scott, in brief

Some Anglicans don't think homosexuals can be bishops.
Some Anglicans don't think woman can be bishops.

I think sinners are us all.
I also think we all sin.

Interestingly Jesus seemed to have quite an interesting attitude to those who came to him and said (and i paraphrase)
- those people are not good enough, lets deal with them. (Stoning, shunning and in general, dismissal from Jesus's prescence.)
Jesus response is generally, when you stop sinning come back and complain about they are doing. This is met with much silence and sheepish walking away.

I know the argument is much more nuanced than my portrayal. I know it centers upon a bible verse which says woman should not be in leadership over men (my guess at the reasons) and also on some verses which talk about homosexuality, (generally one old- and one new-testament). I also know lumping these two issues together is not wholly reflective of the Anglican issues.

That said I guess the most relevant story was the story of Zacchaeus.
The story where Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus but the people didn't want him to see Jesus. (He had kinda pee'd them off previously.)
He climbed a tree.
Jesus walks along and says hey can you host me tonight?
So Zacchaeus host's Jesus, and his entourage. The result of hosting Jesus and his people was that Zacchaeus resolves to change.

I gues the point i would draw out of the story and this whole situation is that it doesn't really matter who you are or what you do. You can host the people of God.

Feed the people.
Provide space for people to hear Jesus
Allow for Jesus to meet people.

On the trip to Tanzania I learned several things.
1 - never allow the Archbishop to sit in the front row of the cathedral and fluff your lines. He will heckle.
2 - Chickens and mobile phones should be turned off before the service begins.
3 - Priests will outbid people in an after church auction.

I also learned from speaking to an experienced anglican preist and theology student, that there are only two types of theology. Right theology and Wrong theology. fortunately he was learning the Right theology.

i dunno where this will end.
I dunno what good can come of this discussion or attitude which is we are right and you are wrong.

I do know that conservative and liberal have lost meaning. perhaps i need to start a lib dem church or would the church of scotland claim that.

I guess the most appropriate words to be said are the words or warning given at the end of a TV program I saw years ago

Don't let your Dogma eat your Karma.

I find the article from walter wink on the homosexualtiy issue quite interesting and well worth reading. Homosexuality and the Bible by Walter Wink

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