Archbishop Jonathan Blake

The Most Reverend Jonathan Blake, Presiding Archbishop of the Open Episcopal Church B.A. (Hons), Dip. Pastoral Studies. Mobile: 07767 687711 www.bishopjonathanblake.com archbishopjonathanblake@gmail.com www.openepiscopalchurch.org The Church is a member of The International Council of Community churches and the World Council of Churches. Married and a proud Dad.

My Photo
Name:
Location: London, Kent, United Kingdom

Gassed Tehran, seized Kabul, helped Mother Teresa, funded TB hospital, priest 1981, went Auschwitz, wrote on Parliament, convicted, began 1st inter-faith NHS chapel, 12 yrs Anglican cleric/vicar - left, baptised 1000's in homes/Mt Snowdon/at circus, wedding underwater, wrote ‘For God’s Sake Don’t Go To Church’, nailed 95 Theses 2 Canterbury cathedral, arrested, co-founded the Society for Independent Ministry, consecrated a bishop, co-founded the Open Episcopal Church, did 1st gay wedding on morning TV, sued Associated Newspapers, co-consecrated 1st women bishops 4 England,Wales,Scotland, accommodated the homeless, posted Mass/took it 2 sex workers, elected Archbishop, arrested 4 climbing with sons,founded ‘When No One’s Watching',made ICV, did Jade Goody's wedding,invited 2 Downing St, wrote 'That Old Devil Called God Again', conviction 4 campaigning against child abuse quashed on appeal, convicted 4 successful blogging 2 stop paedophile. His Christmas Lights raising £79,000 4 Water in 4 Gambian villages. Published "The Tales of Henry the Lovable Hedgehog", the SAFE New Testament + Psalms + radical Book of Common Prayer, ordained priests for UK,US,Thailand,Spain,Ireland

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

CELIBACY

So the article in the Daily Telegraph re my previous blog caused reaction from this country, the States and as far as Australia. Not quite death threats but violence and personal abuse from faithful Christians!

My crime in part? Suggesting that requiring celibacy as a condition of Holy Orders and the existence of closed Orders of Monks and Nuns is life denying.

My critics have protested that people have a free choice. Yes. However, is it not the vulnerable that are drawn towards such artificial and unnatural constructs created by the Church which prevent human beings from experiencing intimacy in their earthly lives? Is it not a denial of the Incarnation and an affront to the God of Love to wrest people from their families and loved ones and to exclude them from the opportunity of marital intimacy?

The sexual and physical abuse of the young which has disgraced the ministry of the church is one vivid indicator of the distortion in human relationships that the celibate priesthood and Orders of Monks and Nuns have produced.

If the Church is to begin criticising modern experiments in community and relationships it needs to put its own house in order, and there is no sign as yet of that happening.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home