Hi everyone, The conflict currently disturbing the equilibrium of the Uniting Church is not all bad, in my opinion. Hopefully it will force us to grapple with three quite separate issues which have become mixed up in this fracas over the acceptance of homosexual people into specified ministry positions within the UC. If we can do that without tearing one another apart we will come out ahead in the long run. As I see it the three quite separate issues that we need to address are: The first is that of how we regard scripture. Do we see it as God�s instructions to us or a record of some people�s understanding of God, shaped by the time and the customs in which they lived? Walter Wink is a good resource here. The second issue is that of homosexuality, and this is one where we are going to have to educate people about what the real issues are here. Martin Seligman is a good resource here. The third issue is that of uniformity. Are we willing to accept people who see things differently from the way we see them? Or are we looking for a world in which everyone thinks the same or can we learn to live with one another�s differences. Perhaps even to celebrate these differences. I believe this is a great time for the church to grapple with all of these issues. Let�s just hope we are willing to do so. This is a time for growing. The real question is whether we are willing to run the risks of so doing. Or will we just bury our heads in the sand and hang on to our current beliefs without subjecting them to the rigour of examination. Peter.
Peter Elliott 26 Crowe Place Cootamundra NSW 2590 Ph: 02 6942 1212 ------------------------------------------------------ - You are subscribed to the mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the message body 'unsubscribe insights-l' (ell, not one (1)) See: http://nsw.uca.org.au/lists.htm ------------------------------------------------------
