A lengthy, but interesting article covering the effort that Rowan Williams is expending to prevent the Anglican church from schisming over gay and / or female bishops. There is a great counter argument to the “It is the tradition of the church”: so was slavery for many cultures. The appeal to the direct quote from scripture has been skewered in so many ways, but I can’t help thinking of Bartlett in the West Wing (which apparently was sourced from an anonymous email):
I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as
sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks
fluent Italian, always cleaned the table when it was her turn. What
would a good price for her be?
My chief of staff, Leo McGarry, insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus
35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated
to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police?
Here’s one that’s really important cause we’ve got a lot of sports fans
in this town: touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus
11:7 If they promise to wear gloves can the Washington Redskins
still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point?
Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother,
John, for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in
a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different
threads?
Think about those questions, would you?
Time to have a squizz through the election-time West Wing episodes for inspiration, I think.
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