Michael, I chose to interpret Archbishop Herft’s comments about the church being obsessed with sex, as referring to our American colleagues’ insistence on ordaining to the priesthood and consecrating as bishops people who will not adhere to the Bible’s teaching on this subject.

What else could he have been referring to?

Archbishop Herft is quite right - sections of the Anglican Communion are obsessed with sex - so much so that they regard sex as some kind of human right, to be valued more highly than either church unity or the Bible’s teachngs.

There was no debate about sexuality at the Perth synod.

Hmm, how postmodern of you!

I notice that Abp Roger did quote new ECUSA Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori with approval several times in his synod charge.

An interesting choice!

Post modernism?  Perhaps.  Out of charity, I always try to interpret preaching in a manner consistent with scripture, if at all possible.  We must make do.

As for Bishop Jefferts Schori, the Perth diocese has a prior association with her.  Nevada’s programme for training laymen as unstipended ministers had some influence on the Perth Diocese’s TEAM (Teach Each a Ministry) programme - whereby lay churchmen have been ordained local priests in small rural parishes which could not otherwise fund stipended ministry.  I had heard of her in this context, before her recent elevation.

Nevada is apparently one of the smaller ECUSA dioceses.  At about 5,000 in regular Sunday attendance, it is the same size as a single Dallas parish (Christ Church, Plano) which has left the Episcopal Church in response to the convention which elected her.

So while the Archbishop’s approving quoting of Mrs Jefferts Schori no doubt does signify sympathy, she was not totally unknown over here.

Perth Synod passed a motion assuring Bishop Jefferts Schori of our congratulations and prayerful support.  The speaker who proposed the motion noted that her election had been seen as divisive and than 7 dioceses had rejected her leadership.  There was a noisy minority in dissent - not for the explicit content of the motion, but for its implicit sentiment I expect.

What on earth do they do at Sydney Synod, without such juicy proposals to contend with?

Well I withdraw my rather cynical remark - it did seem random.

I looked again at this oficial Diocesan Media Release:

http://www.perthanglicans.com.au/46synod.shtml

October 7 2006 For Immediate Release

Obsession with sexuality issues concerns Anglican Archbishop of Perth

The Anglican Communion risks sacrificing its integrity as a result of an obsession with sexuality issues, the Archbishop of Perth told priests and laity this weekend.  Archbishop Roger Herft was speaking to over 400 clergy and laity gathered in Mirrabooka for the 46 th Synod of the Diocese of Perth, the largest Anglican church province in the world.

“We are in need of spiritual therapy that gives us a sense of our priorities lest we become obsessed with human sleeping arrangements and lose out on living our lives with an inner integrity that acts with justice and mercy to all humanity, women in particular, who continue to be amongst the poor and dispossessed of our world.”

Issues such as the blessing of same-sex couples, the presence of homosexuals as church leaders, and the ordination of female priests have attracted significant debate in recent years, and created rifts between members of the faith. 

Archbishop Herft says it is “ironic and unedifying” that the Anglican Communion is preoccupied with sex when there are so many more significant events competing for attention – citing, among others, the continuing carnage in Iraq and Afghanistan, the rising conflict between Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, hunger, homelessness, disease and environmental threats. 

“The Gospel of Jesus Christ with its extravagant call to holy intimacy invites us to celebrate human sexuality as a gift for the goodness of the individual, the community and society as a whole.  Jesus invites us to a deeper intimacy, a wholesome perspective on abundant life that sees sexuality within the integrity of relationship rather than a preoccupation of how parts of the human anatomy fit.”

For further information contact Jenny Hodder, Communications Director Perth Anglican Media (mobile) 0417 914 288 www.perthanglicans.com.au From the Communications Office Anglican Archbishop of Perth The Most Revd Roger Herft MEDIA RELEASE

Alan, you said that

“ there was no debate about sexuality at the Perth synod ”

well there may have been no debate, but the way I read that last paragraph, there certainly was a lot said by the Archbishop on behalf of the Diocese.  He made no reference to “our American colleagues”. I mostly see his remarks as an Australian Archbishop talking about the Australian church - from his viewpoint.

I mostly see his remarks as an Australian Archbishop talking about the Australian church - from his viewpoint.

Kevin, that’s an understandable point of view, but is it one which is likely to promote charity and unity in the Church?  Mightn’t it be just an own goal to always interpret the remarks of churchmen whose theology is more liberal than ours, as containing coded criticism of us and of the Bible?

If Archbishop Herft had really meant to say…

the refusal of people to let churches get on with blessing of same-sex couples, appointing homosexuals as church leaders, and ordaining female priests has attracted significant debate in recent years, and created rifts between members of the faith
then we would be left with no alternative but to adopt your conclusion.

Taking up the Archbishop’s point about not unnecessarily creating “rifts between members of the faith”, shouldn’t Orthodox / Bible-believing Anglicans try to avoid suspicion or assumptions of hostility, and see if we can’t say - yes we agree with Archbishop Herft - it’s terrible that parts of the Anglican Communion are promoting some kind of sexual liberation agenda:  if we were more focussed on the Bible’s teachings, these rifts would heal.

The Archbishop said..

The Gospel of Jesus Christ with its extravagant call to holy intimacy invites us to celebrate human sexuality as a gift for the goodness of the individual, the community and society as a whole. Jesus invites us to a deeper intimacy, a wholesome perspective on abundant life that sees sexuality within the integrity of relationship rather than a preoccupation of how parts of the human anatomy fit.

I think Evangelicals agree with this, don’t we?  Human sexuality is a gift, for the good of all mankind.  Jesus does invite us to intimacy with him - in particular the obedience of faith.  He did come that we might have an abundant life.  It’s a tragic misuse of God’s gift, and a forsaking of intimacy with Christ to disregard His holy laws - meant for our blessing - as to how to use that gift.  It is much bigger than “how parts of the human anatomy fit.” We do ourselves no favours when we automatically assume that this “preoccupation” is a reference to the Bible’s teachings.

Alan, thanks for those comments. I have gone back to Perth’s website:

http://www.perthanglicans.com.au/index.shtml

and note that the media release used selected quotes from the Archbishop’s “Charge to Synod”. There are 3 pages ( 15 to 17 ) that look at “The Anglican Communion”.