5.13.2006 | "practices of discrimination."

This is what the Archbishop of Southern Africa has called objections to the ordination of an openly homosexual bishop. As a successor for the much-loved lefty, Desmond Tutu ("Fidel, love your ways..."), this moke is confusing biblical fidelity with racial discrimination. From the laudatory (natch) story in today's WaPo, we get the by-now tired comparison:

Twelve years ago, Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu successfully fought for the end of legalized racism in apartheid South Africa. Now, his successor, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, has turned his sights on his own church and says the time has come to abandon its "practices of discrimination."

Ndungane is bitterly opposed by many, if not most, senior Anglicans in Africa. They, apparently, haven't thrown out their Bibles, or dismissed clear statements on homosexual behavior:

Romans 1:27:...and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

1 Corinthians 6:9: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality...

Christians should not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race. In the public square, Christians must also not seek to impose, by force, their views on nonbelievers. But we must never give up trying to impose, by reason and by our acts, our views of morality and of the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ.

To applaud the appointment of one who flagrantly violates Scripture to bishop is, itself, sinful. As Paul also writes, in 1 Timothy 3:2, "an overseer [bishop] must be above reproach." I sincerely doubt that St. Paul would have considered an active homosexual to "be above reproach."

Neither, then, should we. So, we must ask the likes of Ndungane, What is the foundation, exactly, for a church that denies black-letter scripture? Such a church is built on sand, and should not claim the label of Christian.

| technorati tag | Christianity|