Saturday, April 24, 2010

Down Under Speaks in Singapore

Among the remarks made by observers at GSE4 are these from Timothy Harris, Dean of Bishopdale Theological College, Nelson, NZ (and formerly of Adelaide - a true Down Under Anglican!!) as reported by Cherie Wetzel:

"Rev. Dr. Timothy Harris, New Zealand. I have been enriched and refreshed this week. Thank you for inviting me and encompassing me in your midst.

At the time of New Testament, the independent churches had a particular phrase to uphold themselves against the culture. Hominoya: to be of one mind. The urging was to share in that one mind. It is striking in that New Testament that the phrase is not used. You won’t find it in St. Paul. Paul reports the to the struggling churches. He said not to be of one mind, but to be of the same mind and that mind is the mind of Christ. So, it is the superficial mind vs. being taken in to the fullness of the kingdom. This is premised on the renewal of the transformation of the mind into the mind of Christ. We have a choice before us in the Anglican Communion. Those who pledge loyalty to the institution vs. those who cry out to go deeper: to be of the mind of Christ.

The crisis in Anglican Communion is partly the theological mess we find ourselves in. It is not just what is preached from pulpit but clergy, when ask what do you believe, their answers run the gamut.

I hope the Global South will be a people who have the love and courage to preach the fullness of the mind of Christ, who know God’s word. Not guessing what people of God might be doing, but people who know. They have a clarity about God’ purposes and meaning.

This is the painful lesson in New Zealand: how damaging it is when the theological education of men and women in ministry brings doubt and confusion especially when the word of Scripture is clear. I read the House Of Bishops from TEC statements re: scriptures that mention homosexuality in the Bible. Passages that are clear came out twisted, until they say the opposite of how they are written.

The heritage of the future belongs to those who will be a light to the nations, a covenant grounded in God’s word and witness. We stand confident in what God has taught us by his grace, not councils and decisions which are grounded in loyalty to the city, culture and the institution, but the Word of God written. Christ be with us. AMEN."

See further here.

2 comments:

Tim Harris said...

Hi Peter - this report conveys the gist of what I said in my brief reflections, but I will work on my own version in coming days, just for the record.

Peter Carrell said...

I would be very happy to publish or republish or link to it, as the case may be appropriate to your communicative intentions!