LAMBETH: "Not Respectful" - Bishops React to Archbishop Orombi
By Hans Zeiger in Canterbury
www.virtueonline.org
August 1, 2008
CANTERBURY-Following an article in today's Times of London by Ugandan Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, who is boycotting the Lambeth Conference, some bishops shared their reactions with VirtueOnline.
Orombi wrote that the Church of Uganda was absent from Lambeth because it could not be in communion with The Episcopal Church, and "maybe our absence will speak louder than our words." While most bishops surveyed had not yet read Orombi's article, those who had were forthright in their opinions.
A bishop of The Episcopal Church who refused to identify himself said, "I saw it and I thought that it was not respectful."
The Rt. Rev. John Flack, a former director of the Anglican Center in Rome and the Archbishop's former representative to the Holy See, said, "I think he's coming from such a different starting place than most people here, but I'm not where he is. I can't just access Scripture in a blank-page way without the influences that surround it."
Another bishop criticized conservative Anglicans for their unwillingness to join the conversation about the place of sex in the Communion. "They were very strong words, I must say, especially since the Archbishop [of Canterbury] has tried to keep the church together," said the Rt. Rev. Ragnar Persenius, Bishop of Upssala, in Communion through the Swedish Lutheran Church. "I wonder what conservatives are doing to keep the church together. They do not seem to contribute to a solution. Some are not even speaking to others. Although they have serious theological disagreements, they also have to get into the conversation."
As for his sense of the prevailing opinion at Lambeth, Persenius said that "most people attending this Conference want to stay together."
END
| Poster | Thread |
|---|---|
| Fisherman | Posted: 2008/8/1 11:13 Updated: 2008/8/1 11:23 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2006/8/25 From: Dallas - Province of the Southern Cone, DoFW Posts: 675 |
Quote:
They do not seem to contribute to a solution And your solution to which problem would be dear bishop? ++Orombi and others provided the communion with Lambeth 1.10. You and your minions have completely ignored a solution before you became the problem. May the saints preserve us! |
| Damascus | Posted: 2008/8/1 11:27 Updated: 2008/8/1 11:27 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2004/9/26 From: Republic of Karelia Posts: 640 |
Another bishop criticized conservative Anglicans for their unwillingness to join the conversation about the place of sex in the Communion. "They were very strong words, I must say, especially since the Archbishop [of Canterbury] has tried to keep the church together," said the Rt. Rev. Ragnar Persenius, Bishop of Upssala, in Communion through the Swedish Lutheran Church. "I wonder what conservatives are doing to keep the church together. They do not seem to contribute to a solution. Some are not even speaking to others. Although they have serious theological disagreements, they also have to get into the conversation."
The priority is not to keep the Anglican Communion together, it is to keep Anglicanism part of the one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. If you start out with the assumption that the most important goal is to keep the Communion united, even if it is united in apostasy, you are dooming yourself to find that outcome. We could find unity with the Muslims if we started stoning women for adultery, but I don't think that is the kind of unity that we want. It is not the worst thing in the world if the Communion collapses. It would be far worse if the Communion survived but failed to witness to the redeeming nature of faith in Jesus Christ. |
| Budoka | Posted: 2008/8/1 11:54 Updated: 2008/8/1 12:37 |
Not too shy to talk ![]() ![]() Joined: 2004/10/23 From: DNBK Posts: 27 |
Admonishment from those who are right to those who are wrong is a defining act of respect.
In fact, in would be a defining act of disrespect for the right not to admonish the wrong. |
| thomvirtue | Posted: 2008/8/1 11:55 Updated: 2008/8/1 11:55 |
Just popping in ![]() ![]() Joined: 2007/9/25 From: Posts: 17 |
Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Proverbs 27:5 & 6 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue. Proverbs 28:23 |
| quissum | Posted: 2008/8/1 12:07 Updated: 2008/8/1 12:10 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2006/2/18 From: Posts: 337 |
The Swedes sold out Christian morality so long ago that Bp. Persenius' comment rings quite hollow. For those who have imbibed "free love" as a human 'right' and cheapened God's gift of sexuality to an animal level, no amount of talking to the contrary can help them understand those who take obedience to God's revealed will seriously.
