In the lobby at GAFCON Tony Payne

What is so funny about GAVcon?

I quite like the sound of it

Gav

Stephen Jackson23/06/2008 01:26 PM

Hey Tony - go easy on the overt criticism of others with different perspectives ... “ not the pale Galilean of the 19th-century liberals or the skivvy-wearing New Yorker of the 21st-century liberals”.

I recall Jesus suggesting that we love our enemies, not ridicule them. 

Like us all, revisionists have been made in the image of God, and their dignity as called people needs to be respected as such.

Cheers.

Stephen,

I agree that sometimes people are unnecessarily harsh in how they make their points, and I have said so elsewhere.

But I think you are the one who over-reacted this time. The ‘pale Galilean’ phrase has been around for ages. I think Tony was just trying a bit of a humorous update with the skivvy thing. Maybe Justin Moffatt can let us know from over there in NY!

And actually, Jesus used some harsh language at times - especially for religious leaders. Check out Matthew 23 to the scribes and Pharisees: “hypocrites”, “blind guides”, “whitewashed tombs”, “serpents”, “brood of vipers”.

Also, in what appears harsh to our ears at first reading, but perhaps had more of a humorous needle to it, Jesus made an implicit comparison between Gentiles like the Canaanite woman and scavenging dogs in Matthew 15:21-28, only to encourage her for her great faith. Yet many people since have found his ‘humour’ here right on the edge.

And he talked about not casting pearls before swine and so forth.

Perhaps we might extend the same charity to Tony for his colourful phrase.

Shane Rogerson23/06/2008 03:09 PM

hey Tony
heaps keen to hear your take on what makes a bible believing Jesus loving kinda of Gafcon leader.

Is there a distinction to be made between ‘orthodox’ Anglican, ‘evangelical’ Anglican and even ‘reformed’ Anglican (that last one may be an oxymoron).

I’ve seen a couple of conversations recently where the question comes up about just how biblically reformed this anglican alliance is. Are we ‘in bed with the right people’ you might ask?!

How much has GAfcon been formed on pragmatic lines as opposed to theological committments?
whilst there is a common enemy,how strong is that which unites?

Does Tony Payne have a surprising penchant for purple shirts?!

Looking forward to hearing more…

Stephen Jackson23/06/2008 05:05 PM

Sandy,

Thanks for the considered response.

I agree that Jesus didn’t hold back with his criticism of the religious leaders of the day, and I suspect his language may have even been more colourful in unrecorded remarks.

I still think that those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Humility should, I believe, always over-ride any sense of point scoring or conceit we may harbour about our strongly held convictions.  Both sides of the theological divide need to remember this!

Cheers.

Ian Carmichael23/06/2008 09:13 PM

Skivvy-wearing = ridicule??

Someone should tell Steve Jobs.

For those of us in Britain:

what’s a skiwy?

Steve Walton

Steve, if you click on the link in Ian Carmicael’s comment, just above yours, you will see a currently funky example.

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