Canterbury’s Analysis of the Schismatics
“Theirs is a sectarian, congregationalist church that can tolerate only one sort of Christian and only the authority of bishops who agree with them. There is no room for dialogue, doubt or debate… Homosexuality is their last great taboo and they are determined to fight it tooth and nail. If they give way now, the whole authority of the Bible, on which they base their belief, must crumble, just as their ancestors thought it would disintegrate if slavery was deemed un-Christian or women were ordained or divorce was permitted or shellfish was eaten. It is the issue they have chosen. It has not been thrust upon them–they spotted it as a rallying point more than a decade ago and have been waiting for their opportunity to strike. They see it as a useful way to unite their constituency in opposition to the shifting sands of belief and secular culture.”
The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury,
quoted by Stephen Bates in “A Church at War: Anglicans and Homosexuality” (2005)
“A useful way to unite their constituency”—in other words, a scapegoat.
What do you see when you look at a crucifix? Atonement for our sins, or God as a scapegoat?
I am very interested in when +++Williams said this. Was it in recent response or was it some years ago as it appears?
Comment by Monk-in-Training — September 28, 2007 @ 7:40 pm
Monk, it’s original reporting by the book author, two years old but still relevant. Stephen Bates is a well-known British religion reporter who’s just announced he’s giving up his beat, because he’s sick of “church wars.”
Comment by josh — September 29, 2007 @ 12:32 am