Schism in the Church

What do we make of the huge controversy that currently threatens to divide the worldwide Anglican fellowship? With less than one week left for the Lambeth Conference to start, the Anglicans are faced with perhaps one of the most difficult challenges in their long history. The current controversy, as we know, centres around the consecration of an openly gay person as a bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. Those who are opposed to the move argue that God willed sexual union only within marriage and only between a man and a woman. For them, no Christian - and certainly not on ordained person - should be a homosexual. Those on the other camp, however, argue that there are people who are physically and psychologically differently oriented sexually. As a minority - and often oppressed - group in church and society, they affirm their identity as human beings and as responsible Christians.

A group of conservative bishops and other church leaders who met in Jerusalem a few weeks ago, decided to be tough with the leadership of the Anglican church which, they believe, is not taking firm action against gay and lesbian priests and bishops. The dissenting bishops (called Global Anglican Future Conference - GAFCON) have resolved to launch a parallel fellowship of Anglicans. Several of them will stay out of this month's Lambeth Conference. Some conservative bishops in Africa now seek to provide pastoral care to Episcopalians in U.S. who too support GAFCON. The Church seems to be on the verge of a split.

Is the move of the dissidents to divide the worldwide Anglican communion over the consecration of one lone American, a justifiable move? Even if we accept that homosexuality is a sin, is it sufficient ground to break the fellowship? Have we not lived in the past - and continue to live - with a number of other "sins" - racism, casteism, sexism, poverty in the midst of affluence and several others? If we could address all these issues within the fellowship of the Church, is it also not possible to deal with the question of homosexuality too in a Christian spirit? Or,is sexual orientation the lone yardstick to judge the 'Christianness' or 'unChristianness' of a person or of a Church?

These are difficult questions. All of us, in our own ways, have contributed to the schism that looms large before us. These difficult times call for much prayer, compassion and repentance.

Jesudas Athyal