Tobias Haller writes:
It is certainly true that out gay and lesbian bishops are a stumbling block to
some Anglicans. The election of another such bishop may indeed lead to some of
the provinces of the Anglican Communion severing their ties with the Episcopal
Church (how many in addition to those who have already done so remains to be
seen.) That would be their choice. . . .But as to stumbling blocks: The cross was a stumbling block to Jews and a
folly to Greeks. Jesus’ “lifestyle” was a scandal (that is, a stumbling block)
to his contemporaries, shocked and appalled as they were at his fellowship with
sinners — eating with them, and even letting them touch him. This led to
deep and serious divisions in the religious community of his day; only a small
minority of whom came eventually to join his movement. So Jesus did not come to
bring unity, at least not at first, and certainly not as expected — but
division. There had to be, as Saint Paul said later (1 Cor 11:19), a certain
amount of partisan division and factions (Paul used the word heresy) so
that what was truly genuine might be made manifest.
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