Another amazing day yesterday. At noon, I had lunch with three primates, thanks to the Chicago Consultation. Along with Bishop Tom Ely, of Vermont, I broke bread with the Primates of Korea (and his translator), Scotland and Australia.
+Gene comments on some things said by the Primate of Korea but nothing from Archbishop Aspinall, Primate of Australia.
Oh dear, won't that upset the Sydney types.
They met when +Gene was on holidays in Australia last year and some of the local idiots accused ++Aspinall of hearing one side only. He would have to be stone deaf not to know the other point of view and I presume in his normal activities he would have met ++Jensen and the other Sydney bishops often.
++Aspinall is very cautious in declaring his views. I found this:
Dr Aspinall said that he had not declared his personal position on the issue of the ordination of gay clergy because he believed it was his responsibility as Primate in the current climate to “try to find ways to enable the Church to engage in the debate in a constructive way and move forwards towards a solution”. If he were to express a strong personal view, it would add to the polarisation in the current climate, which would not be helpful. He said that he felt sympathy for the hurt that gay people experienced. “Quite a number of homosexual people have said that they are people of faith, that they are committed to Jesus Christ, and believe they are faithful members of the Church and they want to have a home in the Church and they want their contributions to be received and valued and welcomed.
He is speaking at Christ Church St Laurence in Sydney on September 15 and I plan to be present.
His topic will be:
'Gracious Restraint: Hastening Slowly in the Anglican Communion'
which is not as hopeful as I would like. I feel there has been too much restraint on our side and very little on the other. Graciousness is not a virtue held by the Jensenites. I can imagine what they will say when they hear of the lunch meeting yesterday.
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