Archbishop criticised over stance on gays
A GROUP representing between 70 and 100 Church of Ireland clergy and lay preachers has publicly attacked Archbishop Alan Harper for "inflaming divisions" surrounding homosexuality.
In a letter to the News Letter, the Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy (EFIC) called on the archbishop to reconsider his position on the issue after he said that the Church may need to give a "new status for homosexual relationships" if science proves people are born gay.
The strongly-worded public criticism — which rarely emanates from so many ordained members of the Church — comes as the Irish bishops are in London with more than 600 Anglican bishops for the once-a-decade Lambeth conference.
A spokesman for the Church in Belfast declined to comment on the letter, but it is likely that others will respond to the fierce attack on the Primate.
And, recalling the Church's formation when it separated from the Roman Catholic Church, one of the EFIC's influential members, the Rev Clive West said that the Church of Ireland needed to go through a "second Reformation".
In their letter, the group — which is largely formed from the northern Church — said of Archbishop Harper's address in which he made his comments about homosexuality: "We are saddened that one who is to protect the faith...should so confuse, hurt and divide the people of God."
The group said that the archbishop's address had "contradicted the Church of Ireland's own position," and added: "We are dismayed at the lack of clarity and the resulting confusion of the archbishop's approach to human sexuality, especially homosexuality.
"We are painfully aware that this issue has the potential to rip the fabric of the Anglican Communion apart...and we are distressed that the archbishop should inflame divisions even further."
And, speaking of the recent Global Anglican Future Conference gathering of traditional and evangelical Anglicans in Jerusalem, the group said: "Their conference statement fills us with greater confidence and engenders a greater unity than our own Primate's speech.
"We call upon the archbishop...to reconsider his position on this issue."
In an interview on the Church of Ireland website yesterday, prominent evangelical bishop Harold Miller said that if bishops avoid tackling the controversial issue of homosexuality at Lambeth then they will "find the storm ahead when we have returned home".
However, Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neil, who is on the liberal wing of the Church, said that he believed all shades of opinion could be included — both among bishops and within the wider Church.
Last night, the Rev West, former chairman of the EFIC said that most of the group were junior clergy and were reflective of a growing number of younger Church members who want to see a more conservative theological approach.
"There is a sense in which the Church is already split, with a largely liberal southern church but a somewhat different Church in the north, where three-quarters of our members live," he said.
"In fact, what may happen to the Church is that there may have a divide, as at the Reformation, rather than a schism — I would prefer that."
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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