Decisive day in Lambeth: the 'S' day

Early this morning the BBC announced that today is THE day. Bishops will talk and reflect on human sexuality (that's why I called it the 's' day!)
The agenda for today can be found here. Even more, later today a theater play will be performed on the stories of gay Christians.

Funny enough, Bishops have been listening to one side of the story. But Peter Ould made the point in a recent post: the voices of those Christians who once were gay and today are not gay anymore have not been heard! He clearly mentions Andy Comiskey (the founder of Desert Stream Ministries, now in Kansans), Mario Bergner, an Anglican priest from Redeemed Lives Ministries. There are other Anglicans like Martin Hallet the founder of True Freedom Trust who deserve to be heard, or that should have had more room and space in all this process. Probably they were heard before.

A good article on the Anglican Crisis can be found here.

Again, let's pray, wait and see.

Venables will attend Lambeth

Finally, after lots of "I won't attend Lambeth" and probably following the request of several orthodox bishops in the UK, +++Greg Venables, the Primate of the Southern Cone will indeed attend Lambeth.

The full story here.

In any case, due to all the turmoil surrounding the schism between Orthodox (Bible believing) and Liberal (open minded, easy going and not really Bible believing) Anglicans, Venables' presence in Lambeth is of utmost importance. He must stand for those who still hold the Bible as final source of doctrine and faith, as the Reformers did. At least, the Orthodox Anglicans should make their voices heard.

Ik ben tolero

Recently Kris Vleugels' mailing list brought to my attention the newest tolerance campaign in Belgium. His statements are clearly posted at actiegezin. The campaign organized by Mme Katheleen Van Brempt, the Flemish Minister of Equal Chances has been followed by the media and some groups due to a very tricky and controversial slogan. The full campaign basically aims at making Flemish society more tolerant with homosexual people and reduce the discrimination against same sex attracted people, highlighting the difficulties faced, particularly by youngsters, in the acceptance of homosexuality as their identity.

I think that everybody agrees with the fact that all humans deserve respect, equal chances, and opportunities. In that context I would oppose to any kind of intolerance and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Still, I think that the wording of the campaign is a bit out of boundaries. The campaign starts with the very famous 'f' word. That does not need translation. It curses homosexuals and heterosexuals both at the same time, and then lifts up the "toleros" (the tolerants). In my humble opinion it insults/offends gay people as well as heterosexual people. I wonder, why not to be proactive and creative in the communication strategies? That the campaign wants to shock is clear! But trespassing the limits of respecting the "other" by using such wording is at the very least questionable.

Obviously, there is a huge debate. Lots of discussions going on the issue, including in the Christian sites. Obviously, the younger generation of Christians are debating it in the forum of the Breeze site.

I was simply astonished by the following statement:

Wie zijn wij christenen om aan een ander onze normen en waarden op te leggen? (signed truthseeker)

Translation: Who do we think we are, Christians, to impose our values on others?

Today at lunch, my friend Samuel reminded me that adulthood is also about knowing your beliefs. Such comments from Christians trying to play the "cool" are a post enlightenment misunderstanding of the Gospel. This makes me think that we are not to "impose" anything by force. That was the failure of the Inquisition. But we can indeed embody a different lifestyle, a lifestyle fueled by the love described in 1st Corinthians 13. Love has also to do with truth. Love has to do with remaining firm and unmovable in the faith of the Resurrected Jesus for the sake of the whole society.

Be blessed!