They assume, in materialist terms, that human sexuality is simply a bodily function (like a foetus is simply organic tissue) and cannot imagine how the issue of sexuality could ever be a matter of serious moral concern. And yet the Holy Scriptures underlying both the Jewish and Christian moral traditions have very clear teaching about sexual relations which is quite 'puritannical' to a secular, liberal mindset. Indeed, the secular, liberal mindset believes its understanding of sexuality to have surpassed the Bible, to be superior and 'enlightened.' Therefore, anyone who seriously subscribes to biblical morality is unenlightened, obtuse, or even backward. Moreover, having wrought incalculable damage to cohesive family life in Europe and North America as a result of this 'advanced' thinking, such as the bishop of Uppsala want perversely to foist their sexual immorality on the rest of the 'benighted' world. What madness! The sheer perversity of this sexual 'ethic' (rather lack thereof) can be seen in the promotion of homosexuality and its utterly fraudulent representation as a 'normal and valid variation of human sexual responses.' What is more demeaning to one's humanity than to define personhood primarily by same-sex preference and encourage individuals to construct their lives around that dubious presumption? And they call this 'loving'?? Biblical morality is rooted in the order of creation as God constituted it, for the good of humanity, individually and corporately. To deny or reject that order is to bring the personal corruption and consequences St. Paul enumerates in the first chapter of Romans. Bible believing Christians cannot maintain their integrity and obedience to God's Will by 're-thinking' sexual morality according to secular fashions. What fellowship has Light with Darkness? The Bishop of Uppsala--and very many like him at Lambeth--have forgotten or discarded what GAFCON affirms. The question of sexuality, as so often reiterated, is simply the tip of the iceberg--and the Anglican Communion, it seems, is the Titanic. |
| jfmckenna | Posted: 2008/8/1 13:04 Updated: 2008/8/1 13:04 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2006/2/4 From: Posts: 495 |
They don't feel respected! Now, that may be a sign they're getting the point.
|
| Causidicus | Posted: 2008/8/1 13:32 Updated: 2008/8/1 13:33 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2005/7/3 From: Posts: 1065 |
Anonymous Episcopagan Bishop: “I saw it (++Orombi’s statement) and I though it was not respectful” .
Oh really? Like accusing all the male Bishops at Lambeth of being wife beaters was not respectful or maybe not respectful in another way? Rt.Rev. John Flack: “..he’s (Orombi) coming from such a different starting place than most people here...” No fooling John boy! Strongly suggest you “come from” where Orombi’s “coming from” and not the place where Louis (Crew) dwells. Bishop of Upsala: “ Some are not speaking to others”. Well, Bishop, that would be because since Dar es Salaam the time for talking has been over. Where’s the repentance? Where’s the turning away? Bishop of Upsala: “most people attending this Conference want to stay together”. Ah, yes, the mantra of UNITY AT ANY COST. You are going to be deeply surprised at what the cost is of acceding to these innovations in order to maintain unity. |
| Cennydd | Posted: 2008/8/1 13:37 Updated: 2008/8/1 13:37 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2005/10/30 From: Los Banos, CA, Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin Posts: 6684 |
Jfmckenna, that is exactly the point!
Cennydd |
| Laytone | Posted: 2008/8/1 13:57 Updated: 2008/8/1 13:57 |
Just can't stay away ![]() ![]() Joined: 2004/5/21 From: Brewton, Alabama Posts: 89 |
In the words of my dad "Respect can't be bartered or bought, it has to be earned."
