The Church of Ireland today announced the election of a new primate to succeed Robin Eames.
Church of Ireland press releases:
Bishop of Connor Elected Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
THE RIGHT REVEREND ALAN EDWIN THOMAS HARPER O.B.E., B.A.
EAMES WELCOMES SUCCESSOR
ACNS press release:
Bishop of Connor Elected Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
Soooooo….
what do we know about him?
[To wit:
“I look forward to meeting the people of my new diocese and those members of the Church throughout the island of Ireland . . . welcomed me and my family into their homes and parishes, sharing both joys and sorrows.”
Including LGBT people? LGBT members of the Church? LGBT homes, sharing joys and sorrows?]
Inquiring minds (prayerful hearts!) want to know…
From http://irishangle.net/nuacht/?q=node/423 Bishop Harper is perceived to be liberal on a number of social issues. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster in September 2003, Bishop Harper affirmed permanent homosexual relationships: “if a relationship between homosexual males is creative of love as well as being permanent and lifelong I don’t think that I am able to say that it is intrinsically disordered. What I am very much concerned about is the problem of promiscuity which is a totally different issue. I’m not entering now into the question of whether or not a homosexual lifestyle as we see it is intrinsically more promiscuous… Read more »
quotations from the new Primate Bishop Harper is perceived to be liberal on a number of social issues. Speaking on Radio Ulster in September 2003, Bishop Harper affirmed permanent homosexual relationships: “if a relationship between homosexual males is creative of love as well as being permanent and lifelong I don’t think that I am able to say that it is intrinsically disordered. What I am very much concerned about is the problem of promiscuity which is a totally different issue. I’m not entering now into the question of whether or not a homosexual lifestyle as we see it is intrinsically… Read more »
Is he going to have to sit at the children’s table with our Presiding Bishop in Tanzania due to his views on marriage, or will the fact that he doesn’t ordain gays and lesbians mean that Rowan will let him sit with the grown-ups?
“Is he going to have to sit at the children’s table with our Presiding Bishop in Tanzania due to his views on marriage, or will the fact that he doesn’t ordain gays and lesbians mean that Rowan will let him sit with the grown-ups?”…
…whilst Rowan himself sits at the children’s table?
Lois Keen
I think you must be mixing tables.
“…whilst Rowan himself sits at the children’s table?”
A good question, Lois Keen. But we all know that ++Rowan has “repented” of his foolish liberal, all-inclusive ways. His good friend, Jeffrey John, was the first victim of his “repentance”. Now it is godly women seeking ordination in the Diocese of Fort Worth, with ++Rowan’s Panel of Reference backing up spiky Jack Leo Iker, who has absolutely no respect for women (“the wrong matter”). ++Rowan’s misogynist Panel even presumes to have authority to over-ride the 1997 General Convention’s anti-discrimination canon.
Folks, this is the Church of Ireland. Alan is my ‘back home’ Diocesan Bishop (in one of two Dioceses big enough for not every regular churchgoer to be on first-name terms with the Bishop). Alan is as liberal as it gets, in high office, in the CofI north of the border. The folks at Irish Angle will not have been terribly happy at this appoitment, notwithstanding Alan is one of life’s nice guys and I suspect few have any real dislike of the man. Although the wackier members of Deform Ireland could probably mange to dislike anything. He is very… Read more »
Yeah the whole thing looks like it is getting nasty and I will bet that no matter what the outcome so far as the advancing or slowing of the much vaunted split (aka disciplining of wayward TEC) – Rowan Williams and other not quite so rigidly ConsEvs leaders (plus lay people?) are not going to like the new, realigned worldwide communion very much. Thus, we hope and pray and expect somehow that God’s grace will continue to spill over and out and under and over and around all the rest that happens. Just as the Holy Spirit has begun to… Read more »
He may be ‘as liberal as it gets in NI’ but I am appalled at the homophobic quotations from his utterances, nonetheless. Just as Eames’ homophobia appalls me.
Niceness is not enough
Let’s WAKE UP ….
Yes, I agree, laurence.
This is called ‘the party line’ – that fence must get so very uncomfortable.
Laurence,
“I am appalled at the homophobic quotations from his utterances” ????? Can you be more specific? Granted, what I know is what’s published here, but all I can see that might fit is his comment on completeness of the form of commitment, and that seems relatively minor, at least to me.
I might add that we cannot conflate his statement on homosexual couples with cohabiting heterosexual couples. The former are making the most complete commitment possible at present as we work out the meaning of such relationships in providing for rite, the latter could marry.
Yes, what an awful thing niceness is….
Gerry You are only being excessive if you would NOT have put the Te Deum on your blog had, say, Ken Clarke or Harold Miller been elected (but then you and I know that would never have happened!). I agree with you that Alan is a nice guy (he is a former Rector of my home parish and we’re also on first name terms) however, to be fair to IrishAngle et al, you really shouldn’t confuse dislike with disagreement. Some of the remaining evangelicals in Connor may not be able to stomach everything he has said, for example on marriage… Read more »
Hi Ford,thanks for message. Are your BS detectors working? Mind you we’re all different. ‘Bishop Harper is perceived to be liberal on a number of social issues. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster in September 2003, Bishop Harper affirmed permanent homosexual relationships: “if a relationship between homosexual males is creative of love as well as being permanent and lifelong I don’t think that I am able to say that it is intrinsically disordered. What I am very much concerned about is the problem of promiscuity which is a totally different issue. I’m not entering now into the question of whether or… Read more »
continued from last post : How lacking in respect he is for lesbians and gay men and for our communities. We are mere ciphers–nor reall people of all ages, all walks of life and lovers of all kinds, parents, grand-parents, responsible women and men. It is disgraceful to speak of our communities and ‘promiscuity’ in the same breathe. (Whatever ‘ promiscuity’ may be.) If you doubt me , try ‘the heterosexual equivalence test’. Just substitute heterosexual, married or whatever for gay. Or maybe try black, jewish, female for size. The refusal to ordain lesbian and gay people, and the terms… Read more »
Well, Laurence, I know where you are coming from, I just don’t feel the same way. I spent a long time coming to terms with my sexuality, I can’t expect a body of millions of people, all of whom are at different places on the path, to just jump to suipport me. If in the context of Irish society, the bishop finds no reason to discriminate, but still insists on living by the dictates of the Church, that’s enough for now. The next bishop will go a bit further. Meanwhile, I will get on with the business of living my… Read more »
Some of the remaining evangelicals in Connor may not be able to stomach everything he has said, for example on marriage (or, more infamously, clergy vestments) but I understand they have a high regard for his fairness and his efforts at properly resourcing the Diocese. Chris – indeed it is nice to speak to not only another Irish Anglican but someone from ‘up the road’ (my home parish is St. George’s, High Street). I agree that a lot of the Evangelical hard core in Connor Diocese do seem to think very highly of Alan, and that’s a testament to his… Read more »
I wonder what the general public make of him, and especially the lgbt parishoners of Connor and beyond ?
Niceness is n’t enough….
This lgbt parishioner of Connor is quite happy.