What
Anglicans Online has to say is typically gentle. I can never recall it being as brusque as we sometimes
glimpse Jesus in the Gospels.
I
note — this is typically Anglican — you quote Mother
Julian and "All shall
be well". It is a gentle, consoling
statement that, when we look at the world over its
many centuries or look at individual lives, hardly bears
much relevance to reality.
You
note rightly that change is usually a slow process
over many years, even centuries, in the church. But
we live in a time of rapid change and style in communications,
and of incredible widespread knowledge of what is
occurring. I suggest the old ways are no longer appropriate
when
a woman is being consecrated a bishop for Swaziland
and a vote in England is maintaining the myth of a male
priesthood that was foisted on the church in its
earliest years. The time you are calling for has
already been centuries.
Of
course like Julian's words, the search for the common
good (consensus) is looked on as a civilized, even
Christian, way. Again, history shows this has never
worked — see the early Church councils.
Brian
Poidevin
Anglican Parish of Castlemaine
Victoria, AUSTRALIA
bpoidevin@bigpond.com
26 November 2012