"Here lies the boundary of a Christian church that allows itself to be bound by the authority of Scripture. Those who urge the church to change the norm of its teaching on this matter must know that they are promoting schism. If a church were to let itself be pushed to the point where it ceased to treat homosexual activity as a departure from the biblical norm, and recognized homosexual unions as a personal partnership of love equivalent to marriage, such a church would stand no longer on biblical ground but against the unequivocal witness of Scripture. A church that took this step would cease to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church."
Sorry don't know where this quote came from originally, but I recall using it (or at least being influenced strongly by it) in a speech to General Synod (ACANZP) at Rotorua 2004. In one paragraph WP sets out key issues at stake for a church such as the Anglican Communion as it heads towards Lambeth 2008:
will it be bound by the authority of Holy Scripture?
what is the norm of its teaching on human sexuality?
are homosexual unions the equivalent of marriage?
what is the unequivocal witness of Scripture in respect of homosexuality and other issues in human sexuality?
does the AC wish to be 'one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church'?
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