Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Mon, 7 Sep 1992 16:14:00 GMT
From:         Z_STAFF_CL@SOUTHAMPTON-INSTITUTE.AC.UK
Subject:      Re : Bishop's unbelief (was re: Spong)

Please forgive the change in subject line, as we are now going
to look more at David Jenkins I thought it more appropriate.

From:     Robert Weiss <psyrobtw@EDU.BUFFALO.CC.UBVMSB>
Subject:  Re: Spong
To:       Multiple recipients of <CHRISTIA@EARN.ASUACAD>
|Z_STAFF_CL@SOUTHAMPTON-INSTITUTE.AC.UK writes...
|>I can happily agree on most of what Nancy Tinkham said about
|>Anglicans.  We are a free thinking bunch at times.  Remember
|>the stir caused by the (then newly appointed) Bishop of Durham
|>Prof. David Jenkins a few years ago ?  "Church of England
|>Bishop say Resurection didn't happen"  That was not actually
|>what he said
|
|	I remember the quote as being that the resurrection was a
|"conjuring trick with bones."  This came shortly after he made the
|news when he publicly questioned the virgin birth of Christ.

What he actually did on both occasions was question if it was a
valid belief - if people could/should believe in the event or if
it was one huge con.  He was quoted out of context.  I have since
read both addresses in full and it was more like this :
"people may indeed say it was a con trick but this is how we believe
it actually was ....., what do you say"
An academic presentation of the arguments so people could make up their
own minds.  It was also silly season for the Press/Media.

|	What made it memorable was that a few days later, Yorkminster, the
|beautiful cathedral belonging to the diocese of Jenkin's archbishop,
|was struck by a bolt of lightning. Ceiling beams were knocked to the
|floor. "Coincidence or Wrath of God?" read the headlines.

York Minister is now nearly completed again (The latest joke is that it will
be struck again if the C of E let woman be priested. Un-funny !)

|	One of the leaders of Prison Fellowship wrote about this
|episode. He was visiting Sri Lanka, and was meeting with the chairman
|of Lanka Prison Fellowship. After asking about the growth of the Christian
|church, he was told, "We're losing badly to the Moslems. It all began
|with the Jenkins business."

|	The chairman explained that aggressive Moslems were visiting
|Christian communities, using Bishop Jenkin's quote as authoritative
|proof that Christians need no longer believe in Christ's resurrection.
|Since Moslems and Christians now see Jesus as merely a prophet, they
|argued, why not worship together in the mosque? "They are killing us
|with our bishop's own words," the chairman concluded.
|
|	Compromising with the truth has grave consequences.

I recall something like this.  But I know what the grass roots feelings
were at the time were here.  In summary : the ArchBish. should do
something; how dare he do that to the beliefs I have held for xxxx years;
at least the common people are talking about God;  so what do you think, Joe?;
Gosh, a church prepared to discuss what it believes, let's go see.

The strange thing is, around that time, more people went to the church I
was at - there is a hike in the attendance stats.  A few years later, I
did some analysis for a parish meeting and we couldn't work out what this
blip in the figures was.

I know a few people who were brought to Christ because of an interest
sparked by the fuss.  I know a few who felt the bottom was knocked out
of their faith at the time who now say that it was a point of growth
because they wer forced to examine what they believe. I can't recall
anyone who left the church and didn't come back.

I suspect that those who moved away from Christ were going anyway.

|	This brings up another question: What can the sheep do when
|the wolves are on full time staff?

It appears that the wolves are those who misquote those on the full time
staff.   Didn't the Lord have something to say about that being a likely
happening ?

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Carol A Long,  					DISCLAIMER - unless otherwise
IT Service,					stated this message contains
Southampton Institute of Higher Education	my opinion...probably only mine
East Park Terrace,
Southampton	SO9 4WW,   England		RELEASE - Repost at will, with
	UK Fax No : (0703) 222259		acknowlegements to author.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Z_STAFF_CL@UK.AC.SOUTHAMPTON-INSTITUTE
===============================================================================