Saturday, January 12, 2008

Praise God for the Bishop of Newcastle

Thankfully the Right Reverend Dr Brian Farran, the Bishop of Newcastle is taking a stand against GAFCON .
I particularly approve:
'Dr. Peter Jensen, the Archbishop of Sydney, is one of the conservative leaders who are promoting this conference. It needs to be understood that Dr. Jensen is an organizer of this conference in his own personal capacity or possibly in his capacity as the Bishop of the Diocese of Sydney. It must be seen that Dr. Jensen has no authorization to do this as the Metropolitan of the Anglican Province of New South Wales. I am not suggesting that Dr. Jensen would act in this way as the Metropolitan of New South Wales but public perception might not be discriminating in this regard.'

'Anglicanism has long welcomed scholarship that has deepened awareness of the Holy Scriptures and offered a dialogue with other disciplines within human inquiry. Anglicanism tends not to be dogmatic but open to exploration and critical analysis.'

' if sections of the Anglican Communion bunker down with self-declared orthodoxy and refuse to meet with those of a differing view-point, what has become of the heart of the Gospel – God’s gracious unconditional gift of communion?'

'In Australia we have just emerged from the frustration and debilitation of wedge politics. The recent Federal election shifted Australian political life right out of that divisive mentality into a hopeful new sense of vision and cohesion.'

'The pursuit of the homosexual agenda by the Global South alignment tends to ignore the secondary requirements of the 1998 Lambeth Conference 1.10 resolution of listening respectfully and carefully to Gay and Lesbian Christians.'

'Catholic Anglicans in Australia – those who seek to research and theologize by the parameters of classic Anglicanism - are dismayed by the rigidity of the Global South’s methodology and by its constant return to the issue of homosexuality. However, the issue of the interpretation of Holy Scripture is a substantial issue that does require respectful and thoughtful dialogue given that Anglicanism historically has embraced a spectrum of interpretations of the Bible.'

I have been wishing the Primate, Archbishop Aspinall of Brisbane would make a statement. He seems to be walking on eggshells. Along with many whose comments I read in regard to the Diocese Of San Joaquin, I think the time has come to make a stand.

1 comment:

June Butler said...

Brian, it's a wonderful letter. He makes his points simply and clearly without dancing around like other members of the hierarchy I could name. Thanks be to God. May many more bishops and archbishops follow his example.