Global South Anglican has published Bishop Mouneer Anis Reflections on the Joint Standing Committee (JSC).
Among the comments there, this from Tunde Popoola:
Sadly, this Godly Archbishop sound prepared to face more disappointments at Lambeth. I admire his determination in speaking up. What I do not like is the way his participation is used to legitimize questionable decisions only for him to shout foul afterwards. I pray he soon realizes that continued participation with those he believes are wrong, who listen to him but are not ready to repent is a tactic encouragement for what he believes is wrong to continue.
Posted by Tunde on 03/18 at 05:56 AM
We listen, Tunde, much the same way as bartenders listen: someone venting their feelings. It’s just the decent thing to do.
But feelings aren’t any more than they are. They’re not rational, nor “traditional” (much less “biblical”).
Listen, with compassion, Yes (after all, we have our OWN share of irrational feelings!)
But repent, on the basis of those vented feelings?
Heavens, NO.
[A blessed Holy Week to everyone at—and everyone reading—Thinking Anglicans (with prayers for the Anglicans Online staff, in their time of grief)]
I hope many of us will honor and give thanks for Bishop Anis’ determination to stay in conversation, even after disappointment and low expectations. We are, I expect, facing the end of the Anglican-Communion-as-we-have-known-it, but he, at least, seems willing to pursue “the highest level of communion possible.” That said, I’m less surprised than he that members of the Joint Standing Committee would believe “resolution,” at least in terms of development of a Covenant and its reception (or not), should take until 2015. As the General Synod of COE observed, “reception” isn’t real until it has been addressed through “the… Read more »
“I pray he soon realizes that continued participation with those he believes are wrong, who listen to him but are not ready to repent is a tactic encouragement for what he believes is wrong to continue.”
I hope Tunde realizes that this is a stance that those of us on the other side of the divide can take as well.
If I may I think it’s slightly unfair to note this article by Bishop Mouneer and then quote from the comments section of the article over which, of course, he has no control and which may be as un-insightful as some of the comments around here (including on occasion my own)! I’d much rather talk about what Bishop Mouneer HAS said himself. I got the chance to meet Bishop Mouneer up close last year when he spent some time at our theological college and I was deeply impressed by him as a person and also impressed by his commitment to… Read more »
The comment that Schori’s presence inhibited some from speaking freely is very telling. It’s much easier to slander and accuse someone behind their backs than to their faces. It’s much easier to paint someone out to be truly horrible and evil and to convince others of the truth of your accusations, when the accussed is not in the room to witness what they are. Shades of Jesus standing being tortured before his accussers before being taken out on the cross comes to mind. Oh well, after Jesus was crucified they were able to resume their “much more important” discussions. Didn’t… Read more »
To pick up one aspect of the Bishop’s comments – the timetable for the Anglican Covenant.
The Bishop said the JSC was told the Covenant process would be complete by 2015. This is up to 5 years later than the previously published timetable would indicate.
But why? What is the extra time for? What does it mean for debate about the Covenant?
(I’ve put a more detailed account on the MCU blog.)
Poor Tunde, will he ever grow weary of being always so absolutely right in all hot button conflicts? Will he ever grow tired of threatening, hinting at further intimidations or bullying to come after the much vaunted conservative Anglican revolution, having to always deal with everybody else who is so consistently wrong and nothing but wrong in ethics, theology, doctrine, church life, social life? Has God in holy wrath called Tunde to wrest the democracy and work and love and daily life, right out from under the sinful feet of all those non-conservative citizens or believers he so patently despises… Read more »
Paul Bagshaw’s more detailed comment is at:
http://modernchurchblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/bishop-anis-and-anglican-covenant.html
“While I am sure plenty of people here may disagree with his theological position or with his assessment of the state of the Communion or his reflections on the JSC” Actually, what I do take exception to is his characterization of the situation as a “crisis”. A crisis implies that if some corrective action isn’t taken soon, dire consequences will result. What dire consequences are imminent if something is not done to put a stop to occasional under the table SSBs or remove a bishop who is honest about his sexuality? (Why are there no dire consequences imminent if we… Read more »
Well put Ford. We have the crises of poverty, famine, AIDS, global warming, end of the oil age, xenophobia, misogyny; irreverential lusts for greed, power and violence. But apparently homosexuality trumps all of these issues. And in fact any and all of the above can be justified provided one is relentlessly hunting down GLBTs and their advocates. I take comfort that their reality is that they only visit this planet once and then, because they are too good for it, taken away to a nice little heaven away from all us heathen and unclean souls with our dirty little planet.… Read more »
Ford Elms wrote, “It’s all about a lack of clear decisive overarching decisions of policy, no-one is actually in control. Well, except God, but He’s way up there, out of the way, we need to be in control here, on the ground. And we exert that control…” Exactly. To quote from 1 Samuel 8:4ff “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ ” But the thing… Read more »
Amen Lois.