Reconciliation -- Anglican Style

The push for reconciliation was not primarily about reconciling positions on an unbiblical sexual behavior; it was about the demand by a small minority of aggrieved pansexualists that their abominable lifestyle be accepted in the name of God of course, who Himself is clearly evolving on the issue, if the Hayes theological father and son team now believe He has.

We are watching this play out in the Church of England over the Living in Lust and Faggotry (LLF) report. The attempt to broker in same sex blessings and a lifestyle clearly at odds with Scripture, history and tradition is taking place before our eyes.

Here is a paragraph from this report: “This paper builds on the substantive work that has gone before, and the sense of direction this has set. However, it also acknowledges that there remains profound disagreement. Proceeding to implement what has been decided on a narrow majority, in a manner that fails to reconcile the depth of the disagreement, risks much. Instead, what is called for in these commitments is a renewed space of reconciliation and a rebuilding of trust.

Reconciliation is the watch word. Reconcile or reconciliation is mentioned 8 times in the report even if a “renewed space for reconciliation” might contradict Scripture.

(The late Episcopal Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold used to throw out similar language when he talked about “generous orthodoxy” to affirm homosexuality, in order to approve Gene Robinson’s consecration. This was heresy wrapped in the language of godspeak.)

No matter, the name of the game is to reconcile two impossible positions in the name of the church. “We must be reconciled ol’ chap. Let’s go down to the pub and chew it over. Love will find a way.”

Another standout paragraph can be seen here: “The choice for Synod is whether it wants to proceed on this basis of reconciliation, or whether it wants to proceed by the majority on each discrete issue. In line with Anglican tradition, these commitments seek the former as a route to steer this work during the present quinquennium. Living in Love, Faith, and Reconciliation. We are the body of Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body. Let us then pursue all that makes for peace and builds up our common life.”

So, link reconciliation to baptism and “one body” and you can pretty well guarantee that reconciliation will win. Alinksy’s quote comes home with a vengeance, “when one side gets enough power, then the other side gets reconciled to it.”

The pro LLF forces know they have the culture on their side and indeed most of the bishops and clergy and a sizeable chunk of the laity. But the knife is in; one way or another those who hold out for a biblical view of human sexuality will lose because they refuse to be reconciled to those advocating for same sex blessings.
The intent was never reconciliation to God. It was always about a faux reconciliation of man with man, and God be damned.

So, throw around a lot of God language to manipulate the naysayers and suddenly those who disagree are pegged as homophobic, lacking inclusion and diversity and hey presto, humiliation sets in and the deal is done. Reconciliation has been achieved by a linguistic sleight of hand. The reconcilers are the true heroes, they have pled that to be reconciled is to announce agreement and uniformity when all that has really happened is that orthodox believers have been pushed into a faux call for reconciliation without them understanding what happened.

The orthodox were completely blindsided. They didn’t see it coming. They were manipulated by the language of reconciliation. Who doesn’t want reconciliation, who doesn’t want to see everyone working off the same page?

It’s as subtle as a snake charmer. Orthodox believers are made to feel terrible that they are not reconcilers when they ought to be.

Of course, reconciliation in scripture is a whole different matter. There are 18 verses in the Bible about reconciliation.

In the New Testament, II Corinthians 5:17-21 declares the most about reconciliation. The Apostle Paul clearly teaches that a believer can be a “new creation” in Christ through reconciliation. God sent Christ into the world to provide reconciliation through His death. Are you a “new creation” in Christ if you indulge in anal sex? I think not.

So, the question is this; What is God’s purpose for reconciliation? According to scripture, it is reconciliation through redemption. This Scripture says that God was reconciling to himself all things through Jesus. By restoring our right relationship to God, Jesus also opened the door for us to live in right relationships with each other, creation, and ourselves.

Nowhere does it remotely suggest that reconciliation of opposing sides on sexuality is part of the equation of reconciliation. Nowhere does Jesus or Paul ever argue that pansexuality could be reconciled.

But this is what happened in the Church of England. The LLF forces won the day.

In February 2023, the Church of England’s General Synod approved special services to bless same-sex couples in Church of England parishes.

This destroys all talk about reconciliation. It is now a done deal.

The fruit of the LLF process provides strong evidence that those pushing for change have indeed fallen into false teaching. False teaching on sexuality is placed on the same level as false teaching on the Trinity — both are heretical.

German theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg argues that a church changing its teaching on marriage and sex ceases to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic.

“Here lies the boundary of a Christian church that knows 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.”

He is right. The judgment God awaits those who do not repent. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Heb 10:31) KJV

END

RECONCILIATION — ANGLICAN STYLE

COMMENTARY

By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
September 15, 2024

Reconciliation means just one thing: when one side gets enough power, then the other side gets reconciled to it.” — Saul Alinsky

If there is one thing, I have learned watching Anglican Church politics over nearly four decades it is this; reconciliation became the buzzword for pansexual acceptance. Reconciliation meant reconciling the unreconcilable, in order to achieve an end that allowed one side to claim victory.

Homosexuals and lesbians knew how to play the game. Once a forced reconciliation was achieved that homosexual practice was acceptable, then it was time to move on. Nothing to see here.