Williams says he won't ordain gays
12/7/2002LONDON - Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who has acknowledged ordaining a practicing homosexual while serving in Wales, says he probably won't do it again.
He also told the Church Times that he sees no theological objection to women bishops, but suggested if any are consecrated in England the church might need a separate jurisdiction for dissenting traditionalists.
The archbishop took office this week as leader of the Church of England and 77 million Anglicans and Episcopalians worldwide.
Anglican bodies in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand have women bishops, and that step has been approved in principle by Anglicans elsewhere.
On homosexuality, Archbishop Williams abstained when a 1998 international conference of Anglican bishops strongly endorsed a resolution that active gay relationships are “incompatible with Scripture.” But he said that resolution “says what the mind of the church is. I feel, in my public position, that I am bound to live with that.”
Archbishop Williams also said “I think the question is worth asking,” whether the Bible is properly interpreted as opposing all homosexual behavior, the belief of Roman Catholicism and the majority of Protestant denominations.
A large-scale youth gathering called DCLA, held every third year since 1985 in both Washington and Los Angeles, has for the first time added a stop in Cincinnati for next year.
The five-day festival for junior and senior high school students, sponsored by the national Youth for Christ organization, will feature an array of Christian music groups, speakers, and seminars. The Cincinnati gathering will be June 21-25; the California session is scheduled for July 8-12, and the D.C. meeting is set for July 17-21.
Only a few artists and speakers have been announced thus far. Among the speakers are Efrem Smith, Laurie Polich, and Mark Matlock, and the performers will include tobyMac, Relient K, and the David Crowder Band.
Information is available by phone at 800-735-DCLA or on the Internet at www.dcla2003.org. Early registration discounts are available.
A 250-page hardcover book commemorating World Youth Day 2002 is being made available by organizers of the Catholic gathering, held in Toronto in July. Among the highlights of the weeklong event was a Sunday morning Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II for an audience of 800,000.
Reflections of His Light, which includes photos by Boris Spremo and a narrative in English and French by Leslie Scrivener, is being sold on a prepaid basis for $125 including tax and shipping.
Proceeds will go toward the World Youth Day 2002 Council, which reported in August that the event lost $30 million.
Information is available by phone at 1-888-213-3300, online at www.wyd2002photoalbum.com, or by e-mail at info@wyd2002photoalbum.com.
Rabbi Kirt Schneider of Adat Adonai Messianic Jewish Congregation will speak on the subject of “Jesus, Hannukah, and the Feast of Israel” from 2-4 p.m. today at the temple, 5025 Rambo Lane. The date was incorrect in an article on last Saturday's Religion page. Reservations are not necessary, but seating is limited. Information: 419-475-3144.
A global Internet-based prayer network, endorsed by such Christian leaders as Bishop T.D. Jakes, Bill Bright, Bill McCartney, and Joni Eareckson Tada, was launched this week by the World Prayer Team in Colorado Springs, Colo.
In addition to worldwide distribution of the prayer requests, volunteers at the headquarters will “pray for requests too private to be distributed publicly.”
Membership and postings are free at www.WorldPrayerTeam.org.