Bishop's Daughter

There is a lot of heat and energy over Honor Moore's book about her father, the late Bishop Paul Moore of New York.

Something that disturbs me about this discussion is that since Bishop
Moore is dead, he can;t speak for himself. While I agree that Ms
Moore does have the freedom, even the right here in the USA to write
what she has, it is still only her POV.

If there is anything to be learned from Honor Moore's expose of her
father, perhaps it is this: how very much each and every one of us
needs the Lord. It is so hard to let go of our self-sufficiency. I
guess there is a bit of Pelagius in us all. It is so very hard to rest
in the Lord.

In all the debates that rage through our Anglican Communion, there is
such a loud voice of self-sufficiency. People know this or that so
definitely. Other people want to make sure sin is exposed and dealt
with as if they are unable to trust God to do it. Or perhaps they
don't like what God is doing and think they can correct Him.

As for those who sin: God will deal with us. The question we have to
ask ourselves is why it is so many among us can't trust God to take
care of it and feel we need to do His work for Him? Another question
is this: are we maybe afraid that if God doesn't act to punish GLBTs,
do we have to change our attitudes toward them? By not punishing GLBT
off the planet are we afraid that God is saying that we have to
embrace them as our neighbors whose hunger we must feed, thirst slake,
illnesses cared for, etc etc etc.

One of the tenets of TEC is that God's will prevails at General
Convention and that the Holy Spirit guides all in the Houses of
Bishops and Deputies. The last 2 GCs have been a smack in the face, I
daresay, to those who oppose the full inclusion of GLBT into our
fellowship and also to those who believe that women should not be
priests.

The Body of Christ does not grow and thrive when we point the finger
of blame at each other, engage in witch hunts. Disciples are not made
of all nations. In fact, people run in all other directions because
of the actions of Christians.

To go on and on about Paul Moore when he is not here to speak for
himself is, as far as I am concerned, just gossip. And the New
Testament says some very strong things about those who gossip.

Maybe people will say that Bishop Moore's actions speak for
themselves. Maybe they do. But the only opinion about his actions
which count is God's. And we are not allowed to know another person's
story.

Maybe the moral of Bishop Paul Moore's life is that the truth will set
us more free than we can possibly imagine if only we are willing to
let go of our fears of what other people think, or will say and are
willing to risk standing in the light of God's truth. Which is the
only thing that can pierce and ultimately shatter the darkness.

I have no idea what the world would be like if we all let go of our
fears and embraced the pure light of Christ. But it sure would be a
different place.