Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Lambeth Press Conference on the Bible: A Cause for Alarm

UPDATED: We now have the Lambeth Bible Experts Q &A up on YouTube. See below.

Bishop David Moxon of New Zealand along with the "scholar" Gerald West who produced the Bible Studies have just spoken to the press in what was one of the most infuriating presentations I have ever witnessed. I kept thinking that at some point the two presenters would come to their senses or that a third presenter would mysterious arrive to say that these two were just stand-ins and the real presenters were now arriving.

Bishop Moxon spent time talking about the Bible as being like a House. The Church is the roof. It was clear by the end of the press conference that the roof was blowing off the House. Gerald West, who designed the Bible Studies, clearly outlined that the biblical view by which Lambeth 1.10 was passed by the 1998 Lambeth Conference was out-of--date and spent his time basically outlining that the new way is the Jesus Seminar all over again. Next thing we know, they'll be handing out beads to the bishops.

By the way, we were informed by Gerald West that the "sin" of Soddom and Gomora was about their lack of hospitality. Even after Matt Kennedy confronted him, West did not back down. See video below.

That this is what is going on inside the Big Top is one thing. That this is what the Lambeth Conference organizers decided to trot out to the press is simply astonishing. If they think that this is the kind of the thing that will get Anglicans back into the Big Tent, forgetaboutit. And perhaps that is the real news - the rea news is there is no room in the Big Tent for those who hold the historic Christian view that we conform our life to the teaching of the scriptures, not reimagined them in the name of "process."



LATER: Sorry it took so long to get up. The wifi in the newsroom is bewitched. I finally walked the two miles from the Conference site to my residence, with one stop at Salisbury's. The wifi at my residence (which interestingly enough, is the same wifi as the one at Kent University) is terrific.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

If Bishop Maxon and Gerald West are representative of the best of biblical scholarship within the Anglican Communion, then may the AC die a hasty death. Anathema to such teaching. Anathema.

Anonymous said...

"DITTO" bb

Anonymous said...

Call me inhospitable, but I don't think I could take it. I couldn't be there and listen to these people or have the patience to ask them questions let alone attend and participate in Bible studies that G. West devised. :( Lord have mercy!

Anonymous said...

Moxon is a well-known heretic in New Zealand.

Along with Te Paa, Buck, and all the rest.
Fit right in with TEC

RMBruton said...

Yes, that's the trick, re-package the Jesus Seminar, that'll set the Church straight! The only phrase which comes to mind after listening to this briefing is what a load of bovine scubala. I'm recalling a scene in a Woody Allen film where Woody is standing in a line behind some self-important know-it-all who is going on and on about what Marshall Mcluhan was saying. Fed up with this Woody steps behind a poster and brings out Marshall Mcluhan who lets the know-it-all have it with both barrels. That is what is needed here, someone to bring out Jesus Christ to speak for Himself.

Peter Carrell said...

It is Archbishop David Moxon, not 'Maxon'.
He is not a well-known heretic in NZ, nor anywhere else for that matter.
Please get your facts straight before making judgements.
I seem to recall Jesus saying something about the manner of making judgements.

Peter Carrell
Nelson, New Zealand