A weekly comment by our Rector, John Davies. For previous week's comments, click here.

A Degree of Separation!

The decision of the Uniting Church Assembly to approve the ordination of practicing homosexuals has received a lot of attention in the media, and has been criticised by leading church figures in Sydney.

Bishop Peter Tasker, Bishop of Liverpool in the Diocese of Sydney, has issued a statement expressing the grave concern of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney over the decision, Especially in relation to ecumenical cooperation.

Bishop Tasker spole on behalf of the Diocese of Sydney in the absence of Archbishop Peter Jensen who is overseas until the end of the month, Bishop Tasker said that "leaders in our churches should be above reproach and be those whose lives exemplify the very biblical and Christian teaching that they are duty bound to give," and that "It is painful to us now to have to point out to the Uniting Church that today's decisions raise important questions for biblically minded Anglicans, such as those in our diocese, over the future recognition of the ministries of any Uniting Church ministers who are partners in a homosexual relationship.

The text of Bishop Tasker's comment follows: "In recent weeks there has been immense controvery in the Anglican Communion over the blessing of same-sex unions in a Canadian diocese and the selection of practicing homosexual clergy to be bishops in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church of the United States.

As Anglican church leaders from one diocese in the Communion, Archbishop Jensen and his five regional bishops, including myself, have spoken against this grave departure from biblical teaching in our Church. 'Fore this reason we cannot ignore this recent decision by the Uniting Church of Australia,. We view this departure of our Uniting Church colleagues from the teaching of scripture and the ages-old moral tradition of the Christian Church with grave concern.

Homosexual practice is incompatible with scripture. The overwhelming majority of the Anglican Communion's bishops voted at the 1998 Lambeth Conference that they cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same-sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same-gender unions'. Biblical teaching states clearly that a sexual relationship should be expressed between a man and a woman in heterosexual marriage. Archbishop Jensen wrote in newspapers some days ago, and we affirm, ‘'It is in humility, not arrogance that a Christian affirms to his or her sisters or brothers that this is the way to please God. There should be no doubt that leaders in our churches should be above reproach and be those whose lives exemplify the very biblical and Christian teaching that they are duty-bound to give.’

"It is painful to us now to have to point out to the Uniting Church that today's decision raises important questions for biblically minded Anglicans, such as those in our diocese, over the future recognition of the ministries of any Uniting Church ministers who are partners in a homosexual relationship."

John Davies

27 July 2003