|
 |
|||||||||||||||||
| |
|
Letter from Concerned Clergy |
Editor's Note: The following "Open Letter" was issued by five priests from the Diocese of New Westminster on July 3, including the editor of the "New Vision" website, Rev. John Oakes. It is intended to express some of the major concerns of this group of "traditionalist" clergy, who are not part of the Anglican Communion in New Westminster (ACiNW), following the implementation of the blessing of same-sex unions in May. We deeply regret the decision by our bishop to authorize the issue and use of a rite for the blessing of same-sex unions, and we lament the fact that the first such blessing has already taken place in the Diocese of New Westminster. We strongly affirm God's love for all, whatever their sexual orientation. We deplore the church's frequent failure to minister to gay, lesbian and transgendered people as the gospel of grace requires and we acknowledge and repent of our own shortcomings in that regard. We desire our church communities to be truly inclusive. We seek to model compassion, healing, unity and right relationships in Christ. Despite the recent acts of our Diocesan Synod, we continue to regard homosexual practice as falling short of biblical ideals for human sexuality. We see the blessing of same-sex unions as a direct contravention of clear scriptural teaching and of orthodox Christian tradition and we cannot support it under any circumstances. We are also distressed by the unilateral and divisive nature of our diocese's actions. The highest councils of the global Anglican Communion, including the Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops of 1998 and the gathering of the world's leading Anglican Bishops in Brazil in May, have consistently stated that they cannot support same-sex blessings. The Canadian House of Bishops has taken a similar view and requested General Synod 2004 to address the issue directly in 2004. The most senior Anglican leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev. Rowan Williams, has stated that "in taking this action and ignoring the considerable reservations of the Church..., the diocese [of New Westminster] has gone significantly further than the teaching of the Church or pastoral concern can justify." He has also warned of "the inevitable tension and division that will result from this development." We share the concerns of Archbishop Williams. Many of our parishioners are deeply distressed by recent events and some are finding it impossible to maintain fellowship with the diocese. We are moved by the pain and suffering that they, with others who have already departed our parishes and our diocese, are experiencing in our current crisis. Our hope and prayer is that God will eventually provide a way forward for lasting reconciliation in the Diocese of New Westminster. We commit ourselves to strive for a return to orthodox principles of biblical morality and we urge those who have departed from them to repent. We welcome the support and encouragement of all who will join us in such objectives and we call upon our diocesan, provincial and national church leaders to do everything in their power to help facilitate them. Yours in Christ, Reverend John Oakes, Priest-in-Charge, Holy Trinity, Vancouver Reverend Dawn MacDonald, Rector, Holy Cross, Vancouver Reverend Archie Pell, Rector, Christ Church, Hope Reverend James Wagner, Priest-in-Charge, Church of the Holy Cross, Abbotsford Reverend Paul Woehrle, Rector, St. David's, Delta | |
home | |
(This page is maintained by Rev. Dr. John Oakes and Kirsten Oakes .) |
|