Friday, November 09, 2012

Justin Welby: "careful and prayerful" thinking


The newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the present Bishop of Durham, pledged to examine his own thinking on homosexual marriage "carefully and prayerfully" and spoke out against "exclusion".
If he were a Catholic of course he would know what the Magisterium says. The Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Church, that is the voice of the prayerful meditation of the Church down the ages. As an Anglican Archbishop "careful and prayerful" thinking must always have one of its many ears firmly on the keyhole of the Cabinet Room of No 10, who in turn are plugged into the opinion polls and whatever corner Stonewall and Dave have painted them into.

I remember being given an essay title as a seminarian by our history teacher the great Dr Freddy Broomfield, "The CofE is more a system of ecclesial government than a Church:  discuss". Anglican "prayerful thinking" is always going to be different from that of Catholics and the other ancient Churches.

10 comments:

John Nolan said...

I remember reading once that a student in the 1950s asked his Jesuit tutor what was the spiritual authority of the Church of England. He received the reply "Henry VIII's Church has as much spiritual authority as British Railways".

Unknown said...

Agree completely. I tweeted today that this was another political appointment. I am sure the future ABC was well briefed about what he will hear about homosexuality before a decision was made to appoint him.

Oona said...

I'm not so sure, Father. I haven't heard any of our bishops explaining why gay marriage is impossible, so far. They seem intent on appeasing the dictator.

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

"gay marriage" is becoming is a good example of the oxymoronic:

http://www.catholic.com/sites/default/files/why_homosexual_unions_are_not_marriages.pdf

Likewise polygamous marriage, which "is contrary to conjugal love which is undivided and exclusive":

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm

While Kat Graham celebrates 'at the ballot box, you Catholic voters did what our faith commands: You followed your conscience” - isn't it we who are supposed to take that pilgrim journey from our POV and conform our consciences towards that which has been vouchsfed to us through the Church by Christ and His apostles. It’s a difficult valley to cross between contemporary ideas that a good conscience it just about what people think is 'fairness’ (why does ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’ come to mind) and the Truth. I guess that's it's a journey of pilgrims.

Nicolas Bellord said...

It struck me that he did at least put his position very clearly - pro women bishops - anti gay marriage. I found that refreshing.

If one must think there is a political conspiracy could it be that this is a cunning move by Cameron to get himself off the hook? Women bishops as a sop to the liberals but after prayerful consideration and seeing the opposition of the Churches gay marriage will be quietly dropped?

Frederick Jones said...

At least he does not liken the eucharist to homosexual intercourse nor does he deny or minimise the holocaust. People in glass houses should not throw stones. As Cardinal Heenan said "Heresy is now interconfessional".

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

oi -I wish I'd never heard of that 'comparative intercourse';

'Worship used to be addressed to God as an homage; henceforth it will be addressed to man to console and enlighten him. The sacrifice used to have pride of place but the sermon will supplant it'. Luther.

God rescue me from the 'consoling', and 'enlightning', in contemporary 'sermons.

Physiocrat said...

Excuse me but wasn't Cardinal Pole the last AoC?

Fr Ray Blake said...

Yes Pole was, but others have used the title.

momangelica said...

Fr. Where did you find "Keyhole Kate"? I haven't thought of her since primary school days. It made me feel........strangely nostalgic.

Nicolas Bellord said...
"If one must think there is a political conspiracy could it be that this is a cunning move by Cameron to get himself off the hook? Women bishops as a sop to the liberals but after prayerful consideration and seeing the opposition of the Churches gay marriage will be quietly dropped?"

That has cheered me up and I really pray this is so.

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