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Anglican Bishop Urges Communion Not to Sweep Homosexuality Under Rug

By
Daniel Blake
Christian Post Correspondent
Wed, Jan. 02 2008 11:30 AM ET
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LONDON – A senior Church of England bishop has urged the Anglican Communion to face up to the controversial issue of homosexuality in the Church at this year’s landmark Lambeth Conference.

The Rt. Rev. Nigel McCulloch, the bishop of Manchester, said it would be “odd” and “irresponsible” if there were no plans for a major public debate on the issue of gay clergy.

According to The Daily Telegraph, he suggested that the conference was sweeping the issue “under the carpet.”

The Lambeth Conference, which is only convened once every ten years, has been embroiled in controversy with consistent rumors that many bishops will boycott the event in protest at the Anglican church body’s apparent loosening stance on homosexuality.

Despite the threat of schism within the worldwide Anglican Communion over the issue, there are no plans for a public debate on the matter at the landmark conference, and much of the conference will be taking place privately.

The bishop of Manchester criticized fellow bishops who are threatening to boycott the meeting in protest over the presence of leaders from The Episcopal Church at the conference. The Episcopal Church, the U.S. arm of Anglicanism, has been one of the most liberal branches in the communion, and in 2003 ordained the first openly gay bishop in Anglican Church history.

The spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, has spoken of his hope to maintain unity within the communion, and how the Lambeth Conference is a vital event to cement this. However, many boycotting bishops are now planning an alternative gathering in Jerusalem just a few weeks before the Lambeth Conference takes place in England.

“However deep family arguments and differences are, we ought to be following the New Testament pattern of meeting together to pray, to learn, to eat and to share,” commented McCulloch in his diocesan magazine.

"The first Lambeth Conference was called in the wake of controversy; and it would be exceedingly odd – even irresponsible – for the bishops to avoid, and appear to sweep under the carpet, the very issues that are currently inhibiting our common witness to Christ across the world."

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johnmorrison9
  • Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:46 am
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I agree that we Christians should not refuse communion who seek it, but they must also realize that it could be a damnation to those opposed to God. Only God can see the hearts of men. However the church must not throw stones at sinner, nor tie millstone around the necks of believers, ie promote or condone sin.
kc95819
  • Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:56 pm
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"gay Issues" is an absurd term, gay clergy.... why would anyone want to be defined by a perversion they practice of any kind? Pride is a sin and gay pride is thrown around in the face of God. These people have been blinded by the enemy and they are dragging down anyone they can with them. What if you took every gay argument and changed the word gay or homosexual for adulterer or pedophile or any other sinful thing? gay clergy might as well be called faithless clergy.

Jude:17-19 But remember, dear friends, that the apostles of our Master, Jesus Christ, told us this would happen: "In the last days there will be people who don't take these things seriously anymore. They'll treat them like a joke, and make a religion of their own whims and lusts." These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves. There's nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit!
Quecat
  • Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:01 pm
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There IS no debate. There is only sinful men/women trying to push an agenda so that their particular brand of sin is no longer labelled as such.

Since when do unrepentant sinners of any ilk walk into the church and have the right to say that God's Word offends them?, much less be allowed to demand that change occur?
Gratus
  • Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:08 am
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To the bishop of Manchester: I trust that the Lambeth Conference will not sweep homosexuality under the carpet, but under the authority of God's Holy Word.
jesus4me
  • Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:02 am
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The Bible is clear that homosexuality is a sin. Let's remember that God loves the sinner, but He hates the sin. homosexuality is not unforgivable, but people need to make a choice to die to themselves when they decide to follow Christ. One can't openly be living in any sexual sin and claim to be born again without remorse and repentance. If one is born again and falls into any sexual sin, then there needs to be true repentance. Without repentance and a sincere desire for the Lord of Lords to change our desires, our hearts, our wills, and our minds to His heart, His Will, and His desires, then one would have to question if someone trully is saved, or just living in flat open rebellion against the One who bore their sins on the Cross. See, for someone to profess to be living in open homosexuality and to claim to be born again, let alone, try to be a pastor in a church, while not choosing to repent is an oxymoron. The Holy Spirit within one who used to be a practicing homosexual and is now trully born again will convict them of their sin and they will turn their back on that lifestyle. This will mean that that person will have to refuse to go to places they used to go, and stop hanging out with those who would continue to endorse this sinful lifestyle so they won't be enticed or tempted to fall back into the same sin again, etc. The same goes for men who are addicted to pornography. They need to repent as well, because eventually that sin will lead them to commit even graver sins of lust, etc. Jesus Christ is faithful and just to forgive us our sins if we confess them to Him. He is faithful and He won't stop working in our lives, but we need to be willing to allow Him to do that, and sometimes, that means a radical change; almost like radical cancer surgery. If you don't remove the tumor, it will eventually take you out. This is what sin does in our lives.

Ironically, because the liberal factions in Christianity as well as the post moderns in society don't want to uphold the authority of Scriptures, then compromise and heretical teachings come into play which give way to the watering down of the Scriptures, and not taking heed to God's commands. Obviously, this is what is happening in this church. It is not obeying God's clear command that homosexuality is a sin, but rather, wants to "talk" about it.
Oglefam
  • Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:51 pm
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Any pastor or clergy who ignores Romans 1 is no disciple of Yeshua, they too have had their minds given over depravity.
FullGospel
  • Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:30 pm
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maranatha7593, our brother Martin encountered the same thing in his day. No matter what anybody thought, they thought it to be right. Imagine what he'd say if he were alive today and saw what's occurring in Christianity. Better yet, imagine what St. Paul would say! Whew!
maranatha7593
  • Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:41 pm
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chica and Online4Him, I agree with both of you 100%. FullGospel, I think I agree with you. Can you clarify? :-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you!
FullGospel
  • Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:36 pm
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We might have seen this coming:

"There are as many sects and beliefs as there are heads...There is no rustic so rude but that, if he dreams or fancies anything it must be the whisper of the Holy Spirit and he himself is a prophet."

-Martin Luther
chica
  • Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:34 pm
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Unless they are going to have a serious discussion about the gay issue at this conference, then these bishops should boycott. New Testament does say to no even sit down and eat with "Christians" who are living an openly sinful life. Within Biblical context, it was talking about an adulterous couple within the church. Same difference.
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