CHRISTchurch: Rift over visit by bishop

[Mike in Cairns]

Major rift over visit by bishop

A rift has developed in Christchurch's Anglican community, with a third of
the church's city vicars rebelling against the visit of radical American
Bishop John Spong.

The speaking engagement by the outspoken proponent of liberal views on
sexuality and theology issues, in the Christchurch Cathedral tomorrow, has
outraged 29 local vicars, who have signed a protest statement claiming
Bishop Spong's views are destroying the Anglican faith.

Bishop Spong has alienated church people who claim he has questioned belief
in God, denied traditional Christian teachings on the divinity and
resurrection of Christ, and espoused liberal sexual ethics.

He publicly supported the recent ordination of New Hampshire's gay bishop,
Gene Robinson. The international backlash from this has divided the church
and prompted many to leave.

The invitation to Bishop Spong, from the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very
Reverend Peter Beck, prompted 16 local ministers to write in protest to the
dean last week. They subsequently met the dean to oppose the invitation but
failed to have it overturned.

The group's spokesman, Sumner-Redcliffs vicar Ron Hay, said a quick
ringaround in the Christchurch Diocese attracted an extra 13 ministers to
the protest by yesterday.

The 29 ministers were about a third of the region's clergy. They included
the vicars of three of the four largest parishes.

Rev Hay said the group thought the use of the Cathedral for the expression
of "views that are destructive to Christianity and which undermine the
mission of the wider church" was bizarre.

The group found the timing of Bishop Spong's visit, when the Anglican Church
was in a maelstrom over the sexuality of clergy and the watering down of
theology, was "mischievous and provocative", Rev Hay said.

"Having him speaking here is undermining parish ministry and mission. It is
like an All Black being tackled by one of his own team," he said.

Bryndwr vicar Malcolm Falloon said the protesting ministers were speaking
for the people in the pews, mostly "very conservative" Christians.

The dean was failing to represent their views, Rev Falloon said.

Avonhead vicar Mike Hawke said Bishop Spong's beliefs struck at the core of
Christianity and reduced it to humanism. They made the church "a mere
frill".

In Christchurch yesterday, Bishop Spong said most of his critics were
"evangelical fundamentalists".

Usually they had misread, or not read, what he had written.

They had little understanding of the scriptures and church history.

Bishop Spong said homosexuality was fading as an issue, just as racial
segregation and women's rights had ceased to be issues for Anglicans.

Developing understanding of such issues enabled the church to evolve and
move on.

As a married man and father, he was "absolutely elated" at the ordination of
Gene Robinson.

The church had thousands of gay bishops, but Gene Robinson was the first
openly gay bishop. Earlier ones had been dishonest, which he found more
distasteful than being homosexual.

Dean Beck said he understood and respected the position taken by the group
opposing Bishop Spong's invitation. The Anglican Church accommodated a wide
diversity of views and the Cathedral should allow the full range of voices
to be heard.

"Bishop Spong is a symbol of hope for many and, I know, anathema to others."

He was a bishop of good standing so it would be difficult not to invite him
to speak, Dean Beck said.

Any visiting bishop, of any shade of opinion, would be welcome to speak in
the Cathedral.

Arrangements for the visit had begun two years ago, before he was dean and
before the current escalation of controversy in the Anglican Church.

Christchurch bishop David Coles said having Bishop Spong speak in the
Cathedral did not indicate an endorsement of, or agreement with, what he
said.

A wide variety of people, of other faiths and none, had spoken there.

This reflected the Anglican Church's "broad range of theological views", its
diversity, and its richness.

Bishop Spong gave people on the fringe of the church "an opportunity to
dialogue and wrestle with difficult Christian beliefs", Bishop Coles said.

FROM The Press www.thepress.co.nz
November 8th 2003 By MIKE CREAN