It is sad that after 30 years of divisive debate and political pressuring our new Anglican Primate (senior Archbishop) Linda Nichols’ first comment on the defeat of the proposed change to the Marriage Cannon (church law) at General Synod was that the voting rules should be changed. It is not leadership to change the rules when you do not get your way. We have had a long and destructive debate between those who thought we could go against the clear teaching of the Bible and offer the sacramentof Holy Matrimonyto same-sex couples and those who did not. It has sidetracked the church from proclaiming the biblical Good News of forgiveness, healing and spiritual life in Jesus Christ to a whole generation, particularly to children and young people.
Real leaders have the courage to change course when the direction is not working.
The bishops have been trying to avoid conflict and change biblical doctrine and practices to accommodate the culture since Pierre Burtons’ book the Comfortable Pewin the 1960s. This is cowardice and it has not worked. The Anglican Church of Canada has since declined by 40% (vs. 20% for the Roman Catholic Church). Our children attend evangelical churches that are full of young people. People are starving for orthodox Bible teaching and spiritual nourishment. It is time to abandon the folly of adapting the church to the culture and go back to Jesus way of proclaiming hope, forgiveness and healing to a broken culture. Jesus was crucified for what he proclaimed. That was real love and real leadership.
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