to fighting their corner. Even conservative evangelicals made clear that there was no reason to object to the dean’s appointment this time round, pointing to the fact that he has stressed that his homosexual relationship is celibate.
(This need for LGBT clergy to be "celibate", even when partnered, is insulting. Perhaps I'll re-post my rant on that at another time).
Needless to say, this is a huge disappointment. This was an opportunity for ++Rowan to redeem himself, make amends, and come to the light about the inclusive nature of God's love. Instead, he has stabbed his "friend" in the back again, presumably this time out of being pissed that the news was leaked to the London media. Meanwhile, Dr. Jeffrey John has been thrust back under the microscope... again!... had his credentials and whether he engages in sex examined... again!and put back in the lab animal cage... again! What a sad, sad state of affairs.
Interesting that today's Morning Prayer reading out of Romans 9 gave us a bit of foreshadowing for today's news:
What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses,
‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’
So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomsoever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomsoever he chooses.
--Romans 9: 14-18
Clearly, it seems God means to harden the Archbishop's heart.
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