The St Matthew's Team
30 Oct 2009 00:00:00
St Matthew-in-the-City would like to acknowledge the hospitality of Pope Benedict XVI. Yesterday it was reported that the Roman Catholic Church will fast- track the reception of Anglican individuals, parishes and dioceses en masse into their fold. It seems they are being invited to share that church’s view that women and openly gay and lesbian individuals should not be ordained and only heterosexual couples should have their unions blessed by God.
By this action, Benedict has done world Anglicanism a favour. He has provided a door for some of our most reactionary and close-minded adherents to leave our fold. We are grateful to Rome, and we sincerely wish them all the best. Good luck.
Inspired by Rome’s hospitality, St Matthew-in-the-City wishes to reciprocate. Although we know of many Roman Catholics who are frequently appalled by the conservatism of their Church and yet faithfully continue to work within it, we would like to assure all Christians and those of other faiths who feel marginalized by their gender, sexual orientation or their inclusive, progressive theology that they will be received fully and warmly into the life of St Matthew’s. No questions asked. Indeed this has in theory been the broad welcoming position of the entire Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand for many decades. We just haven’t made any press statements about it.
Comments:
| IronicMan [Terra]
| 03 Jan 2010 09:34:39 |
It's highly ironic that a church which makes it difficult for straight men to join the hierarchy would be so opposed to gays otherwise....
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| Roger McClellan [Alabama, US]
| 04 Jan 2010 05:16:53 |
|
Excellent statement! |
What do you think?
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