Toward a Reconciled World

Before commenting on tonight's forum, let me first point you to the information that is being provided to us regarding the testimony of the Archbishop of York at the Windsor hearing last night:

The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, said toward the end of the hearing that the Windsor Report was acting like a doctor, saying a relationship needs to be healed.

"Anglicanism has always responded to the challenge ... by scripture, reason and tradition," he said. "Maybe the committee should ask: do these resolutions help us ourselves ... to show the marks of our own crucifixion?"

Andrew Gerns offers us much more of the content of the Archbishop's testimony. He also had the opportunity to have a very revealing personal conversation with the Archbishop:

...I asked him if regret had to with actually consecrating +Gene, and he said no. Our regret must turn on how we needed to get a wider consensus in the Communion. We cannot, and must not, 'take back' +Gene's election and consecration. Our regret is that we did not make the case to the rest of the Communion as to the biblical basis for what God is calling us to do...

The Presiding Bishop's Forum: Toward a Reconciled World, which was held tonight, has already been covered by Convention news (someone is on the ball on that site). The quotes in their article are more accurate than my notes, so I'll spare you my rendition. But I will mention the specific quotes (not verbatim) from Bishop Griswold and Senator Danforth that caused those present to break out in applause, and a couple of things not in the article I found significant;

Bp. Griswold: "God's concern is the world, not the Church." (applause)

Sen. Danforth: "Is sexual orientation the most important issue in the Episcopal Church? The public doesn't care who we elect as bishop, and I bet many in the pews don't either!" (applause)

Sen. Danforth: "We've always seen ourselves as the middle way...we can gather around the altar with our differences..." (applause)

Senator Danforth suggested that every time someone tries to get us to talk about a divisive issue, we preface everything we say with, "The main point is the ministry of reconciliation."

He also cautioned us that a broken church cannot offer a witness to the world of being able to offer anything of lasting value. He called us to find a way to mend the brokeness.

I'll be sitting in on an early morning hearing tomorrow, so time to call it a night.

J.