No Kneeling

As someone who does not kneel, bow, scrape, face a book except to read it, or move my hands about my chest (but not that mad about any of these), I rather warm to Dougal's viewpoint:

"It is better to die on your feet, than to live forever on your knees." (La Pasionara) It struck me that could be a very good motto for anyone like me who has broken away from a life inhibiting, soul destroying Conservative faith and theology and found a more positive, liberating and life affirming one. It could also be a powerful battle cry for progressive Anglicans as we approach Lambeth. We are not going back into kneeling position in thrall to a reactionary theology to please a majority or even ++Rowan Williams (who has an awful job, but who really seems to have given up on his progressive principles in the quest to preserve a rather spurious unity). Jesus prayed standing up: as a beloved yet mature child facing the Father as he had been destined to. We are children of God through Grace and Adoption and it is better for the Anglican experiment to split in two than for us to default as requested by Archbishop Akinola et al into the kneeling, whimpering infant begging for forgiveness.

I never had a conservative type faith. It started with liberality (John Robinson' Honest to God and ever onwards) and has remained at the liberal and radical area. I often wonder about the emotional anchor that continues to operate when a faith began as something different, that was perhaps altered during theological college or down the line with continued reading.

I rather agree with him now about Anglicanism: better for it to split. However, we should not be under any illusions. For the GAFCON types to come on their raids, and to set up Instruments and control centres, they have to retain the pretence of one Communion for as long as possible. It will, in effect, be two, but entryism needs the way in - the host is needed.