There you have it. Laytone |
| esniii | Posted: 2008/8/1 15:14 Updated: 2008/8/1 15:14 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2004/3/29 From: Posts: 385 |
Quote:
..."They were very strong words, I must say, especially since the Archbishop (of Canterbury) has tried to keep the church together," said the Rt. Rev. Ragnar Persenius, Bishop of Upssala, "...although they have serious theological disagreements, they also have to get into the conversation."... Persenius said that "most people attending this Conference want to stay together." Dear Ragnar-ok, Williams HAS tried to herd the church together, but he has not tried to keep the church together on the path to God, aiming instead for the lowest common denominator goal, "together". Those who think that he can succeed, and that this goal may save souls are attanding Lambeth, those who feel it is a waste of the talents left in their care did not. Naturally, those who are attending want to stay together. So do sheep or more relevantly, lemmings. |
| esniii | Posted: 2008/8/1 15:23 Updated: 2008/8/1 20:52 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2004/3/29 From: Posts: 385 |
Nor do the faithful, Flack. That's why they pray for the Holy Spirit (the critical influence on all scripture) to inform them. That's why they spend years reading the Bible, praying for greater faith and understanding.
That's why the African bishops are on the whole better-schooled than tecusa cronies in purple, because they need to access the Holy Scriptures, and they have reverence and respect for them, and don't want to impose some new false thinking into their teaching and decision-making. So if you "can't access" their arguments, maybe you should start by spending a few years re-learning basic Biblical theology at one of the new African seminaries. Just don't waste your time and money at eds or any of the other revisionist seminaries. You can get quite as logical arguments out of the typical street drunk or homeless person, in fact maybe better ones. |
| cuervoria | Posted: 2008/8/1 18:32 Updated: 2008/8/1 20:52 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2006/6/15 From: College Station, Texas Posts: 537 |
Damascus said it so well, I thought it would be appropriate to have him say it again.
de la Cuervoria |
| daveball | Posted: 2008/8/1 19:05 Updated: 2008/8/1 19:05 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2004/12/18 From: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2281 |
Comments coming from TEc and the C of E about "respect" and "unity" are growing exceedingly tiresome. It is they who have no respect for anything other than their own demented objectives and pursue "unity" only to the extent they can set the rules.
Time to tell these frauds and false teachers that they can do whatever they want to all by themselves. |
| bpcranmer | Posted: 2008/8/1 21:12 Updated: 2008/8/1 21:13 |
Just can't stay away ![]() ![]() Joined: 2006/4/14 From: PA Posts: 150 |
You know, I'm tempted to agree with the good bishops Flack and Persenius. I mean, can we even imagine Jesus using such harsh language?
Or perhaps we can: Matthew 23:27-28: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Quote: As for his sense of the prevailing opinion at Lambeth, Persenius said that "most people attending this Conference want to stay together." This is really a very good idea. At least we'll know where to find all the religious unbelievers. |
| Ikerliker | Posted: 2008/8/2 2:43 Updated: 2008/8/2 2:43 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2007/1/16 From: PA Posts: 2046 |
I guess the truth hurts.
Tough beans. Stop being heretics. |
| RABTOR | Posted: 2008/8/2 3:13 Updated: 2008/8/2 3:13 |
Not too shy to talk ![]() ![]() Joined: 2007/11/24 From: Toronto Posts: 31 |
Having read Bp. Henry Luke Orombi’s letter at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4438729.ece it’s hard to find anything but truth in his comments. His observation about the colonial nature of Canterbury’s so-called leadership position is quite obviously not an accusation, but is a matter of fact. Likewise all that he says about decisions made in the American churches are openly public for all to see.
I venture to say that there are not a few Canadians who would heartily concur with his assessment. One wonders about the faith of any who accuse him of being disrespectful. Actually he shows remarkable restraint. The C of E has a long history of disinterest in "keeping the church together". It allowed the English Parliament in 1662 to throw out 2000 Puritans and other non-conformists including moderates like Richard Baxter. Only 26 years later, it endured the exit of many high church clergy who refused to give allegiance to William and Mary. Anybody remember the Wesleys and Methodism? As Orombi implies, the institution is still too entwined with the state to understand its proper role and purpose. Anybody remember worship, discipleship and evangelism? BUT ... GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED. HIS WORD, SPIRIT AND BLOOD STILL BEAR WITNESS. YESHUA / JESUS IS LORD! HE WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH. |




















