From Thinking Anglicans
The Archbishop of Sydney is quoted in the Australian press on this topic:
Australian religious leaders were yesterday divided over the death penalty. Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen said official church doctrine in the 39 Articles of 1662 endorsed it: “The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death, for heinous and grievous offences.”
Dr Jensen said Christians were concerned about the abuse of capital punishment for crimes that did not merit death. “But I cannot absolutely rule out capital punishment in all circumstances, since the Bible itself allows it.”
See Death row pleas for citizens only in the Melbourne Age.
Some comments from the site
'Yes, Archbishop Jensen, and of course the law of England followed biblical teaching in sentencing gay people to death between the reigns of Henry VIII and Victoria. So I suppose this will return to the statute books in the future golden age of Gafconianity?"
"How did a lovely friendly city like Sydney get stuck with such a ferocious Calvinist dinosaur? I should think +Jensen would be happier in harsh Calvinist Texas."
"The view Jensen puts most certainly lacks in any meaningful theological content, and perhaps demonstrates why his 10-year plan for the evangelizing of Sydney is behind target. The rest - outlined in another thread - is playing at pretending-to-be-primate."
"And, apparently, he can not rule out slavery altogether since the Bible allows it."
"How sad when hateful old men speak their mind. And what's with the suit and tie? Is his clerical shirt in the wash?"
"Note that Jensen's comments, like many in the separatist movement, are an example of scriptural selectivity. I wonder if capital punishment is included in the "faith once delivered to the saints" accolades he signed onto in the San Joaquin letter."
and in the interests of fairness one comment in his defence.
"In defence of Archbishop Jensen, he has spoken out for Aboriginal rights and refugees. He was never a lackey of the Howard Government. So it would be totally wrong to portray him simply as a rightwing bigot. His theological views are sincerely held, and he and his brother are often misunderstood. They love Our Blessed Lord and seek to serve him.
Listen to his talk on the internet..Why he is a Protestant. He states how he would not go to the inaugral Mass of Cardinal Pell, because " No Archbishop of Sydney goes to a Mass." ( he did go to a prayer service though) he is a man of conviction and integrity and you know where you stand with him."
4 comments:
Brian, I see that one person wants to give him to us. We don't want him. We have quite enough of our own.
Grandmere - we couldn't give him to our worst enemy.
As for his defender:
"he has spoken out for Aboriginal rights and refugees. He was never a lackey of the Howard Government."
Ok - so why did has he done so little to support Aboriginal ministries in Sydney? And why was he the only Australian Bishop to support our involvement in Iraq?
"he is a man of conviction and integrity"
I've spoken to people who know him much better than any of us who'd strongly disagree...
That the death penalty still exists at all in the US is a cause for shame for many of us. I don't understand how Christians leaders can support cold-blooded killing by the state for any reason.
Yes, And they usually are the first to condemn women over abortion as well.
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