Lazarus At Lambeth

In his Pentecost 13 sermon, Glynn Cardy reflects on the recently concluded Lambeth Conference that valued unity over the Gospel. He finds a similarity between Lazarus in the parable of the Rich Man and Bishop Gene Robinson: " Outside the gates of Lambeth sat one uninvited bishop, Gene Robinson. His election was, unlike the election of English bishops, the popular choice of the parishioners and clergy of his diocese. Unlike English bishops his election was also confirmed by his Province’s General Assembly, the majority of who were democratically elected. His crime though in the eyes of Rowan Williams was that he dared not only to publicly declare his sexual orientation but also his commitment to his same-gender partner, Mark. His diocese and General Assembly knew this. He is an honest man who is paying a big price for honesty. He was shut out of Lambeth, out of the collegiality, out of the indaba huddles, and out of the rich banquet of interchange and fellowship. In the Bible there is a story of a poor man, Lazarus, sitting, excluded, at a rich man’s gate. Bishop Robinson was the Lazarus of Lambeth." Full text at http://www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=447&id=867