Churchof England General Synod to Make Decision on Gay & Lesbian Priest Issue

Last year's consecration of an openly homosexual American Bishop created an international split within the Anglican communion. The so-called "Windsor Report" made recommendations late last year. Now, the Primates of the Anglican Communion will meet to discuss the issue later this month and try to decide what the Church of England's response will be. The divisive issue will be discussed on the third day of the synod's first session of 2005.

According to a BBC report,

"The general secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, the Reverend Richard Kirker, has called for a change in the Church of England's stance. He said the Church would be able to 'sort this problem out' if it connected with the "basic Christian principle that everybody is equal in the sight of God". Mr Kirker added: "The longer there is a delay on officially permitting the ordination of gay people as priests or bishops... the more marginalised the Church will become."

Most non-North American Anglicans would be more inclined to agree with only the final part of that final sentence, that by "officially permitting the ordination of gay people as priests or bishops... the more marginalised the Church will become."

For the vast majority of Anglicans in the Third World and, perhaps, even a majority of American Episcopalians, the Episcopal Church of the United States has already become marginalized and irrelevent insofar as it no longer represents an historic or biblical expression of the Christian faith.

Look for a "lose-lose" situation for American Episcopalians. If the General Synod refuses to accept Bishop Robinson's consecration and demands that it be revoked, expect the American Bishops to adopt a stance of defiance that could lead to their dismissal from the Anglican Communion. On the other hand, if the General Synod allows the consecration to stand, expect the American Episcopal Church to divide, decline and disintegrate.

With those two alternatives in view, the more likely scenario is for the General Synod to hem and haw and hedge and prevaricate and beat around the bush and platitudinize and more or less pray fervently that with lots and lots of talking the whole mess will just sort of evaporate and go away.

I have read that ostriches do not really stick their heads in the ground to avoid things that frighten them. I pray that the Bishops and the others meeting in General Synod in England later this month will prove to be real "ostriches" and not the mythical variety.