February 5, 2007

NEWS ITEM: Episcopalians Find Dialogue Difficult

A January news article in The Christian Science Monitor quotes Ian Douglas, professor of Mission and World Christianity at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., on the troubles now facing the Episcopal church as it continues to schism over homosexuality. Observing that the Anglican Communion's tradition of inclusion is being put to the test, Douglas goes on to say, "Part of the problem with the Anglican community today is that the different constituencies are so convinced of their own truth, that they say they have no need of others - and that goes against Anglican tradition."

In other words, the blame for the hostility toward homosexuals now raging through the Episcopalian Church is at least partly the fault of gay people, who are too convinced of their own truth to listen to others. On the other hand, you could argue that gay people have been beaten over the head with the viewpoint of people like the Archbishop of Nigeria Peter Akinola, who supports a proposed Nigerian law which would ban gay people in that country from so much as sitting down together in a public restaurant. What part of their own truth, should gay people renounce in order to accommodate others like Akinola?

Copyright © February 5, 2007 by Bruce Garrett
All Rights Reserved.

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