Zur Vernunft gekommen ist der anglikanische Bischof von Liverpool und hat sich für sein schwulenfeindliches Verhalten entschuldigt:
The Bishop of Liverpool has said he “deeply regrets” his public opposition to the promotion of Canon Jeffrey John and said that in his view “gay rights are civil rights.”
Dr John was forced to step down as Bishop of Reading in 2003 amid controversy about his sex life. He is now Dean of St Albans.
The Rt. Rev. James Jones was one of nine Diocesan Bishops who objected publicly to the proposed consecration of Dr John because he was in a gay relationship.
In einer Art Hirtenbrief lässt er die erstaunte anglikanische Christenheit wissen, was die Bibel zu dem Thema zu sagen hat:
“The Theology of Friendship” Report took me in particular to the relationship between David and Jonathan. Their friendship was emotional, spiritual and even physical. Jonathan loved David “as his own soul”. David found Jonathan’s love for him, “passing the love of women”. There was between them a deep emotional bond that left David grief-stricken when Jonathan died. But not only were they emotionally bound to each other they expressed their love physically.
Jonathan stripped off his clothes and dressed David in his own robe and armour. With the candour of the Eastern World that exposes the reserve of Western culture they kissed each other and wept openly with each other. The fact that they were both married did not inhibit them in emotional and physical displays of love for each other. This intimate relationship was sealed before God. It was not just a spiritual bond it became covenantal for “Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18:3). Here is the Bible bearing witness to love between two people of the same gender.
The intimacy between David and Jonathan is also evident in the relationship between the Son of David and his beloved John. We find the two at one with each other during the supper when Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. The beloved disciple is found reclining next to Jesus. Translations are not adequate to the text. Two different phrases are used in verses 23 and 25. One of them says literally that John was leaning against the bosom, breast, chest of Jesus (kolpos).
No English word or phrase fully captures the closeness of the liaison. What is significant is that the word used in John 13:23 is found only on one other occasion in the Gospel of John. In John 1:18 the word is used to describe the intimate relationship between “God the only Son” and the Father. “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son who is close to the Father’s heart (kolpos) who has made him known”. It is difficult for a human being to conceive of a closer relationship than that between the Persons of the Holy Trinity. That this word is used of the relationship between Jesus and John is a remarkable expression of the love between the two men.
Auch in Australien führt intensives Nachdenken zu vernünftigen Gedanken:
A group of Christian leaders has apologised to the gay and lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities for excluding them from church activities.
But the group, calling itself 100 Revs does not represent the official church position.
The spokesman for 100 Revs is Baptist Pastor Mike Hercock, who works in inner Sydney.
He says over the past two years, he and several colleagues have heard a succession of stories of people being excluded or isolated from their church because of their sexual orientation.
“We really recognise that the church has been completely silent on the issue of embracing a homosexual community and if anything actually, has been quite hostile,” he said.
“I supposed we wanted to make an effort and acknowledge the difficulty and sometimes the distress caused by the church.”
The group decided the best way was to apologise to the gay and lesbian community. As word of their plan spread, their numbers grew.
The group’s members are now drawn from several denominations including the Church of Christ; and the Baptist; Pentecostal; and Anglican churches.
Pastor Hercock says its time for action.
“We know that depression rates within the homosexual community are four to six times higher than the rest of the community,” he said.
“I have no doubt that our lack of love and compassion may have caused some significant kind of mental health type issues for some people.”
Related posts
Trackback Uri
Commentaries