Monday, June 23, 2008

The ABC on the forthcoming Lambeth Conference

http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/13581/

[Stand Firm] 23 Jun 2008--Okay -- here's the real way these "small groups" work. The folks in the small groups quickly figure out whether the members have traditional views or progressive views on theology. Those with traditional views hang out together in the conference. Those with progressive views hang out together in the conference. Then, the person who "reports" on behalf of the group presents the mish-mash of gospels that came out of the group's "dialogue". Then -- if either side is smart -- the designated [by the subgroup of the group] spokesperson for either side stands and presents their alternate report. A few of the "let's drop anchor and hope they all fall asleep" revisionists -- the Peter Lee's of this world who have hoped to do things far far more quietly than the idealistic "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" revisionists ended up doing will stand and comment about how gracious the conversation with The Other was and how all of them had realized how important it is to meet one another on the fields beyond good and evil, and just how important and how wonderful it was to get to know one another better, and certainly there is greater clarity about the contexts in which we all live and breathe and have our beingness and live into the Incarnationness of the risen Christ-figures within us all, which will certainly improve relations that much more.

And the "conversation" goes on . . . only both sides will realize with sickening clarity just how much more divided we are than they had even imagined.

What I wonder is . . . does the ABC not understand that this is actually how these groups go, now that we've all recognized the competing and opposing gospels that are within the church? Is he in denial? Or just ignorant of how it works?

What a travesty.

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