Responding to debates at this week’s meeting of Provincial Synod, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba – who is on record as saying that ministry to the LGBTQ community should be dealt with as a pastoral matter in local communities – gave the following comments:
“Because the Archbishop’s Commission has sensitised more people to the issue and got the broader church to think and reflect, there has been movement forward since 2016. At least we are now engaging with one another.
“But the discussion is still painful for everyone, and emotion, prejudice and fear rather than theological substance dominated this year’s deliberations on both sides.
“I am obviously disappointed in this year’s outcome, but take heart that (1) we now have a permanent commission, (2) we have tangible suggestions that we are sending to the faithful, and (3) that we have a year to review the situation. I will continue to soak everyone involved in prayer.”
Translation: “The synod will continue voting on this every year until it approves same sex blessings. It will then vote every year until it approves same sex marriage. In the meantime, my office will continue to provide propaganda promoting pagan marriage.”
marriage:
1 Corinthians 7 – Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.” But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.”
Vote over and over and over again until you get the results you want.
And then the matter is settled forever, never to be re-opened.
It’s the Progressive way.
Two of the three resolutions did pass including one commending a report that recommends the establishment of a Civil Union Participating Diocese. That isn’t voting over and over. That vote passed. It is part of an ongoing process. One could state the converse that the right-wing wants to prevent clergy from exercising their conscience as it pertains to ministry among LGBTQI persons.
Or more accurately, one could state that conservatives want to continue to follow biblical teaching on sexuality.
That the Synod in a province as diverse in its views as this was able to vote to commend a report to the dioceses that recommends creating a Civil Union Participating Diocese option, in which prayers can be used to bless same-sex couples, is quite significant. I believe that this ultimately is a more inclusive outcome given the report’s recommendation that will be studied at the diocesan level.
So you’re looking for an “inclusive outcome” rather than a Biblical outcome. I believe that’s the problem the Church has in a nutshell.
the narrow Gate Jesus spoke about was never intended to be inclusive of all viewpoints.