Those of you who are not Anglicans need to know that there are many Anglicans who call ourselves Catholics. It is a way of spirituality, and framework that is forming us all the time.
the good Bishop grappled a lot with the present struggles of the Anglican Church over issues such as the ordination of gay people, and for some (still) the issues of the ordination of women as Bishops.
It doesn't seem like much of an issue here in Adelaide, but elsewhere the Church is ripping itself to pieces.
Going back to the root of "catholic" , it is a word which means universal or comprehensive. And although we often use it to mean Roman Catholic (which is a contradiction when you think about it)... many Anglicans use it to speak of an openness to difference and change. Indeed our Group meeting this day is called Affirming Catholicism.
I think of it as strong support for this universality.
The good Bishop agonised a bit with the principle of holding difference in tension and sticking with it and being reluctant to leave , but didn't quite get to a deep enough discussion of how do you decide when it is time to go.
There was much parallel drawn with marriage. But while we readily accept today that people should not stay in destructive relationships, we were being more reluctant to let people get out of church.
It is tricky. And I don't know the answer. But how do you honour people's decision to betray something you hold dear!
I was struck by one insight. That Judas sits within each of us. I think that bears some thought.
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