Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Anglican fight back at 'Nasty Party' slurs

http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2007/06/wycliffe_fight_.html

[Times Onlie] 26 June 2007--At about the time the Wycliffe Hall story was broken in the Guardian, 'Inclusive Church' Putney vicar Giles Fraser wrote: 'Anglicanism is fast becoming the nasty party at prayer, with traditionally inclusive theology being submerged by a bargain-basement prejudice that damns to hell all those who disagree.' One of the aspects I've been enjoying about this story is the holy, inclusive unity it apparently confirms there to be between Giles, scourge of the conservative evangelicals, and 'open evangelical' Fulcrum vicar Graham Kings, of St Mary's Islington. (Does Graham Kings know that in one article on Giles' Inclusive Church website, Jim Naughton is cited describing him as 'odious', along with Bishops Wright and Scott-Joynt? Praise indeed I should say.) Graham Kings has behind the scenes been defending Fulcrum chair, the popular Elaine Storkey, broadcaster and Wycliffe staff member, who is under disciplinary action and has brought grievance procedures against Richard Turnbull, evangelical principal of Wycliffe who has been bearing the brunt of the attacks. The latest is a letter calling for him to resign sent by three past principals including the extremely eminent Alister McGrath, demi-scourge of Prof Dawkins. Dr Turnbull could be forgiven for wondering who really is the 'nasty party' in all of this. Now a fightback is beginning, with a strong open letter of support for Turnbull posted this lunchtime on the AM website.

Related story:
http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/?p=1789
An open letter in support of Wycliffe Hall - Anglican Mainstream

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